The Canadian-European tracks E and F were free of field ice during 

 the periods tliey were regularly scheduled to be in effect, but were 

 encumbered by a few bergs through June. The field ice blocking 

 track G was practically all gone and the Strait of Belle Isle opened 

 to shipping by 15 June, but bergs persisted in the approaches to the 

 Strait until mid-September. The steamer track from Cabot Strait 

 to the St. Lawrence River ports was essentially free of ice by 

 mid- April. 



Dissemination of ice information by the International Ice Patrol 

 ceased on 6 June. By that time there was no ice far enough south in 

 the Labrador Current to survive the trip to the vicinity of the Tail 

 of the Banks and endanger the major steamer tracks traversing the 

 area. Periodic post-season ice reconnaissance flights were continued 

 to guard against any stray berg reaching those tracks without warning 

 to shipping. Northern ice reconnaissance surveys to the Hudson 

 Straits were continued on a monthly basis. Berg census flights of 

 western Baffin Bay were conducted in October and December. 



The most, significant of the many factors that contributed to the 

 low berg count and which affected the drift and deterioration of bergs 

 to the Grand Banks were: a heavier than normal concentration and 

 thickness of the sea ice in western Melville Bay south of Cape York, 

 Greenland in late summer of 1964; higher than normal air tempera- 

 tures in Newfoundland and southern Labrador from late February to 

 early March ; and generally consistent onshore winds over the coastal 

 waters of Labrador and northern Newfoundland in April and May 

 and two periods of very strong southerly winds in early April. 



The heavier than normal thickness of sea ice in Melville Bay, Green- 

 land in September 1964 acted as a very effective barrier to bergs in 

 their migration westward in the oceanic circulation of this area. The 

 aerial berg census conducted 21-23 October 1964 observed over 2,400 

 bergs due south of Cajje York, Greenland. These bergs were pre- 

 vented from traveling their normal route and the berg supply for the 

 forthcoming ice season was substantially reduced. 



By late February field ice was to be found soutli to latitude 47° N. 

 However, the warmer than normal air temperatures that existed from 

 late February to 13 March, being well above freezing, rapidly deteri- 

 orated the field ice and it receded to north of latitude 48° N. with 

 attendent deterioration of the bei'gs in the southern ice limits. 

 Throughout Aj^ril and May predominantly onshore winds tended to 

 drift bergs from the offshore coastal waters into the heavily indented 

 coastline of northern Newfoimdland and Labrador. This effectively 

 trapped many bergs in the numerous bays and islands studding the 

 coast. The trapped bergs deteriorated in these locations. No con- 

 sistently strong westerlies prevailed for any length of time to free 

 these bergs and drift them into the Labrador Cun-ent. In early April 



