PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY OF THE GRAND BANKS REGION, 

 THE LABRADOR SEA AND DAVIS STRAIT IN 1962 ' 



By Floyd M. Soule, Alfred P. Franceschetti, R. M. O'Hagan and V. W. Driggers 



(U.S. Coast Guard) 



For the 1962 field work the USCGC Evergreen was again designated 

 as the oceanographic vessel of the International Ice Patrol. The 

 Evergreen is a 180-foot tender-class cutter and descriptions of the 

 arrangement of the facilities for oceanographic work will be found in 

 earlier bulletins of this series. No significant changes were made 

 either in the laboratory or deck gear or in such vessel characteristics 

 as affect the oceanographic work. Stainless steel wire rope is now 

 being used on both oceanographic winches. 



The Evergreen departed Argentia, Newfoundland, on 30 March to 

 conduct the first survey of the 1962 season. The survey covered the 

 waters over and immediately seaward of the southern and eastern 

 slopes of the Grand Banks from just westward of the Tail of the Banks 

 northward to the latitude of Flemish Cap. En route to the first 

 oceanographic station, three Richardson current meters were moored 

 along a line roughly normal to the axis of the Labrador Current at 

 about latitude 45°20' N., 50 meters below the surface in water depths 

 of 47.5, 320 and 900 fathoms respectively^ The work of collection 

 of data began on 1 April at station 7951 located off the southwestern 

 slope of the banks and progTessed from south to north without major 

 interruption. On iVpril 13, the final station. No. 8036 was completed 

 and the Evergreen proceeded to Argentia, arriving there on the after- 

 noon of 16 April. 



The second survey covered the waters over and immediatel}^ seaward 

 of the northeastern slope of the Grand Banks from Flemish Cap 

 northwestward and included an occupation of the Bonavista triangle. 

 The work of collection of data began on 26 April at Flemish Cap and 

 progressed northwestward to the Bonavista triangle, being completed 

 on 5 May at station 8115. Twenty-eight hours were lost on 1 and 2 

 May while hove to in a gale. Upon completion of this survey, the 

 Evergreen was dispatched to the Tail of the Banks to search for a 

 reported iceberg. After an unsuccessful search the vessel was released 

 for return to Boston, Mass. 



1 To be reprinted as contribution No. 1369 in the Collected Reprints of the Woods Hole Oceanographic 

 Institution. 



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