the ice and if so desired could always be routed south of the ice 

 and north of Sable Island. 



Light patches of ice were reported in the vicinity of Louisburg 

 until 4 May, after which no more ice was reported south of the 

 gulf. On 29 March a berg and growlers were reported in a position 

 of latitude 43°42' N., longitude 56°05' W. Only the one report of 

 this berg was received and there were no previous indications of 

 bergs likely to drift to that locality. It is possible for bergs to drift 

 to that position through the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Cabot Strait, 

 or from the Grand Banks area, but over a long period of years few 

 bergs have been sighted thereabout. 



NEWFOUNDLAND AREA 



Reports from the Newfoundland area are given in the table of 

 ice reports under the heading of area 2. This area takes in the 

 coastal and offshore waters from the Strait of Belle Isle past Cape 

 Race to Port Aux Basques including those of the Grand Banks and 

 Flemish Cap. During the season for field ice from February through 

 May only scattered patches of field ice were reported south to the 

 latitude of St. John's. At no time did the pack seriously threaten 

 to close St. John's Harbor. Field ice was not reported in the 

 main branch of the Labrador Current along the eastern edge of 

 the Grand Banks at any time during the season. Transoceanic 

 shipping routed south of Newfoundland was entirely free of field 

 ice hazard in this area. The monthly ice charts show the limited 

 extent of field ice. 



The unusually light season for field ice was reflected by the 

 meager crop of icebergs. From an analysis of the sighting reports 

 and after eliminating duplications in which the same berg was 

 sighted on the same day by different observers, or in which a 

 particular berg was sighted on different days, it is estimated that 

 approximately 30 bergs drifted south of the 48th parallel during 

 the ice season. Those reported were all within 75 miles of the 

 east coast of the Avalon Peninsula with most of them along or 

 within 20 miles of the beach. No bergs whatsoever were reported 

 in the main branch of the Labrador Current following the eastern 

 edge of the Grand Banks. It is quite possible that a few may have 

 slipped down this route under cover of prevailing fog. None were 

 sighted in upstream positions favoring that route and it is con- 

 sidered very unlikely that more than one or two if any made the 

 journey. The berg and growlers reported on 29 March at the rather 

 unusual position of latitude 43°42' N., longitude 56° 05' W. were 

 mentioned in the discussion of the St. Lawrence area. The light- 

 ness of the berg crop is emphasized by comparing the estimated 

 30 bergs in 1942 to the average number of bergs, 428 per year, that 

 drifted south of the 48th parallel during the 41-year period 1900- 



