13 



for ice in the cold water southwest of the Tail. A growler in 42° 

 53' N., 51° 13' W., was all that could be found, although visibility- 

 was good. The 26th was foggy, but on the 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 

 and 31st the scouting in the cold water was continued with the idea 

 of covering the ground thoroughly and definitely relocating the 

 southern, western, and eastern limits of the ice. 



On May 31 four large bergs were sighted close to the forty-ninth 

 meridian between 42° 55' N. and 43° 20' N. One of these was a 

 solid, massive, block of ice 115 feet high and about 400 feet square. 

 Another large berg was seen in 43° 05' N., 49° 29' W. At daylight 

 on June 1 visibility was not more than 3 miles, but it gradually- 

 increased during the day until shortly after noon it was 20 miles. The 

 same five bergs were again sighted, although in much altered relative 

 position due to varying currents. Dense fog prevailed on June 2 

 and the patrol vessel drifted. 



On the morning of June 3 the fog cleared slowly. A search for ice 

 was started to the southward, but none was seen. At 2.30 p. m. the 

 Tamya reheved the Modoc in 42° 33' N., 50° 20' W. 



In general, bergs continued to be unusually numerous north of the 

 forty-fifth parallel. The only field ice heard of was that reported 

 from north of the forty-eighth parallel by vessels on the "F" tracks. 

 The surface water was unseasonably cold in many parts of the heavy 

 ice area between the forty-fifth meridian and Newfoundland. The 

 easternmost berg was reported on the 21st from 46° 50' N., 40° 31' W. 

 South of the Tail of the Banks, where the Modoc worked most of the 

 time, there was very little ice and the "B" tracks were not menaced. 



Very few vessels reported crossing the eastern edge of the Banks 

 between the forty-third and forty-seventh parallels. This is an im- 

 portant area, often called the gateway into the Atlantic for bergs. 

 Water temperature, current, and ice conditions prevailing in it were 

 not well known, but the patrol's duty to remain with the southern- 

 most ice permitted but one excursion into it, and that into its ex- 

 treme southern part only. Presumably very little ice was between 

 the forty-fifth and forty-third parallels in the area concerned. 



Eight oceanographic stations were taken in separated positions 

 south of the forty-third parallel, the salinities of which were obtained 

 at sea by the titration method without difficulty. No gales or even 

 strong breezes were experienced on the fourth patrol cruise. Fog 

 and visibility of less than 1 mile prevailed only 28 per cent of the time, 

 but visibility was less than 4 miles 50 per cent of the time. 



THE FIFTH CRUISE, "TAMPA," JUNE 3-18, 1929 



Upon relieving the Modoc the Tamjpa inmiediately resumed the 

 search between the Tail of the Banks and the "B" tracks to relocate 

 the southernmost ice. On the 4th three bergs were found between 

 100277—30 2 



