not permit optimum visibility, and although radar search aug- 

 mented the visual observations, it was felt that a small berg or 

 growler, if present, might have escaped detection. It was consid- 

 ered improbable, however, that any sizable area of field ice beyond 

 the limits of the main field would have been missed. On the basis 

 of these observations plus reports from the Ever'green, which again 

 successfully navigated the ice field on the 7th and 8th enroute to 

 Greenland, the maximum limits of the field ice during the first week 

 of February are estimated to have been as follows : From the 

 northwest to 51°30' N., 50°45' W., thence curving westward to the 

 vicinity of the 52d meridian in latitude 50°40' N., and thence curv- 

 ing southwestward through 50°10' N., 51°30' W., to the eastern 

 extreme at 49°25' W., between 48°45' N., and the 48th parallel. The 

 southern limit curved from 48° N., at 49°30' W., to 47°40' N., at 

 51° W., thence almost to the 47th parallel between 51°25' W., and 

 52°20' W., with the inner edge clearing the headlands as far north 

 as Cape Bonavista. The closest approach to the beach in that area 

 was off Cape Spear, but the approaches to St. Johns from the south 

 were at no time blocked. That portion of the field south of 48° N., was 

 mostly slush ice. The inner portion of the field and the outer edge 

 were also composed chiefly of light slushy ice. Inside the outer edge 

 the slush increased to sludge within 6 miles of the edge then to a 

 belt approximately 13 miles wide containing heavy pieces. 



No further information concerning the ice limits in the Grand 

 Banks area was obtained until February 14 when the U. S. C. G. C. 

 McCulloch reported observing slush ice just seaward of the 100- 

 fathom curve in latitude 47°45' N. On the 15th the area along the 

 coast from Ferryland Head to Baccalieu Island and the area from 

 the coast to 350 miles east of Cape Bonavista and to over 250 miles 

 east of Cape Freels was searched by an ice patrol plane. The outer 

 edge of the ice field was about 100 miles east-northeast of Cape 

 Freels, thence curved to 135 miles east of Cape Freels to 125 miles 

 east of Cape Bonavista, with the southeast extremity beyond the 

 limit of observation but estimated on the basis of the report of the 

 14th to be about 170 miles east of Cape St. Francis. From there 

 the southern edge is estimated to have curved westward to the 50th 

 meridian thence southwestward to the 47th parallel. The inner 

 edge cleared the coast by 10 to 15 miles north past Cape St. Francis 

 but closed to the beach at Baccalieu Island, Cape Bonavista, and 

 Cape Freels. Several small bergs were observed in the field ice 

 north of 48° N., and the outer portion of the field north of 48°30' N., 

 contained scattered areas and strings of heavy ice. That ice south 

 of the 48th parallel was mostly slush ice. 



The ice field rapidly receded northward following the observa- 

 tion of the 15th. On the 25th the coastal area was searched south 

 past 47° N., and the observation extended to 250 miles seaward 



