period 21 April through 25 April. On 26 April the ship entered the ice 

 pack and remained until 26 May, Stations 10 through 18 were taken during 

 this period. Stations 6 through 10 were the westernmost and deepest 

 casts obtained during the winter and spring oceanographic operations in 

 the Bering Sea, Ice observations at 6-hour intervals were reported to 

 Fleet Weather Central at Kodiak and the I^^rographic Office © Ice charts 

 were received the day after long-range reconnaissance flights were made 

 from Kodiako The location of the southern ice boundary and ice conditions 

 found throughout the pack coincided generally with those reported by 

 Fleet Weather Central (Kodiak) observers. On k May the ship was moored to 

 fast ice k^ miles from Nome, 



On 8 May the ship departed Nome and headed northwest, occupying 

 station 19 on 10 May, From 10 to 16 May, hardly any progress was made due 

 to heavy pack ice ranging from U to 6 feet thick. Station 20 was occupied 

 about 20 miles south of King Island on 16 May, At this point the ship 

 headed southeast for more navigable waters, taking stations 21 through 27o 

 Ice conditions were more severe in this area than they were the previous 

 spring. The ice was thicker and less broken. The spring breakup, which 

 was complete in late May 195U, was only commencing at this time in 195 5 • 



On 25 May extreme pressure from the ice pack was relieved by the 

 spring breakup, and a norma] course was again resumed. Station 28 was 

 occupied on 27 May to complete the oceanographic stations. The cruise 

 was coaapleted with the arrival of the BURTON ISLAND at San Diego on 

 6 June, 



3o Accomplishments 



Bathythenno graph observations generally were taken hourly in the 

 operational area, except when stopped on oceanographic stations or when 

 ice conditions reduced the ship's progress, at which time they were taken 

 at 10-mile intervals. Along the ice penetration track followed by the 

 NORTHWIND, BT lowerings were increased to every 15 minutes when approach- 

 ing and leaving the ice edge, ice conditions permitting. Transparency 

 measurements were made on each oceanographic station during daylight hours 

 by means of a 30-centimeter white Secchi disc. Hourly weather observa- 

 tions, 6-hour ly ice observations while in the ice, and continuous sonic 

 soundings while underway, were recorded. 



Despite adverse weather, sea, and ice conditions, 5l oceanographic 

 stations were occupied by the NORTHWIND between 5 March and 18 April, and 

 269 BT observations were obtained, A total of 2U7 salinity samples was 

 sent to the Hydrographic Office for analysis. In addition, 238 oxygen 

 samples were analyzed aboard ship, and 33 bottom samples were secured 

 using a Dietz-LaFond bottom sampler. Photographs of sea ice were taken 

 simultaneously from the ship and from reconnaissance aircraft on 5 

 occasions. 



