were numerous at all times during May. Hundreds were released 

 from the pack to drift south but many of these grounded on the 

 Newfoundland east coast or set into the bays between Cape Freels 

 and Cape Race. Some drifted west of Cape Race along the south 

 coast past 55° W., with a few grounding in Trepassey, St, Marys, 

 and Placentia Bays. The outer limits were in general somewhat 

 farther to the south and west than in April. Fewer bergs were 

 sighted on the Grand Banks south of 46° N., than in April (12 

 individual positions as compared to 75) but the increasing preva- 

 lence of fog in that area reduced greatly the scouting efficiency of 

 the planes. Fog was especially bad near the edge of the banks where 

 the cold water of the Labrador Current mixes with the warm 

 water of the Gulf Stream and Atlantic Current, and it is in this 

 region that bergs going far to the south are most likely to drift. 

 The sightings of the 13th illustrate the berg conditions prevailing 

 during most of the month inshore along the east coast of New- 

 foundland. On that date 230 bergs were sighted within 45 miles 

 of the coast from 50° N., 54° W., past Cape Race and west to 

 the Burin Peninsula (55°10' W.). Of this number 111 were south 

 of 48° N., and 55, many aground, were within 3 miles of the coast 

 between Cape St. Francis and Cape Race. On the 29th there were 

 approximately 150 bergs in this same area of which 68 were south 

 of the 48th parallel. Bergs had not started to move west through 

 the Strait of Belle Isle on 3 May but one was sighted at the western 

 entrance on the 21st and were almost invariably present in the 

 strait for the remainder of the season. 



As in April it is difficult to make a reliable estimate of the 

 number of bergs passing south of the 48th parallel during the 

 month but 250 is probably a conservative figure. A total of 770 

 sightings were made in that area. After eliminating all probable 

 duplications it appears that a minimum of 140 were bergs present 

 at one time about the middle of the month, but the actual number 

 could have approached 200. There was an average of above 80 

 within 40 miles of the coast of the Avalon Peninsula throughout 

 the month. 



An escort vessel fully equipped with radar and underwater- 

 sound gear collided with a berg at 47°03' N., 52°09' W., before 

 daybreak on 5 May, but suffered slight damage. In maneuvering 

 to avoid one berg the vessel struck a second a glancing blow. No 

 other reports of ice damage during the month were received. 



In June the southern limits of the pack ice receded from 50° N., 

 to 53° N. As the pack broke up large floes drifted west into the 

 Strait of Belle Isle to block it after it had once been entirely free 

 of pack. On the 9th the southern fringes of the main pack ex- 

 tended south to the vicinity of Hare Bay (51°15' N.) on the New- 

 foundland coast. East of Belle Isle the ice was quite o])en, one- 



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