CRUISE REPORTS 



FIRST CRUISE, MARCH 18 TO APRIL 4, 1931 



In compliance with order from United States Coast Guard Head- 

 quarters the oceanographic vessel, the 125-foot patrol boat General 

 Greene, departed from Boston, Mass., at 1 p. m., on March 18 for the 

 first 1931 ice observation cruise. Departure was taken from Boston 

 Light Ship and course set for a point 50 miles south of Sable Island. 



With the exception of some remnants of very light field ice that 

 were reported from Cape Race Radio Station on February 9, and one 

 iceberg in 47° 34' N. 52° 33' W. on March 5, no ice had been reported 

 south of the 48th parallel during the spring. The primary mission 

 of the General Greene, until the continuous International Ice Patrol 

 was inaugurated, was to cruise to the northward along the eastern 

 shores of Newfoundland, locate the southernmost bergs, ascertain 

 their rate of drift, and determine when they would probably menace 

 the shipping lanes. 



On the second day out at 4.15 p. m. a radiogram from Coast Guard 

 headquarters was received that ordered the ship to proceed direct to 

 St. John's, Newfoundland, and report to the American consul 

 general for such services as he should desire in connection with assist- 

 ance to the Viking survivors. 



At 11.05 a. m., Monday, March 23, Cape Race was abeam and the 

 General Greene was hauled up along the eastern shore of Newfound- 

 land. The preceding day, the weather having cleared for the first 

 time since leaving Boston, sights were taken and a fix established 

 that resulted in an excellent landfall. 



The weather up to this time had been easterly, the wind averaging 

 in velocity from strong breezes to moderate and fresh gales, with 

 intermittent fog banks and snow squalls. No ice was sighted and no 

 ice reports were received, but coming up along the Newfoundland 

 coast one small iceberg was seen grounded in Ferryland Harbor, 

 Latitude 47° 02' N. At 7.05 p.m. March 23, we docked at the 

 Government wharf at St. John's, called on the American consul 

 general, and offered our services. However, as the survivors of the 

 Viking disaster had been rescued by other ships and at this time were 

 on board the Sagona bound for St. John's, our assistance was not 

 needed. 



During our stay in port information regarding ice conditions was 

 sought from the harbor authorities and the masters of the sealing 

 vessels. Field ice had been sighted in the northern bays of New- 

 foundland, but no pack ice or bergs had been drifting past St. John's. 



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