tides in North Star Bay are shown in Figure 15. The shape of the 

 tidal current curve is similar to that of the predicted tide curve. 

 The maximum cxirrent speeds occurred at the beginning of the period 

 in conjunction with the maximiam tide range generated by the new 

 moon on 28 March. The weakest currents and minimum tide range oc- 

 curred on 6 April in association with the moon's first quarter. The 

 relationship between the changes in current velocity and the tide 

 at North Star Bay is information that can be used to predict the 

 strength of the tidal currents in the study area. 



The current direction rises for Site 1 indicate the reversing 

 nature of the tidal current at all depths, and the cvirrent speed 

 plots indicate the changes in speed of the tidal current caused by 

 the direction reversal and change in tide range. Figure 1^ is a 

 summary of all the current data. The cones extending from the site 

 locations indicate the most frequently observed cixrrent directions 

 at each site. The numerals indicate the maximum current speed in 

 knots recorded for each range of directions. 



Sea Floor Photographs 



Sea floor photographs were obtained at Sites 1 and 2. A repre- 

 sentative photograph taken at Site 1 is presented in Figure 15, and 

 some representative photographs taken at Site 2 are presented as 

 Figures I6-I8. Annotated sketches of bottom flora and fauna present 

 in the photographs are presented below the photographs to serve as 

 an identification key. 



Site 1, at a depth of 2^40 meters, is almost devoid of marine 

 life and indicates a soft bottom typical of an area of fine sediment 

 deposite. 



Site 2, at a depth of 135 meters, shows an abundance of marine 

 life and rocky bottom typical of an area scoiored by currents. The 

 area appears to be a common Macoma calcarea benthic community which 

 is characteristic of relatively shallow water. Many of the indicator 

 species of the ]^coma calcarea community are quite tolerant of varia- 

 tions in both water and bottom conditions, and are consequently cir- 

 cumpolar. The identification of the marine life in the photographs 

 is tentative and mostly an educated guess, since positive identifica- 

 tion of invertebrates is impossible without the animal. The follow- 

 ing tentative identifications have been made: 



Phylum Coelenteratea - Sea anemone (Class Anthozoa, probably 

 Order Antinaria, possibly Anthopleura spp. or Epiactis spp.), Hydroid 

 (class Hydrozoa) - small jelly-like masses. 



Phylum Echinodermata - 



Starfish (Class Asteroidea) 



325 



