21 



closer to the surface, sometimes at the 25-meter level and sometimes 

 at the 50. 



Winds of gale force were entirely absent during the seventh cruise 

 and there were but two hours of strong breezes, the period being 

 marked by fine moderate weather as a rule. On July 9 and 10 air 

 temperatures of 44° and 43° F. were recorded while cruising in the 

 44° and 43° surface water to the east and northeast of the Tail. 

 Throughout the greater part of the cruise air temperatures were in 

 the 50's and 60's, however. Fog prevailed 29 per cent of the time 

 and visibility of less than 4 miles 34 per cent of the time. 



During the seventh cruise 131 ice reports were received from ship 

 and shore stations. Eight vessels were sent special ice information 

 on request. Eighty-four different vessels sent in 670 water temper- 

 ature reports, which were invaluable for use in supplementing the 

 Tampans own records. The combined observations permitted an 

 excellent idea of the distribution of Gulf Stream and Labrador Current 

 water to be had. 



THE EIGHTH CRUISE, " MODOC," JULY 18-AUGUST 1 



When the Modoc relieved the Tampa on July 18 southwest of the 

 Tail courses were laid to the eastward to examine bergs threatening 

 the tracks between the forty-eighth and fiftieth meridians. Before 

 dark, a medium-sized berg was sighted at 42° 28' N., 50° 05' W., and 

 a larger berg of at least 500,000 tons mass at 42° 03' N., 49° 31' W. 

 The latter was the one sighted by the Tampa on the 17th about 10 

 miles to the westward. The night was spent in 61° surface water 

 near this big berg. During the hours of darkness it must have calved 

 heavily, for it was surrounded by growlers and small pieces when it 

 was left early on the 19th for the southeasternmost ice. 



Only one of the two reported southeastern bergs was found by the 

 Modoc on the 19th, and on the morning of the 20th a growler was all 

 that remained of the one found. At 2.45 p. m. it was no longer a 

 menace to na^^gation and was left for a small berg reported in 41° 09' 

 N., 48° 43' W., about 60 miles to the southward. Systematic search 

 failed to reveal this southernmost berg of the year. It probably 

 melted quickly in the 56° to 60° surface water of the vicinity, for it 

 was not reported again. 



On the 22d, a northwesterly course was run for the British tanker 

 Vimeira, of Glasgow. That vessel had struck a berg and become 

 disabled in 42° 40' N., 49° 44' W., about 135 miles north of the east- 

 bound "B" tracks, then in effect. She was reached at 5.30 p. m. 

 and boarded. The master stated that while making 11.5 knots on 

 an easterly course at 11.50 p. m. on July 20 his ship ran suddenly 

 out of clear weather wdth bright moonlight and into a fog bank. 

 Before speed could be reduced or he could be called she struck with 



