driving many bergs seaward and out of the current system are classi- 

 fied as unfavorable. Very light winds or winds having an opposite 

 effect on each half of the berg group are classified as neutral. Iso- 

 baric spacing is noted so that a qualitative determination of wind 

 speed can be made. Needless to say it is not all that simple. If the 

 evaluation of the effect of the average surface wind on the drift of the 

 berg crop for a given month is to be sound and useful, other factors 

 must be considered such as : 



a. Knowledge of the Baffinland-Labrador Current system. 



b. The progressive location and distribution of the crop along the 

 glacier-to-Grand Banks route. 



c. Bottom topography. 



d. Sea ice conditions. 



A knowledge of the Baffinland-LaJbrador Current system and branch 

 currents is necessary so that the progressive movement of the crop 

 downstream can be estimated and to evaluate possibilities of portions 

 of the crop drifting into the branches and being eliminated, either 

 temporarily or permanently, from the Grand Banks potential supply. 

 While specific knowledge of the current system is meager, it is be- 

 lieved that available general knowledge is sufficient to begin this 

 study. Analysis of berg drift toward the Grand Banks in the cur- 

 rent system during the past 2 years indicates an average daily advance 

 of about 7 miles per day under neutral wind conditions from Baffin 

 Bay to the Grand Banks. It is suspected some temporary stranding 

 periods may be included and this may therefore be a low calculation. 

 The 8 to 9 miles per day advance previously mentioned takes into 

 account the normally favorable winds for drift toward the Grand 

 Banks during the winter and also likely delays due to temporary 

 stranding. It is emphasized that the drift rates are averages for 

 concentrations. Individual bergs will travel faster or slower than the 

 concentration as a whole. Likewise, for periods of time the concen- 

 tration may remain in or near the axis of the current and travel 

 faster than the rate averaged over longer intervals including periods 

 in the slower-moving sectors of the current. The axis of the current 

 is assumed to generally parallel the coast just seaward of the 100- 

 fathom curve. 



The progressive location and distribution of the crop along the main 

 route towards the Grand Banks must be estimated so that the effect 

 of wind can be properly evaluated. There are two facets of interest 

 here. One is the general location of the crop along the route. The 

 other is the distribution or the locations of concentrations relative to 

 the current axis and coast. The estimated location of the Grand 

 Banks potential berg supply in early November has already been dis- 

 cussed. To determine the monthly progression of each half of the 

 crop toward the Grand Banks, use is made of the last northern ice 



48 



