Introduction 



This is the 70ib annual report of 

 the International Ice Patrol 

 Service in the North Atlantic. It 

 contains information on ice 

 conditions and Ice Patrol 

 operations for 1984. The U.S. 

 Coast Guard conducts the 

 International Ice Patrol Service in 

 the North Atlantic under the 

 provisions of Title 46, U.S. Code, 

 Sections 738, 738a through 

 738d; and the International 

 Convention for the Safety of Life 

 at Sea (SOLAS), 1960, 

 regulations 5-8. This service has 

 been provided annually since the 

 sinking of the RMS TITANIC on 

 April 15, 1912. Commander, 

 International Ice Patrol under 

 Commander, Coast Guard Atlantic 

 Area, directed the International 

 Ice Patrol from offices located at 

 Groton, Connecticut. The unit 

 analyzes ice and environmental 

 data, prepares the daily ice 

 bulletins and facsimile charts, and 

 replies to any requests for special 

 ice information. It also controls 

 the aerial Ice Reconnaisance 

 Detachment and any surface 

 patrol cutters when assigned, 

 both of which patrol the 

 southeastern, southern, and 

 southwestern limits of the Grand 

 Banks region (40°N to 52°N) and 

 39°W to 570W for icebergs. The 

 International Ice Patrol makes 

 twice-daily radio broadcasts to 

 warn mariners of the limits of 

 iceberg distribution. 



Vice Admiral Wayne E. Caldwell, 

 U.S. Coast Guard, was 

 Commander, Atlantic Area until 

 he was relieved on 1 July 1 984. 

 Vice Admiral P.A. Yost was 

 Commander, Atlantic Area from 

 then until the season's end on 7 



September 1984. Commander 

 Norman C. Edwards, Jr., U.S. 

 Coast Guard, was Commander , 

 International Ice Patrol during the 

 1984 Ice Patrol season. 



Two pre-season deployments 

 were made from 31 January - 3 

 February and 7-1 4 f^arch 1 983 to 

 determine the early season 

 iceberg distribution. Based on 

 these trips, regular deployments 

 started on 21 March with the 

 1984 season officially opening 

 on 22 March. 



From that date until 3 

 September 1 984, an aerial Ice 

 Reconnaisance Detachment 



(ICERECDET) operated from 

 Gander, Newfoundland one week 

 out of every two. The season 

 officially closed on 7 September 

 1984. 



No U.S. Coast Guard cutters 

 were deployed to act as surface 

 patrol vessels this year. The 

 USCGC HORNBEAM was 

 deployed to provide 

 oceanographic support to Ice 

 Patrol from 26 June - 31 July. 



During the 1984 season, an 

 estimated 2202 icebergs drifted 

 south of 48°N latitude. Table 1 

 shows monthly estimates of 

 icebergs that crossed 48°N. 



Table 1. Icebergs South of 48° North 



Total Average Total Average 



1984 1946-84 1946-84 1900-84 1900-84 



347 



33911 



1 

 1 

 1 

 3 



16 

 56 



150 



169 



92 



31 



8 



3 



399 



