146 MAI^lOX EXPEDITION TO DAVIS STRAIT AND BAFFIN BAY 



The behavior of the currents in this pai-tieuhir reijion has been 

 investigated Avith considerable interest because interactions of the 

 two flows must naturally exert an important etfect on the number of 

 bergs that are carried southward out of Baffin Bay. The fact that 

 the cold Baffin Land current at times spreads out nearly three- 

 quarters of the distance across to Greenland indicates that some of 

 the bergs at that time must be carried eastward away from the axis, 

 and the swiftest part of the current, and therefore diminish their 

 chances of reaching the Atlantic. On the other hand, during such 

 periods of flood of the Baffin Land current, more bergs are liable 

 to be carried southward through the neck of Davis Strait than other- 

 wise, and a heavy ice year may be expected off Newfoundland. How- 

 ever, if the west Greenland current experiences an abnormal intensi- 

 fication, it will tend to dam the cold polar stream and thus reduce the 

 number of l)ergs which are borne southward out of the Arctic. 



The general bounds of the currents in lower Baffin Land and Davis 

 Strait as determined from the oceanogra])hic observations of the 

 Marlon and GodtJiaah are more or less confirmed by the distribution 

 of the icebergs noted by the Marion. The striking feature of their 

 distribution in the narrow neck of Davis Strait in August, 1928, was 

 that no bergs were sighted three hours, i. e., 25 to 30 miles, after the 

 Marlon had departed from Godthavn to cross Davis Strait. No ice 

 whatsoever was sighted out in the central j>art of tlie strait, nor until 

 the ship had arrived within 40 miles of the Baffin Land coast, off 

 Cape Dier. The absence of bergs in the middle of the strait at that 

 time strongly indicates that the ice does not follow a direct palh 

 from the glaciers across to the south-flowing current under the 

 American shore. Tliis condition, combined with the fact that only 

 very few bergs were sighted to the southward in Davis Strait, cor- 

 roborates the oceanographic observations, namely, that the water and 

 the ice tend to follow a cyclonic circuit of Baffin Bay. The general 

 behavior of the j^ack ice as described on page 47. also fits in well 

 with the picture of the ])revailing currents as shown on Figure 92. 



According to the MaHon^s surA^ey, the Baffin Land current con- 

 tinues down the coast toward Hudson Strait at a speed of 6.7 miles 

 per day, spreading to a width much greater than the width of the 

 compensating stream on the (ireeidand side. Scattered bergs sighted 

 90 miles out from the Baffin Land coast were moving southward in 

 the set. As the flow api)roaclied Hudson Strait, we found it narrow- 

 ing to only 20 miles in width and simultaneously accelerating to 20 

 miles ])er day. to turn into Hudson Strait close under Resolution 

 Island, an indication of the most probable course for the ice. McLean 

 (1929, p. 13) says icebergs also enter Hudson Strait via Gabriel 

 Strait, between Resolution Island and Baffin Land. This agrees, 

 furthermore, with MacMillan's verbal statement that he has wit- 

 nessed bergs drifting into Hudson Strait in narrow rows along 

 the northern side for a distance of 150 miles, as far as Big Island, 

 Avhere nearly all of them recui've. to drift out again ])ast Cape Chidley 

 on the Labrador side. Not infrecjuently bergs drift up the strait as 

 far as Salisl)ury Island before being caught in this current and very 

 rarely, according to Hunt.-man (1930, p. 3), one is reported in Hud- 

 son Bay itself. 



As previously renuirked. the berg stream becomes much dispersed 

 in the offing of Hudson Strait. The outer bergs mav for a time lie in 



