coast of Newfoundland revealed that most of the ice found in the 

 last week of February had either melted or been blown on shore 

 by winds coming from the easterly quadrants during this period. 

 A light string of slush was found near 47°42' N., 51°20' W., and two 

 bergs in the vicinity of Cape Bonavista, Newfoundland, one aground 

 on the beach. Otherwise all ice was north of 49°00' N. The eastern 

 limit of close pack ice was defined by a line running approximately 

 from Fogo Island to Cape Bauld, Newfoundland, to a point 10 miles 

 east of Belle Isle and thence north, with loose strings of drift ice 

 extending 40 miles east of this line. About 11 bergs were observed 

 in the pack at the eastern entrance to the Strait of Belle Isle. 



Six aerial surveys were made between the 19th of March aod the 

 end of the month, covering the east coast of Newfoundland and the 

 area from 50°00' N., to 54°30' N., over the Labrador Current. The 

 ice conditions in the Newfoundland area were found to be much 

 the same as determined earlier in the month, with the exception that 

 numerous bergs and growlers were detected in the pack ice between 

 Fogo Island and Cape Bauld, Newfoimdland. Along the Labrador 

 coast the outer limit of open and close pack extended in a line from 

 10 miles east of Belle Isle almost due north to 54°00' N., and thence 

 in a north-northwesterly direction, with floes and strings of ice 

 extending 50 miles east of this line. To the east of the outer limit 

 of pack ice, near 54°00' N., 54°30' W., in a position which could 

 possibly present a later threat, several bergs and growlers were found 

 in the Labrador Cm-rent. 



On March 28 a MATS plane reported sighting an iceberg at 

 46°25' N., 50°20' W., a position very near the Vhgin Rocks, a shoal 

 area with depths of 3 fathoms, and well south of any known ice. 

 An Ice Patrol plane went out and thoroughly searched the area, 

 the same day, but found no ice in the vicinity. 



On March 10, the Canadian Department of Transport began 

 intermittent aerial surveys of the Gulf of St. Lawrence region and 

 reported that ice conditions were much better than average and 

 compared favorably with 1951, which had been an exceptionally 

 light ice year. In general, drift ice was being discharged from the 

 St. Lawrence River between Anticosti Island and the Gaspe Peninsula. 

 The Strait of Canso, Northumberland Strait, and the west coast 

 of Cape Breton Island were filled with close pack ice. A narrow 

 strip of close pack also extended along the northeast coast of Cape 

 Breton Island. 



By the end of the month open pack and strings of drift ice extending 

 from Cape Breton to a northwest-southeast line running approximately 

 from Bird Rocks to St. Paul Island to 47°10' N., 59°00' W., had 

 partially blocked Cabot Strait. North of this line, however, only 

 occasional strings of drift ice caused any interference to navigators 

 entering the strait. Conditions in Northumberland Strait and the 



