190 EJNAR MIKKELSEN. 
Observations on the state of ice in the neighbourhood of 
Shannon Island and Bass Rock, 
during the years 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912. 
Observations on the distribution of water and ice, the motion of 
the pack-ice, the influence of the different winds on the ice etc. were 
made during the three years, when the expedition had its headquarters 
on or in the neighbourhood of Shannon Island. 
When on August 25th 1909 the “Alabama” had become liberated 
from the pack-ice, in which she was drifting, she entered a landwater 
4 å 5 miles broad and almost tree of ice, extending along the east coast 
of Shannon Island from Cape Philip Broke, beyond Cape Pansch and 
northwards until off Cape Sussi, where it narrowed considerably and 
closed up entirely about 4 miles north of Cape Borgen. 
Frozen Bay was open at its northermost end, the remainder of it 
being filled either with unbroken ice or drifting floes!. 
The pack-ice immediately north of Shannon Island appeared very 
packed when seen from the top of Meyersteins Mountain, a height of 
305 metres, but further to the north around the south end of Koldewey 
Island some very large ponds could be seen. 
The strait between Shannon Island and the mainland was quite 
open, and a line of grounded icebergs, from Cape Copeland to the main- 
land, formed a barrier, against which the pack-ice was pressed with 
great force. 
There was open water to the south of Cape Philip Broke, and no 
ice could be seen to the south of SE from the cape. 
The ice remained in this state for several weeks, and no motion 
was noticeable in the pack-ice between Shannon Island and Koldewey 
Island. It was evident that the body ot ice, filling the southern end of 
the bay, was set against the north coast of Shannon Island by the 
current and not by the wind, as we experienced some rather strong 
southerly breezes, which made no difference in the state of the ice 
north of the island. 
Some heavy northerly gales in the middle of September, gales which, 
however, were of no long duration, drove the pack-ice against the east 
coast of Shannon Island and into Frozen Bay, closing up the landwater 
entirely. The open water southward and westward from Cape Philip 
Broke remained, however, in its former extent. 
The young ice in the bays and between the pack-ice had on Sept. 
1 The landwater was seen on August 20th, but it was closed up by a 
northerly gale and remained closed until August 24th, when the wind calmed 
down, giving way to a fresh SE wind, which within a few hours opened the 
landwater described above, at the same time opening up the pack-ice — in which 
the “Alabama” was beset — a good proof of the influence of different winds on 
the pack-ice. 
