INTERNATIONAL ICE PATROL, 1961 



The International Ice Patrol operated in the North Atlantic Ocean 

 from 23 February to 28 June 1961, to serve the safety of ships travers- 

 ing the shipping lanes in the vicinity of the Grand Banks as provided 

 for by the Safety of Life at Sea Convention, 1948. The 1961 iceberg 

 year was a light one with approximately 115 bergs drifting southward 

 of the 48th parallel of latitude during tlie year as compared to 253 

 in 1960 and 693 in 1959. 



Capt. Ross P. Bullard, USCG, served as Commander, International 

 Ice Patrol. Facilities available to the Commander consisted of air- 

 craft from the U.vS. Coast Guard Air Detachment, Argentia, New- 

 foundland; U.S. Coast Guard Radio Station NIK, Argentia, New- 

 foundland; U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Evergreen (oceanographic vessel); 

 and the U.S. Coast Guard Cutters Acnshnet and Tamoroa, standby 

 patrol vessels. 



Primary ice ol)servation for the season was accomplished utilizing 

 aircraft from the Air Detachment. A supplementary and indispens- 

 able source of information consisted of reports made by merchant and 

 government vessels crossing the area. Additional valuable infor- 

 mation was received from the Canadian Ice Information Office at 

 Halifax, the Canadian National Telegraph at St. Johns, Danish sources 

 in Greenland and the U.S. Navy. 



The Office of Commander, International Ice Patrol was moved to 

 the United States Naval Station, Argentia, Newfoundland, on 17 

 February and patrol services were inaugurated on 24 February with 

 the broadcast of the fo'st ice information bulletin. The ice situation on 

 that date showed more severe conditions than normal with sea ice 

 extending from Cape St. Mary on the west to 47° W. on the east and 

 noi-thward from 46° N. The sea ice conditions remained more serious 

 than usual until the middle of May. Iceberg conditions were average 

 for February, above average durmg March and well below average 

 after the middle of April. A detailed description summarizing monthly 

 ice conditions throughout the 3"ear appears in a later section. The 

 steady seasonal surface warming of the waters over the Grand Banks, 

 the relative inactivity of the eastern branch of the Labrador Current 

 and the general distribution of icebergs permitted termination of ice 

 patrol services with the 0048 GMT broadcast on 28 June 1961. The 

 absence of icebergs in favorable positions to drift south of the 47th 

 parallel along the eastern slope of the Grand Banks permitted the 



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