We estimate the absolute dynamic topography of the world ocean from the largest scales to a short-wavelength cutoff of about 6700 km for the period July through September 1978. The data base consisted of the time-averaged sea-surface topography determined by SEASAT and geoid estimates made at the Goddard Space Flight Center. The issues are those of accuracy and resolution. Use of the altimetric surface as a geoid estimate beyond the short-wavelength cutoff reduces the spectral 1eakage in the estimated dynamic topography from erroneous small-scale geoid estimates without contaminating the low wavenumbers. Comparison of the result with a similarly filtered version of Levitus' historical average dynamic topography shows good qualitative agreement. There is quantitative disagreement but it is within the estimated errors of both methods of calculation.