most survivors being last reported on 12 April by the SS Media (Brit.) at 

 44°07' X. 48°39' W. No more bergs reappeared this far south until 20 

 April although a growler was reported on 19 April near 42°20' X. 49°18' 

 W. by M/S Alstern (Swed.) and SS Assyria (Brit.) but which could not 

 be relocated the following day by an Ice Patrol search plane. 



The period 1-15 April witnessed another group of bergs, also early ar- 

 rivals, which drifted to the eastward between latitude 47°30' X. and 

 49° X. (see fig. 11). Some of the drifts are plotted on figure 15 and are 

 noteworthy in that they often exceeded 30 miles per day, unusual for this 

 region. The location, however, is a commonly observed feature during the 

 early part of the iceberg season. A possible exception is a rapidly melting 

 large growler sighted by SS Beavercove (Brit.) 14 April at position 48° X. 

 42°18' W. This position is farther to the east than any piece of glacial ice 

 has been sighted in this latitude in over 27 years. Xo more bergs this 

 season north of Flemish Cap followed a path to the eastward. 



Aerial Ice Reconnaissance on 9 April showed the main body of bergs 

 was just reaching latitude 49° X. and still concentrated well offshore. One 

 lone, large berg was sighted this day near Cape Freels, Xewfoundland, at 

 49°20' X. 52°55' W. Except perhaps for the Strait of Belle Isle region, 

 this was the first berg to arrive at the Xewfoundland coast. It was, how- 

 ever, to be followed by almost record numbers more. 



By 20 April the pattern for the year was clear. Large numbers of bergs 

 had crossed the 48th Parallel and was drifting southward along the 

 eastern slope of the Grand Banks with the leaders at about latitude 44° 

 X. North of 49° latitude large concentrations of bergs were arriving at 

 and coming south along the east coast of Xewfoundland. On this date a 

 surface Ice Patrol was established at the southernmost iceberg limits 

 and was maintained throughout the remainder of the season. The arrival 

 of the berg multitude over the Grand Banks corresponded closely with 

 the advance of the Arctic sea ice pack described in the second paragraph 

 of the discussion for this month. The last week found a relatively stable 

 condition over the southeastern slope of the Banks. Bergs carried south- 

 ward in the cold and narrow stream of the Labrador Current would 

 either escape to the east between latitude 46° X. and 43° X. and be 

 carried northward again to a quick destruction by the warm waters of 

 the Atlantic Current, or else those surviving a drift to the Tail-of-t he-Bank 

 would dissipate in a mixed water eddy centered at about 43° X. 48°40' 

 W. (see figs. 15 and 44). Other bergs had penetrated and grounded over 

 most of the northeastern half of the Grand Banks but with none en- 

 croaching beyond a line betw r een Cape Race and the Tail-of-t he-Bank. 

 Along the Xewfoundland east coast, however, conditions were far from 

 steady. Greater numbers of bergs were appearing daily hazarding coast- 

 wise and St. John's shipping. 



Approximately 266 bergs drifted across the 48th parallel during April. 

 This is the fifth highest on record since 1900 and the greatest since 1932. 

 The average figure is 95. 



15 



