We present data from two case-studies during the Southern AFricAn Research Initiative (SAFARI2000) of the radiative effects of a biomass burning plume advecting over the ocean. In situ aircraft measurements were made of the aerosol vertical structure, the aerosol microphysics, and the aerosol optical properties (scattering and absorption coefficients). Remote sensing measurements of the upwelling broadband short-wave (SW) radiative fluxes (0.3–3.0µm) were made above the plume. Together with modelling of the clear-air flux using a flexible radiation scheme, we have been able to determine the local mean direct radiative effects of the aerosol column for the two cases. Aerosol optical depths were derived using a number of techniques: the upwelling fluxes, vertical integration of the in situ extinction coefficient, and using downwelling sky radiances. These optical depths are compared and discussed; discrepancies are revealed through instrument sampling problems and horizontal inhomogeneity of the aerosol. Spectrally resolved downwelling SW sky radiances as a function of scattering angle were measured and modelled. The modelling technique illustrates the importance of including unpolluted marine boundary-layer aerosol as part of the aerosol column. A retrieval algorithm that uses the measured downwelling sky radiances as input has also been utilized. This algorithm derives a columnar aerosol size distribution for comparison against the measured biomass burning and marine boundary-layer size distributions. The retrieved columnar size distribution is acceptable in representing the atmospheric aerosol in terms of describing the effect on scattered radiances. © Crown copyright, 2004. Royal Meteorological Society