CRUISE SUMMARIES 



First Ice Observation Cruise, "Mendota," 14 May to 24 May, 1947 



On 14 May at 1238 G. c. t. the Mendota departed Argentia to scout 

 out the area northward of the 44th parallel from the eastern edge 

 of the Grand Banks to Flemish Cap. This search pattern was in- 

 terrupted at 1335 G. c. t. on 18 May to answer a call from the S. S. 

 Lucy Stone, which had requested medical assistance for a crew 

 member. The crew member was taken aboard the Mendota, which 

 then resumed her search pattern at 0710 G. c. t. on 17 May. The 

 search pattern was discontinued at 1332 G. c. t. on 23 May, the 

 Mendota proceeding to Argentia where she arrived on 24 May. 



The areas between 44° N. and 44°30' N., from the Grand Banks 

 to deep water, and between 46° N. and 47° N., from the Grand 

 Banks to Flemish Cap, were searched with negative results. For 6 

 hours on 17 May, 3 hours on 18 May, 11 hours on 20 May, and 4 

 hours on 21 May dense fog was encountered and during these 

 periods the search was dependent entirely on radar. No radar tar- 

 gets which could not be identified as ships (either visually or by 

 their motion) were encountered. The Mendota' s track is shown in 

 figure 7. 



The visibility ^nd wind conditions experienced were both more 

 favorable than was expected, fog being limited to the 24 hours men- 

 tioned above. Only one gale was encountered. This reached velocities 

 of 40 to 45 knots and lasted only a few hours. Upper air observa- 

 tions consisted of 9 rawins, 10 rabals, 22 pibals, and 23 raobs. 

 Maximum rawin slant range was 40,800 yards. Maximum rawin 

 altitude attained was 20,965 feet. 



Two temperature sections across the Labrador Current were 

 made by means of bathythermograph casts at 5-mile intervals. 

 These sections were located at about latitude 44° N. and 46°10' N. 



The following is a summary of water-temperature, ice, and ob- 

 struction reports during this cruise : 



Number of ice reports received 8 



Number of vessels furnishing ice reports 4 



Number of water-temperature reports received 386 



Number of vessels fui-nishing water temperature reports 118 



Number of obstruction reports received 



Number of vessels furnished special information 6 



The seven aerial ice observation flights made during the period 6t 

 this cruise have been discussed in the description of ice conditions 

 during May. 



Second Ice Observation Cruise, "Mendota," 30 May to 11 June and 

 11 June to 27 June 7947 



The Mendota departed from Argentia at 2220 G. c. t. on 30 May I 



28 



