The principal outlet is between Spitsbergen and Greenland. 

 The cold East Greenland current flows southward along the east 

 coast of Greenland to Cape Farewell. Part of this current rounds 

 the cape and flows northward along the west coast, where it is 

 joined by a small current from the Gulf Stream. Three other out- 

 lets exist among the Canadian arctic islands. One is the narrow 

 channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland through Robeson 

 Channel, Kane Basin, and Smith Sound to Baffin Bay. A second 

 outlet is through the broad Strait, Viscount Melville Sound, and 

 Lancaster Sound north of Baffin Island into the Bay of the same 

 name. The third and least important outflow is through Fury and 

 Hecla Strait to Foxe Basin and Hudson Bay. 



In Baffin Bay, the northward flowing current along the west 

 coast of Greenland curves westward in Melville Bay and merges 

 with the outflowing polar waters which move southward along the 

 west side of the Bay. Part of this current enters Hudson Strait 

 and flows around the southern coast of Baffin Island, going north- 

 ward along the west coast into Foxe Basin. This current joins the 

 arctic outffow and moves counterclockwise around Foxe Basin and 

 Hudson Bay. It flows along the south side of Hudson Strait to 

 Davis Strait. It then merges with the southward flowing current 

 from Baflfin Bay to form the famous Labrador current, which 

 finally mixes with the northeastward flowing Gulf Stream to the 

 east of Newfoundland. Another outlet, but one of negligible 

 importance, is through the Bering Strait. 



Throughout much of the year, but especially during the break- 

 up, the Labrador current and the east Greenland drift bring bergs 

 and floes from the northern areas. It is estimated that 26 million 

 cubic yards of ice are thus carried into the north Atlantic Ocean 

 annually. 



The circulation of the cold arctic water and the warmer Atlantic 

 water causes considerable contrasts in the climates of the coasts 

 along which these currents flow. Moderating influences of the 

 relatively warm waters are also felt in northern Scandinavia. 

 Part of the North Atlantic Drift flows along the coast past 

 Murmansk and Kolguev Island, and northward along the west 

 coast of Novaya Zemlya. The effect of this current is to keep the 

 Barents Sea free of ice for several months, and to considerably 

 moderate the climate of western Novaya Zemlya. 



Tides in the far northern area are not high. Along the coasts 

 the rise and fall varies from a few inches to 4 or 5 feet on an aver- 

 age. The tides are somewhat higher along the Kola Peninsula 



35 



