From 7-10 May one exceptionally large berg, about 275 feet high and 

 1,000 feet long, was observed to be grounded in position 42°50' N. 50° W. 

 at a depth of 90 fathoms. The inactivity of several other large bergs nearby 

 strongly suggests that they too may have been grounded. 



During the period 10-12 May an intense cyclonic storm swept the ( band 

 Banks with northwesterly winds of Force 11 and greater. This disturbance 

 had a profound effect upon the iceberg distribution over the southern 

 portion of the Grand Banks. The Ice Patrol Cutter standing guard at the 

 southern limits of the ice near 42°40' N. 50° W. was diverted on a rescue 

 mission from 10-13 May. On 12 May a large iceberg, subsequently identi- 

 fied as the previously described grounded one, was reported by SS Esso 

 Camden (Pan.) and SS Hillcrest (Brit.) to be near 41°25' N. 49° W. This 

 location was 90 miles south-southeast of its position on 10 May and 

 represents a minimum drift of 60 miles per day. The following day, 13 

 May, an Ice Patrol aircraft relocated this berg at 59 miles farther SSE in 

 40°40' X. 48°10' W. The Ice Patrol Cutter returned from its assistance 

 mission that day and remained with this berg through its life span to 

 where it melted at position 40°05' N. 48°20' W. on 21 May. This remark- 

 able drift is shown on figure 15 and is noteworthy for two reasons: first, 

 it represents the southernmost penetration of ice during 1959 and second, 

 it is only the berg during the year drifting southeastward which failed to 

 recurve to the northward with the Atlantic Current. This Latter occur- 

 rence is perhaps due to the berg's being driven through and across a 

 northern branch of the Atlantic Current and into slower moving water. 

 Previous oceanographic sections extending far southward made by the 

 Ice Patrol oceanographic vessel such as the IGY section 23 May-5 June 

 1958 (fig. 21 of Bulletin Xo. 44 of this series) have indicated that the 

 Atlantic Current may exist in two branches with a sluggish zone between. 



The last described berg drift was not the only extraordinary effect of 

 the 10-13 May storm. Two other bergs were sighted 13 May near 40°40' 

 X. 48°10 / W. and a third in position 41°45' X. 48°15' W. A lone berg was 

 found to the west on 12 May by SS Neptune (Lit).) in 41°53' X. 52°14' W. 

 and again on 13 May by SS Tarakan (Xeth.) in 42°20' X. 52°20' W. Last 

 located by Ice Patrol aircraft the next day in position 42° X. 52° W. it 

 had recurved to the east and was well under the destructive influence of 

 the Atlantic Current. The drift of this berg is also plotted on figure 15. 



Prior to the storm, on 9 May, bergs over the Grand Banks had en- 

 croached to about a line from Cape Pine, Xewfoundlancl, to 44° N. 50° 

 YV. but on 14 May this line now approximated the 100-fathom contour 

 of the southwestern slope. This represents an average advance of about 

 65 miles over the entire Grand Banks. A good estimate of the change 

 wrought can be had by contrasting the April and May Ice Charts, figures 

 1 1 and 12. The difference in the southern and southwestern iceberg 

 limits was brought about principally by this tempest. 



By 20 May, however, most of the effects of the extreme drifts had dis- 

 appeared except for the large berg sighted 13 May in 41°45' X. 48°15' W. 



17 



