Measurements of surface pressures are presented for planar oscillatory motion, to represent a vertical cylinder in waves, and for the addition of translation to represent added currents. Comparison with potential flow theory illustrates the basis for the two term Morison equation and the applicability of this equation for combined waves and currents when the wave particle and current velocities are added vectorially. The dependence of loca1 pressures on the square of this vector sum is noted, together with its significance for the loads of subsidiary items exposed to the local velocity and pressure fields of larger structural members.