John Smith I wrote:
I know of NO ONE who claims to know FOR CERTAIN, EXACTLY why, this
happens or is able to offer conclusive proof ...

Here's what I was taught. In the Northern Hemisphere,
the Northernmost point in a body of water at rest is
moving slower than the Southernmost point. Consider
that the ocean water at the poles travels pi*zero miles
every 24 hours while the water at the equator travels
pi*8000 miles, i.e. about 1000 miles per hour. The extra
velocity of the Southernmost molecules is what gives the
counter-clockwise rotation of a fluid in the Northern
Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Southernmost
molecules are moving the fastest resulting in a clockwise
rotation.
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73, Cecil, http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp