end of May the lield ice had receded northward past the Strait 

 ol Belle Isle and, except for numerous bergs and growlers, the 

 area south of the 52d parallel was free of any ice of consequence. 



Approximately 256 bergs are estimated to have drifted south- 

 ward past the 48th parallel during JMay. A few were trapped in 

 Conception and Trinity Bays or drifted southward along the east 

 coast, but most of the bergs drifted eastward along the northern 

 edge and southward along the eastern edge of the banks. Several 

 very large liat-topped bergs were reported, an example of which 

 was the berg reported on the 27th in position 43° 08' N., 49° 18' W. 

 This berg measured about 4,500 feet long, 3,300 feet wide, and its 

 above-water height was approximately 50 feet. Growlers and 

 debris from this huge block of ice were scattered over a radius 

 of 5 miles. One of the last of the large North Atlantic convoys 

 approached this great floating mass while in dense fog on the 27th 

 and in the confusion that followed 21 ships were damaged. Two 

 of these ships were reported to have suffered damage in collisions 

 with ice and the remaining 19 to have suffered damage in collisions 

 with each other. Because of the extent and number of growlers 

 about the berg it is considered possible that neither of the ice- 

 damaged ships struck the massive berg but were damaged in 

 striking one or more of the heavy growlers in the surrounding 

 area. All ships were able to proceed under their own power and 

 no loss of life resulted. 



From its position on the 27th this berg drifted slowly westward, 

 being reported at 43°10' N., 49°33' W., on the 29th. The most 

 southerly berg reported during the month was in the vicinity of 

 43° N., and the most easterly report was that of a berg in the 

 vicinity of 44° 10' N., 44°40' W. For more detailed reports of sight- 

 ings refer to the table of ice reports and for a graphic presentation 

 of the conditions reported during May see figure 37. 



The ice field receded northward along the Labrador coast until 

 by mid-June only scattered patches remained in the area off Ham- 

 ilton Inlet. Hamilton Inlet and Lake Melville had cleared and the 

 route to Lake JMelville was navigable. 



Hundreds of bergs were reported in the waters along the coast 

 of Labrador and the northeast coast of Newfoundland. Great 

 numbers of bergs went aground in the shoal waters along the coast, 

 or drifted into the inlets and bays, there to break up and disappear. 

 Many, however, continued to drift southward in the off-shore cur- 

 rents and though these numbers had greatly decreased, 92 bergs 

 are estimated to have crossed the 48th parallel during the month 

 of June. Although a few of the southbound bergs drifted over 

 the shallows just east of Virgin Rocks and several went aground 



740743—47—7 



93 



