28 



for paying out and reeling in the sounding wire. This device handled 

 less than 50 meters of wire per minute, a rate much too slow to be 

 recommended for general use in sampling. The wire was guided on 

 the drum by means of a stick held in hand. Power on the capstan 

 was required for lowering as well as raising the bottles. Sampling 

 operations were performed from the quarter-deck. 



The sampling technique essentially was that used on the General 

 Greene and described in previous Coast Guard bulletins of this series. 

 The sampling levels for a single haul were limited to seven, however, 

 by the number of thermometers of the proper range available. At 

 the deep water stations necessitating two hauls, certain of the ther- 

 mometers were required for both hauls, and as the customary half 

 hour was allowed for thermometers to attain equilibrium with the air 

 before readings were made, the sampling time was increased by this 

 amount. While on station the slow sampling rate permitted consid- 

 erable drift of the vessel from water currents and wind. All stations 

 were sampled as close bottom as considered practicable in view of 

 the Northland's response to variation in wind force reflected in large 

 changes of wire angle from haul to haul and occasionally during a 

 single haul. 



The salinities of the water samples were determined on board ship 

 by titration, and as quickly as convenient after collection. Sonic 

 soundings were taken periodically while under way. Temperature 

 and salinity corrections have been made for local conditions using 

 appropriate Northland or Godthaab data. The oceanographer was 

 assisted by Bernard S. Loebig, chief yeoman, and Charles J. Mul- 

 holland, radioman, first class. 



RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 



Figure 18 is a composite dynamic topographic map of Baffin Bay. 

 The contour lines in the blocked off area in the western part of the 

 bay are based on the Northland observations of 1940, and for the 

 remaining area on the observations of the Godthaab made in 1928. 

 Station data for the Northland observations, stations 3330-3342 

 inclusive, are given in the table of oceanographic data at the end of 

 the text. Station data for the Godthaab observations appear in the 

 report "The Godthaab Expedition 1928," Meddelelser Om Gr0nland, 

 Bd. 78, Nr. 3, Copenhagen 1936. Smith, Soule, and Mosby in 

 Bulletin 19, part 2, of this series previously have used the Godthaab 

 observations to show the dynamic topography of a large part of ! 

 Baffin Bay and its in ten-elation with that of the waters of Davis 

 Strait and the Labrador Sea. 



From figui-e 18 may be seen that a rather strong current sets south 

 along the Baffin Land coast. This current, referred to as the Baffin 



