area was reported on 17 April when it was 25 miles north of Sable 

 Island. At the end of April the limits of drift ice were from 20 miles 

 east of St. Paul to 46°40' N., 59°10' W., to 46°00' N., 59°00' W., to 

 45°00' N., 59°10' W. 



During April, 19 ice observation flights were made. It is estimated 

 that 183 bergs came south of 48° N. The distribution of pack ice and 

 icebergs for April is illustrated graphically in figure 4. 



MAY 



As the month began, bergs were once more observed drifting south 

 and east of Flemish Cap in a similar maimer to those observed in 

 March. In March no oceanographic observations were available to 

 explain the nature of this movement but in May the Evergreen made 

 an oceanographic cruise along the south, southeastern, and eastern 

 edge of the Grand Banks. In this month the Atlantic Current salient 

 in the vicinity of 45° N., formed an effective block to the Labrador 

 Current by reducing the volume of Labrador Current water which 

 flowed south to the vicinity of the Tail of the Grand Banks and by 

 diverting part of the Labrador Current to the eastward north of this 

 latitude. Further details are contained in the oceanographic section of 

 this bulletin. This diversion of the Labrador Current resulted in 

 four bergs moving to the eastward where they were sighted by an 

 ice patrol aircraft in 44°08' N., 43°12' W.; 45°04' N., 44°ir"w.; 

 45°35' N., 44°35' W.; 46°12' N., 43°18' W., on 11 May. The berg 

 sighted in 44°08' N., 43°12' W., was a real danger to shipping travel- 

 ing on track B and the other three bergs were a potential danger. 

 At this same time it was evident that a current of cold water was 

 flowing eastward over and north of Flemish Cap because a berg was 

 sighted in 47°20' N., 30°17' W., and two bergs in 46°50' N., 40°53' W., 

 on 19 May. These bergs were in track B. Although they were 

 reported as bergs and one as being 200 feet high they apparently 

 disintegrated rapidlv as no further reports of them were received. 



Toward the end of the month the Atlantic Current salient had 

 degenerated sufficienth^ to allow bergs to be carried south past the 

 45th parallel and one was sighted in 44°19' N., 48°29' W., on 26 

 IMay. At the end of May, reports of bergs east and southeast of 

 Flemish Cap had ceased. The ice-patrol vessel reported that on 28 

 May the berg sighted 26 May in 44° 19' X., 48°29' W., was no longer 

 a menace. Throughout the month bergs were reported along the 

 100-fathom curve on the eastern edge of the Grand Banlvs from 

 44°00' N., to 48°00' N. Berg conditions along the 100-fathom curve 

 were not well observed during May because aircraft flights were 

 hampered b}- almost zero visibility from 12 May through 28 May. 

 Ship reports were the sole source of information for this period and it 

 is emphasized here that ship reports are vital sources of information 



955984—51 2 9 



