diff --git a/Inst_eddies/get_1_outerm.f90 b/Inst_eddies/get_1_outerm.f90
index 962c6a567ddf6cccab2e317f6f67e07b6655cfca..1ae86583a0c5e11859f0fcc79bed14cbbcb9db19 100644
--- a/Inst_eddies/get_1_outerm.f90
+++ b/Inst_eddies/get_1_outerm.f90
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ contains
 
     type(ssh_contour), intent(out):: out_cont
 
-    type(ssh_contour), intent(out):: cont_list(:) ! (n_max_cont + 1)
+    type(ssh_contour), intent(out):: cont_list(:) ! (n_max_cont)
     ! Contour list. The outermost contour is element n_cont. The
     ! contours are in monotonic order of ssh. If n_cont >= 2,
     ! cont_list(:n_cont - 1)%area is missing and cont_list(:n_cont -
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ contains
 
     !-----------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    n_max_cont = size(cont_list) - 1
+    n_max_cont = size(cont_list)
     n_cont = 0
     cont_list(1)%polyline = good_contour(corner, step, ssh, innermost_level_2, &
          coord_extr, outside_points)
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ contains
              if (cont_list(n_cont + 1)%n_points /= 0) then
                 cont_list(n_cont + 1)%ssh = level_try
 
-                if (n_cont == n_max_cont) then
+                if (n_cont == n_max_cont - 1) then
                    ! Replace the previous good contour found
                    cont_list(n_cont) = cont_list(n_cont + 1)
                 else