INTERNATIONAL ICE PATROL, 1977 



The 1977 International Ice Patrol Service in 

 the North Atlantic Ocean was conducted by the 

 United States Coast Guard under the provisions 

 of Title 46, United States Code, Sections 738, 

 738a through 738d, and the International Con- 

 vention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1960, 

 Regulations 5 through 8. The International Ice 

 Patrol is a service for observing and dissemi- 

 nating information on ice conditions in the 

 Grand Banks Region of the Northwest Atlantic 

 Ocean. During the ice season, the southeastern, 

 southern and southwestern limits of the regions 

 of icebergs in the vicinity of the Grand Banks 

 of Newfoundland are guarded for the purpose 

 of informing passing ships of the extent of this 

 dangerous region. The International Ice Patrol 

 also studies ice conditions in general with empha- 

 sis on the formation, drift and deterioration of 

 icebergs, and assists ships and personnel requir- 

 ing aid within the limits of operation of the Ice 

 Patrol forces. 



The International Ice Patrol is directed from 

 the Ice Patrol Office located at the U.S. Coast 

 Guard Base, Governors Island, New York. The 

 Office gathers ice and environmental data from a 

 variety of sources, maintains an ice plot, fore- 

 casts ice conditions, prepares the twice-daily Ice 

 Bulletin, replies to requests for special ice infor- 

 mation, and executes operational control of the 

 Aerial Ice Reconnaissance Detachment, the Ice 

 Patrol oceanographic cutter, and the Surface 

 Patrol cutter when assigned. 



Vice Admiral William F. REA III, U.S. 

 Coast Guard, was Commander, International Ice 

 Patrol. Commander Albert D. SUPER, U.S. 

 Coast Guard, was directly responsible for the 

 management of the Patrol. 



Preseason Ice Patrol flights were made in 

 January and late February-early March 1977. 

 The Aerial Ice Reconnaissance Detachment was 

 deployed to St. John's, Newfoundland, on 15 

 March 1977. The Detachment returned to the 

 United States on 22 June 1977, after completion 

 of a Post Season flight on 21 June 1977. 



The 1977 Ice Season officially commenced at 

 0000 GMT, 13 March 1977, when the first Ice 

 Bulletin was broadcast by International Ice 

 Patrol Radio Station Boston/NIK; U.S. Navy 

 LCMP Broadcast Radio Stations Norfolk/NAM ; 

 Canadian Maritime Command Radio Station 

 Mill Cove/CFH; and Canadian Coast Guard 

 Radio Station St. John's/VON. Ice Patrol 

 Radio Station Boston broadcast an ice radio 

 facsimile chart once a day. 



The USCGC EVERGREEN, commanded by 

 Lieutenant Commander Joseph H. DISCENZA, 

 USCG, conducted oceanographic cruises for the 

 Ice Patrol from 1 April to 1 May and 23 May to 

 28 June 1977. 



During the 1977 season, an estimated 22 ice- 

 bergs drifted south of 48 °N. 



