10 



respective turning points and joined the northeast-bound waters of 

 the Atlantic Current, the bergs contained therein were carried away 

 from the Grand Banks before their arrival at the Tail. This manner 

 of distribution was continued for the first 3 weeks of the month with the 

 bergs showing an increasing tendency to follow the contour of the 

 1,000-fathom curve to longitude 44°00' W. By the 20th bergs began 

 to move across the 100-fathom curve onto the Grand Banks; two small 

 bergs being reported along the Newfoundland coast. This shift gen- 

 erally occurs just prior to the end of the Ice Patrol season. When a 

 shift of tliis kind is taking place a few bergs may be dropped on the 

 eastern edge of the Grand Banks to drift southward to the Tail. 



Ice conditions in Belle Isle Straits improved rapidly, a steamer pass- 

 ing through on the 15th and reported scattered ice and several bergs 

 with easy navigable waters. This is believed to be an early date inas- 

 much as June 25 is considered a normal date for the opening of navi- 

 gation in these waters. Only 116 bergs were known to have drifted 

 south of latitude 48°00' N., during this month. Ice conditions for 

 the month of June are graphically shown on the June Ice Chart. 

 (See fig. 6.) 



JULY 



A number of straggler bergs continued to be dropped on the north- 

 eastern shoulder of the Grand Banks during this month. However 

 these bergs were unable to make the journey to the Tail of the Banks 

 due to an eddy current wliich developed on the eastern edge of the 

 Banks and centered at about latitude 44°30' N. Bergs sighted on the 

 11th (2392 and 2393) were relocated on the 20th and 25th, respec- 

 tively, in approximately the same positions. This eddy current was 

 broken down following the fresh to strong northeasterly winds on the 

 25th and 26th and the bergs were released to drift farther south, one 

 berg drifting to 43°30' N. on the 31st. The latter had not been pre- 

 viously sighted by the patrol vessel. 



All the bergs observed during the month of July were exceptionally 

 large as may be expected of any late-season berg for the reason that 

 they have probably made the journey from the glaciers to the Banks in 

 7 to 18 months less time than their predecessors of the season. The 

 berg (2392) sighted on the 11th and relocated on the 25th retained 

 the same shape throughout this 2 weeks' period and on the latter date 

 it was approximately one-half as large as it was on the former date. 

 On the 26th, while the patrol vessel was nearby, this berg broke into 

 3 separate bergs and at least 22 good-sized growlers. This was the 

 first time the Ice Patrol witnessed such a general break-up. The 

 breaking up of the berg in tliis manner was probably caused by the 

 rough sea and warm surface temperature. At the close of the month 

 all of the bergs except one began to disintegrate very rapidly. The 

 exception was globular in shape with a smooth surface. Very little 



