ical and oceanographic factors, iceberg forecasting should be con- 

 siderably improved and the Ice Patrol operated more efficiently for 

 the benefit of shipping. For details of the northern ice surveys pre- 

 ceding the 1964 ice season see another section of this bulletin. 



The operations of the Ice Patrol from 2 March to 29 July are 

 summarized as follows : 



1. Ice Patrol aircraft conducted 42 ice reconnaissance flights for 

 the main purpose of guarding the limits of ice in the vicinity of the 

 Grand Banks and to determine the ice conditions there. 



2. Ice reports were collected from ships, aircraft, and other ice 

 observation agencies. 



3. Pertinent ice information was plotted and analyzed. 



4. Ice conditions in the vicinity of the Grand Banks were forecast 

 twice daily during the periods between observed ice conditions. 



5. Ice advisory bulletins were broadcast twice daily to shipping and 

 were telegraphed twice daily to other interested agencies. 



6. Special ice information was provided to ships on request. 



7. Weather reports including sea temperatures were collected by 

 radio from ships traversing the area and were used to assist the fore- 

 casting of ice conditions. 



8. Position plots were maintained of all reporting ships in the Ice 

 Patrol area. 



9. Five oceanographic surveys were conducted between 15 March 

 and 19 June for tlie purpose of collecting oceanographic information 

 affecting the drift and deterioration of ice. 



10. A special iceberg drift and deterioration research project was 

 conducted by the oceanographic vessel from 14—22 May. 



For the fifth successive season and the 13th of the last 15 seasons 

 the Ice Patrol vessels were not required. While no ice drifted into 

 or near Track B or Track C when it was in effect, a major potential 

 threat to Track B existed in late April. The ready availability of 

 the oceanographic vessel Evergreen for duty as the surface patrol 

 vessel precluded the necessity of having to call the Acushnet. 



As in previous years, Evergreen^ with a Coast Guard Oceanographic 

 Unit Team aboard, conducted oceanographic surveys on the Grand 

 Banks and vicinity in support of the Ice Patrol. Three variations 

 from usual oceanographic operations are noted: (1) Evergreem, com- 

 menced the first survey in mid-March, two weeks earlier than usual 

 to more closely coincide with the development of the berg threat; (2) 

 In lieu of systematic preplanned surveys, individual surveys were 

 conducted in critical areas based on existing and forecast ice conditions ; 

 and (3) An iceberg drift-deterioration project was conducted during 

 a period when an oceanographic survey was not considered an opera- 

 tional requirement. These changes were possible mainly as a result 

 of the development of normal current charts based on many past 

 oceanographic surveys. A temperature recorder was moored in the 



