supply ships into these ports met with unexpected resistance from heavy 

 ice and often were brought to a standstill. 



During the period 10-12 May the Grand Banks was swept by a storm 

 of whole gale proportions where northwest winds of Force 11 and greater 

 were reported. On 11 May it was necessary for the Androscoggin, then on 

 patrol duty, to divert and proceed to the assistance of SS Ilia which re- 

 ported serious flooding due to storm damage in position 41°40' N. 48°30' 

 W. That this blow had an extreme effect on ice distribution became ap- 

 parent on 12 May when SS Esso Camden reported a large berg in 41°2o' 

 N. 49° W. This berg was later found to be the same one that 36 hours 

 before was at a position 90 miles north-northwest of where it was found 

 by the Esso Camden whose position was verified by the SS Hillcrest a 

 short time later. 



By the following day, 13 May, at least four bergs had been sighted in 

 Track "B", which was then in general use, and radar targets indicated 

 the possibility of others. It was recommended by Commander, Inter- 

 national Ice Patrol that shipping tracks be shifted southward to the extra 

 southern Track "A". The North Atlantic Track Agreement Authority 

 concurred and the shift was made effective on 13 May. This marks but 

 the fourth time since the establishment of the International Ice Patrol 

 in 1913 that the use of Track A has been required. 



On 14 May the Ice Patrol Vessel returned to the scene when the SS 

 Vila had been reballasted and was no longer in need of assistance. The 

 Androscoggin remained with the largest and southernmost of the bergs 

 until 21 May when it melted in position 40°05' N. 48°20' W. During this 

 period it was located directly on Track "A" but air observation had shown 

 this to be the only ice endangering that track. The drift of this berg as 

 well as the overall effects of the 10-12 May storm are described more 

 thoroughly in the May discussion of the monthly ice conditions and on 

 figure 15. 



From 19-25 May the patrol cutter, now the Acushnet, remained with 

 the last survivor of the 12 May eruption. This was the final berg block- 

 ing Track "B" but it was not until 1 June that every report could be 

 checked and berg drifts evaluated so that Track "B" once again could 

 be recommended for use. This was so done and the track was made 

 effective on 3 June. 



Field ice remained present over the northern slope of the Grand Banks 

 through April but hampered shipping only to and from Newfoundland 

 and such transatlantic traffic as was incautious enough to attempt the 

 unseasonable great circle course close by Cape Race (Track "F"). By the 

 beginning of May all pack ice had receded northward of latitude 48° X. 

 and at the end of May the Newfoundland coast and Strait of Belle Isle 

 was cleai'. There was, however, a large belt of close pack ice which ex- 

 tended southward from Labrador but well offshore out of visual range of 

 the coastal reporting stations at Belle Isle and the Newfoundland Coast. 

 This tongue of sea ice averaging about 7"> miles broad and protruding 



