SUMMARY OF ICE PATROL, SEASON OF 1924 



By Comander William J. Wheelek, senior officer 



The patrol for season was inaugurated by the Tampa^ which left 

 Boston March 18 and arrived oif the Tail of the Bank on the night 

 Df March 21. The Tampa had reported ready on March 1, and 

 hereafter had been awaiting orders to proceed when ice conditions 

 equired. The Modoc left the same port for relief of the Ta/mpa 15 

 lays later and the usual routine of relief after 15 days on the Banks 

 ivas followed by the Tampa and Modoc for the season, with Halifax 

 IS base for fuel and supplies. 



The month of March was characterized by less fog than is usual (as 

 yiven on Pilot Chart), by low percentage of gales, and by warmer 

 surface water on Grand Banks as result of mild winter, and by 

 ibsence of field ice. There was also a prevalence of warm water 

 in localities where arctic water might usually be expected, and as a 

 ogical'result the number of bergs was much smaller than usual for 

 :he season. Only three bergs were reported south of Newfoundland 

 ifter March 13, and of these only one showed a disposition to drift 

 south or come south of parallel 45; this was tracked by the patrol 

 ifter March 27. 



During the month of April better weather than is usual for the 

 season was again experienced, the percentage of both fogs and 

 ^ales being below normal. Warm Atlantic water was found closer 

 to the Grand Banks than usual, the water temperature over the 

 reservoir of the Grand Banks was higher than normal. The only 

 berg that might have menaced the North Atlantic lane route to the 

 United States melted April 11 approximately in latitude 41° 11'; 

 longitude 48° 18'. A second was located on April IT in latitude 45° 

 53' ; longitude 51° 53', but its position and rapid melting precluded 

 the possibility of its becoming a menace. 



For the month of May the same general conditions that were ex- 

 perienced in April prevailed ; a smaller percentage of both fogs and 

 ^ales were experienced than is given on Pilot Chart for the season. 

 There was likewise the extraordinary absence of ice from steamer 

 lanes. On May 26 the patrol vessel located a berg in latitude 48° 

 42'; longitude 51° 31', 85 miles north of the Cape Race steamer 

 track. On May 27, a small berg was reported in latitude 48° 42' ; 

 longitude 52° 35', still further from the steamer track, ^^iy^'^a^^ 



(59) 



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