76 



In accordance with the practice of all previous years, it was considered 

 that the start of a new month cleared off the statistical slate, all 

 bergs reported anew on or after the first of a month being considered 

 once more for determination of monthly totals, whether or not they 

 had already been reported. 



Nine months instead of twelve are discussed here because complete 

 ice information for the last three months of the year is not at hand as 

 this section is being written. The 1930 Ice Observation and Ice Patrol 

 Service pamphlet will contain the discussion for October, November, 

 and December, 1929. As these three months share with January the 

 distinction of being the very lightest ice months of the year, their 

 omission from this publication is really of no moment. 



Frequent reference is made throughout this and other sections to 

 the "ice-patrol area." This never refers exclusively to the rather 

 limited area south and east of the Tail of the Banks that can be physi- 

 cally covered by the efforts of the ice-patrol vessels themselves. It 

 always includes all that area between the thirty-ninth and forty- 

 eighth parallels and the forty-third and fifty-sixth meridians, which 

 is constantly being crossed and recrossed by reporting vessels. In 

 general, during clear weather all parts within these limits that are 

 at all near the several steamship tracks are well covered either by the 

 patrol or for it. During good weather conditions the situation may 

 be said to be well in hand, and, therefore, advice can be given about 

 ice conditions with confidence to vessels that maj^ be crossing the 

 ocean hundreds of miles to the north or the south of the actual limits 

 of vision of the ice patrol. During the long periods of fog, however, 

 when the eyes of reporting vessels as well as those of the patrol are 

 blindfolded, the exact status of affairs with respect to the location 

 of the ice is not so well known, and then extra precautions are regu- 

 larly advised both in the broadcasts and in the special ice-information 

 messages. The patrol's experience is that bergs can be detected only 

 when they can be seen. It is only rarely that bergs are sighted or 

 reported during thick weather or darkness, though undoubtedly the 

 the brightest lookout is kept for them during just those times. 



The ice-patrol area as defined above does not by any means set a 

 bound to the patrol's interest, information, or service. Reports of 

 ice and obstructions that come in from far to the eastward of the 

 forty-third meridian and from far to the northward of the forty-eighth 

 and even forty-ninth parallels are gladly received and when on hand 

 are invariably included in the broadcasts. Far to the westward, also, 

 the changing field-ice conditions in the approach to the Gulf of St. 

 Lawrence are followed and reported as closely as the radio advices ^ 

 received make possible. 



Water-temperature reports from the area surrounding the so-called 

 ice-patrol area are also frequently received. They ar& always care- 



