Abstract 



In 1967 an effort was made by USCGC 

 EASTWIND (WAGE 279), CAPT William M. 

 Benkert, Commanding, in company with USCGC 

 EDISTO (WAGE 284) to conduct scientific in- 

 vestigations while circumnavigating the Arctic 

 Ocean. This cruise was aborted when heavy 

 ice blocked passage to the north of Severnaya 

 Zemlya and the Soviet Union refused innocent 

 passage through the Vilkitskiiy Straits. As an 

 alternative the 1967 survey of the Kara-Earents 



Seas, described in this paper, was conducted. 

 A total of 125 hydrographic stations were oc- 

 cupied from 31 August to 22 September 1967. 

 In addition to Nansen casts conducted at all 

 stations, bottom samples were obtained at 27 

 stations and surface plankton tows at 11. Pre- 

 liminiary results show extensive surface cooling 

 taking place in the Earents Sea and a water 

 mass structure unlike those previously re- 

 ported in the Kara Sea. 



