necessary to more effectively and efficiently allocate resources needed to monitor iceberg danger. 

 The most meaningful technological leap was the use of aircraft to provide a much better overview 

 of ice conditions. In 1951, Ice Patrol relied on aircraft exclusively, using two PB1G Flying 

 Fortresses based out of Argcntia, Newfoundland. Similar to today's strategy, aerial 

 reconnaissance that year used parallel search patterns over the most critical ice-danger areas, 

 using RADAR with LORAN for navigation. i: The seasons of 1952, 1958, and 1966 followed a 

 similar approach, using aircraft (HC-130B in 1966) exclusively for reconnaissance and keeping 

 surface ships on call in the event that ice conditions warranted a continuous patrol. In each of the 

 light seasons of the 1950s and 1960s, IIP did not order a continuous surface-vessel patrol, though 

 cutters remained on 72-hour standby for patrol. In each year, IIP did establish the LAKI and 

 continued to broadcast twice-daily ice warnings in accordance with patrol orders. Again, 

 "opening" the season loosely translated into commencing a continuous surface-vessel patrol. 

 Here, the use of aircraft supplied an invaluable monitoring resource and rendered the patrol vessel 

 relatively less significant than the iceberg-scouting ships of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. 



In all but the 1924 season, the Coast Guard did not dispatch a dedicated ice-observation 

 cutter, but did assign surface vessels to conduct occanographic cruises to monitor and study 

 oceanographic conditions. Dedicating this costly resource to understanding icebergs 1 

 environment highlights the importance of the service provided by ships like Evergreen and 

 General Greene. The need for intense scientific cruises has largely been supplanted by an 

 improved ability to monitor ice and ocean conditions remotely via satellite and made available via 

 the Internet. 



Ice Patrol Process Improvements 



In 1999, IIP did not officially open the ice season — that is, did not establish and 

 disseminate daily LAKI products. However, IIP expended 272 C-130 hours on patrols to monitor 

 iceberg danger during this year. Though Ice Patrol tracked thousands of icebergs in its database, 

 only 22 drifted south of 48°N. At no time did these icebergs pose a significant threat to 

 transatlantic shipping. 



Three important factors distinguished 1999 from previous light ice years: (1) the 

 existence of the Canadian Ice Service's (CIS) iceberg product, (2) unprecedented access to 

 remotely sensed data via the Internet, and (3) the presence of the Hibcrnia oil platform on the 

 Grand Banks. These factors offered the Ice Patrol Commander a significant advantage over his 

 predecessors. Through the Internet, it was possible to view weather analyses and forecasts, sea- 

 surface temperatures derived from infrared sensors on satellites, sea-ice extent and concentration 

 inferred from space-borne synthetic-aperture RADAR, and satellite-based wind and wave 

 information all on a 17-inch computer monitor in the comfort of a 68°F office. Remotely sensed 

 data not only offered convenience but also painted a much more complete and timely view of the 

 ocean's complexities. In addition, as of 1997, a near continuous stream of vessel traffic between 

 St. John's and the Hibcrnia oil platform — some 170 nautical miles to the east-southeast — added 

 another line of defense for sighting approaching icebergs. Companies producing oil on the Grand 

 Banks supplied a new multibillion-dollar incentive to monitor iceberg danger. Ice Patrol 

 continues to reap tremendous benefits from the steadily increasing activity on the Grand Banks. 

 Expanding exploration and production activities will only increase the amount of iceberg- 

 observation data available to IIP. Finally, the 1999 Commander received queries from a 

 concerned maritime community as to the whereabouts of HP's traditional LAKI products. These 

 questions were easily addressed by quick reference to the CIS iceberg-limit product on that 



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