22 



and is in good position to move southward. On May 15 and the- 

 morning of May 16, the Champlain drifted, fog-bound and unable to 

 scout, so that none of this ice could be relocated, so at 1300, May 16, 

 the Champlain set course across the Banks to the relieving point, 

 making such speed as the visibility would permit. (See fig. 22.) 



The Pontchartrain was met in latitude 43°06' N., longitude 55°53' 

 W., at 1125, May 18, 1936. A boat was lowered and Lt. G. Van A. 

 Graves, ice-observation officer, and the observer's party were trans- 

 ferred to the Pontchartrain and at 1320 the Pontchartrain relieved the 

 Champlain as ice-observation vessel. The Champlain set course for 

 Halifax, Nova Scotia, arriving there at 1640, May 19, 1936. 



The following is a summary of ice and water-temperature reports 

 received during the patrol: 



Number of bergs reported south of latitude 48° N 9 



Number of bergs reported south of latitude 43° N 



Number of vessels furnishing ice reports 39 



Number of vessels furnishing water-temperature reports 90 



Number of ice reports received 51 



Number of water-temperature reports received 1, 216 



Number of vessels furnished special information \Z 



FIFTH CRUISE "PONTCHARTRAIN," MAY 19 TO 31, 1936 



The Pontchartrain sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia, 0605, May 17, 

 1936, on ice-observation duty. Light westerly and southwesterly 

 winds with good visibility were experienced en route until in the 

 vicinity of the relieving point where dense fog was encountered. 

 At 1120, May 18, the Champlain was met in latitude 43°07' N., 

 longitude 55°47' W. Lt. G. Van A. Graves, ice-observation oflScer, 

 and the observer's party reported aboard and at 1320 the Pontchar- 

 train relieved the Champlain as ice-observation vessel. 



The Pontchartrain set course to contact the General Greene and at 

 0240, May 19, the General Greene was met. At 0515, the current map 

 completed May 17, was delivered and the General Greene set course 

 for St. John's, Newfoundland. 



Dense fog persisted over the entire ice area from May 14 to May 27, 

 with little interruption effectively preventing all scouting. During 

 this long period of low visibility few ice reports were received and the 

 ice situation even along the frequented routes became largely unknown. 

 On May 24 and 25, with about 10 hours of intermittent good visi- 

 bility in all, the Pontchartrain was able to search the cold current 

 around the Tail of the Banks. On May 27, under the same condi- 

 tions, this search was extended to the north and eastward, com- 

 pletely covering the cold current and all possible drift paths of south- 

 ward moving bergs. On May 28, with excellent visibility, the 

 Pontchartrain cruising at 16 knots, scouted out the cold current from 

 latitude 43°40' N., to latitude 47°00' N. No ice was sighted. On 



