for the ice patrol organization and are essential for the successful 

 functioning of any ice warning service. 



Ice movement along the east coast of the Avalon Peninsula did not 

 develop until late May. On 6 May, nine bergs were sighted in a 

 square bounded by latitudes 46°50' N., and 48°00' N., and longitudes 

 50°00' W., and 52°00' W. Nothing further was learned about bergs 

 in this area until 25 May when several ship reports of three bergs in 

 the area were received. Bergs were reported on 28 May in 47°00' 

 N., 52°55' W. Occasional reports of bergs and growlers south of 

 47° N;, and west of 52° W., continued to be received through the end 

 of the month and the movement of bergs south along the east coast 

 continued throughout the rest of the season. 



The first report of drift ice in May was from an ice patrol aircraft 

 which reported drift ice on 6 May extending from the vicinity of Cape 

 St. Francis to 48°00' N., 52°00' W., to 48°35' N., 51°00'' W., and 

 thence northwest past Funk Island. Its northward retreat continued 

 through May until its limits on 29 May were from the vicinity of Cape 

 Bonavista to 48°45' N., 52°30' W., thence northwest. At no time 

 was it a hazard to trans-Atlantic shipping. Drift ice in Cabot Strait 

 disappeared rapidly in Alay and on 16 May all routes to the Gulf 

 of St. Lawrence were reported clear for navigation and reports by 

 the Canadian Department of Commerce were discontinued. 



In May, it was estimated that 135 bergs drifted south of 48° N. 

 In this month, 19 ice observation flights were made. The distribu- 

 tion of pack ice and icebergs for the month of May is shown graphi- 

 caUy in figure 5. 



JUNE 



Continuing the general check of the Grand Banks area started on 

 30 May, two flights on 1 June covered the area between 46°00' N., 

 and 49°30' N. The only ice sighted east of 50°30' W., was a berg in 

 46°29' N., 49°01' W., which was tracked by the Tampa. This berg 

 was in shoal water on the Grand Banks and by 4 June it had drifted 

 to 46°19' N., 48°30' W., and was l)reaking up rapidly. Flights were 

 made on 7, 8, and 9 June to cover the Grand Banks area from 42°00' 

 N., to 52°00' N., in an endeavor to locate any ice menace, potential 

 or real, which could conceivably endanger trans-Atlantic shipping. 

 No ice was sighted east of 50°00' W., or south of 47°00' N., therefore 

 the ice patrol cutter was withdrawn on 10 June. 



Bergs were sighted on the 20th in 48°18' N., 50°11' W.; 48°28' N., 

 47°56' W.; 48°38' N., 48°11' W., which positions indicated an east- 

 ward drift. Since the flights on 7, 8, 9, and 20 June revealed no ice 

 which was considered to be a menace to trans-Atlantic shipping, the 

 activities of the International Ice Observation and Ice Patrol Service, 

 season of 1950 were terminated 26 June. Bergs were again reported 



10 



