CRUISE REPORTS 

 THE FIRST CRUISE, "TAMPA," APRIL 1-19 



The Tampa left Boston, Mass., to inaugurate the 1929 mternational 

 ice patrol at 12.30 p. m. on April 1. The 950-mile run to the Tail of 

 the Grand Banks consumed four days. On April 6 a search to the 

 northeastward for ice was started from a point about 50 miles south 

 of the Tail, two bergs and several growlers being located in the 

 vicinity of 42° 40' N. 49° 30' W. before night. Detailed reports of 

 ice received from the Cape Race radio station and from steamers 

 crossing the Banks showed that ice conditions were extremely bad 

 north of the forty-fourth parallel. 



April 11 saw completed the search of the cold current lying off 

 the eastern edge of the Grand Banks between the forty-fourth parallel 

 and the "B" United States-Europe tracks, then in effect. Four 

 additional bergs and several growlers were located and numerous 

 sail of the French fishing fleet were sighted. The fishermen, all 

 about 30 days out from France, were heading west toward the Banks. 

 Upon request, four of these vessels with sick or injured men on 

 board were visited by the Tampa's medical officer. 



Until the 14th the patrol remained near 42° 13' N. 49° 33' W., 

 guarding the southernmost ice. During this time the first oceano- 

 graphic stations of the year were occupied southeast of the Tail. On 

 the 12th the scientific work was interrupted by a short search for the 

 French fishing vessel Sylvanna, which, according to radio advices, 

 had been abandoned on fire about 40 miles northeast of the Tampa. 

 She must have sunk shortly after her entire crew of 32 had been 

 rescued by the Swedish steamship Malmen, for the patrol never 

 found other trace of her than a few charred timbers. 



On April 14 the Tampa cruised northward up the cold current to 



see what ice was coming down. No new bergs were located, but 



patches of slush ice were seen near 43° 10' N. 49° 45' W. From the 



latter point courses were run to search out the area southwest of the 



Tail, where a berg was located in 42° 16' N. 51° 04' W. on the 15th. 



The next two days showed that its drift was about 6 miles per day 



toward the southeast. Word was received on the 16th that the 



Canadian ice patrol in the Gulf of St. Lawrence had been inaugurated 



by the ice breaker Miquela. The 18th and 19th were spent drifting 



southwest of the Tail in the first prolonged dense fog of the season. 



The Modoc arrived at a rendezvous in this area at 12.55 a. m. on 



April 20 and received the ice-observation party and the patrol 



records. 



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