the outer limits of drift ice were from 46°26' N., 53°10' W., to 47°26' 

 N., 49°20' W., to 47°26' N., 47°50' W. The first berg reported in the 

 Grand Banks area for the 1950 season was reported by the steamship 

 Danaholm in position 47°38' N., 48°04' W. It was reported again on 

 the 14th in 46°55" N., 46°43' W., and apparently disappeared to the 

 south of Flemish Cap shortly thereafter. 



Occasional reports indicated that drift ice continued its southward 

 movement until it reached a maximum southerly limit at 45°35' N., 

 48°12' W., on the 20th and 45°20' N., 51°30' W., on the 21st. A 

 small number of bergs accompanied this drift and on the 20th one was 

 reported in position 45°47' N., 48°34' W. This was the first sign 

 that any bergs had rounded the northeastern shoulder of the Grand 

 Banks and were being carried southward by the Laborador Current 

 to the vicinity of the Tail of the Grand Banks. Shortly afterward, on 

 the 23d. a berg was reported in 43°25' N., 49°37' W., which berg was a 

 definite tlu-eat to trans-Atlantic shipping on track C. It was again 

 reported on the 24th, 30 miles to the southeast in 43°14' N., 49°04' W. 

 As soon as weather would permit, a plane was sent to the area to 

 locate this berg on the 26th but no ice w^as sighted. No further ship 

 reports were received on this berg and it was concluded that it dis- 

 integrated shortly after the report of the 24 th under the combined 

 influences of the relatively warm Atlantic Current and the buffeting 

 of a gale with 75-knot winds which swept the area that same date. 



For the month of February, drift ice was never reported south of 

 the positions of the 20th and the 21st. A limiting line for drift ice 

 at the end of the month could be drawn from 46°15' N., 52°30' W., 

 to 47°40' N., 46°40' W., with only occasional patches reported to 

 the south of this line. Westerly winds during the month generally 

 kept the east coast of the Avalon Peninsula free for navigation. 

 Reports of ice in Cabot Strait and the Gulf of St. Lawrence were 

 practically nonexistent. The only report received indicated that some 

 drift ice had reached the vicinity of Misainc Bank on the 21st. 



During February, five ice observation flights were made. It is 

 estimated that 12 bergs came south of 48° N. Distribution of pack 

 ice and icebergs for the month of February is shown graphically in 

 figure 2. 



MARCH 



Early in March there was a movement of bergs to the east of 46° W., 

 north of Flemish Cap. This continued for the first 2 weeks and then 

 the drift of bergs tended to be south along the eastern edge of the 

 Grand Banks with some movement to the east just south of Flemish 

 Cap. On 6 March, three bergs were reported in the positions 49°18' 

 N., 44°44' W.; 49°11' N., 45°10' W.; 48°40' N., 45°58' W. This 

 easterly drift of bergs was confirmed by sightings on the 8th of two 

 bergs in 48°52' N., 45°56' W.; 48°53' N., 45°39' W., and again by a 



