the month, but that none drifted south of 47°00' N. Limits of pack 



and berg ice were much less than the average Hmits shown in the Ice 



Atlas of the Northern Hemisphere. Distribution of ice is shown in 



figures 2 and 3. 



tAAY 



Flights on the 2d and 3d of May showed that the pack ice found along 

 the northeast slope of the Grand Banks during the latter part of April 

 had all disappeared, leaving only scattered small bergs and growlers 

 in the area from 47°50' N., to 49°00' N., between 47°00' W., and the 

 coast. Poor weather made aerial searches impractical again until the 

 9th of May, at which time it was found that the pack ice between 

 Cape Freels and Cape Bauld, Newfoundland, had largely receded 

 from its most easterly position during April, and noA* was limited by 

 a line running approximately from Cape Freels to 50°00' N., 52°50' 

 W., to 52°30' N., 54°20' W. North of the last position however, it 

 was reported that the ice extended northeast to 52°30' W., and con- 

 tained many bergs and growlers. 



On the 13th of May, an extensive ice reconnaissance flight over the 

 northern and eastern slope of the Grand Banks revealed that all 

 vestiges of ice previously known to be in this area had disappeared, 

 except for a few scattered bergs and growlers along the coast near 

 Cape Bonavista. Evidently the prevailing winds from the easterly 

 quadrants during the first 2 weeks of May, coupled with the rapidly 

 warming water, had erased all danger along the northern slope of the 

 Grand Banks by a combination of melting the ice and driving it 

 aground. 



Further flights on the 16th and 17 th of May showed that there was 

 no ice in the Labrador Current, as far north as 52°00' N., except for 

 scattered bergs and growlers along the east coast of Newfoundland 

 between Cape Freels and Cape Bauld. Even the pack ice had dis- 

 appeared in this area, except for a narrow belt along the shore from 

 Cape St. John to Hare Bay, 



A search off the Labrador coast between Belle Isle and Hamilton 

 Inlet on May 19 indicated that heavy arctic pack, carrying many 

 bergs, had started southward. The outer limits of the pack on this 

 date ran from 51°20' N., 55°30' W., to 52°00' N., 52°30' W., to 54°30' 

 N., 52°40' W., thence west-northwest. This ice was observed to be 

 mainly consolidated west of 54°30' W., and was populated with large 

 numbers of bergs and growlers. A flight on 24 May to verify the 

 movement of this same ice showed that the outer limits were defined 

 approximately by a line from 51°00' N., 55°50' W., to 52°10' N., 

 51°10' W., thence north, consisting mainly of drift ice east of 54°00' W. 



Ice conditions in the St. Lawrence area improved rapidly early in 

 the month. On May 2 the Strait of Canso and Northumberland 

 Strait were reported navigable with caution, and on May 5 daily 

 aerial surveys of the St. Lawrence area were discontinued. On May 16 



10 



