May 1978 



By mid month, the remaining sea ice was north 

 of Cape Freels except for a few dissipating strips 

 and bands immediately to the east and southeast of 

 Cape Freels. At the end of May, no sea ice existed 

 south of 51°30'N. The location of icebergs south of 

 50 °N during the second week in May was well 

 defined by the series of reconnaissance flights on 9, 

 10 and 13 May (figure 10). Offshore winds during 

 May moved the icebergs between 48 °N and 50 °N 

 further offshore and into the southeastward 

 flowing Labrador Current. This resulted in a rapid 

 southeasterly expansion of the iceberg limit (figure 

 11). For the first time in 1978, the primary concen- 

 tration of icebergs was drifting down the eastern 

 slope of the Grand Banks. Although icebergs were 

 present in substantial numbers, they deteriorated 

 rapidly in the warming surface waters in this area. 

 Only a few of the largest bergs survived to cross 

 46 °N. The southernmost and easternmost icebergs 

 reported during the month were both sighted on 29 

 May at 45°43'N 47°15'W and 48°22'N 44°31'W 

 respectively. The second berg was also the eastern- 

 most reported during 1978. A total of 35 icebergs 

 was estimated to have crossed 48 °N during May. 

 Of these icebergs, one very large tabular berg is 

 particularly worthy of note. This berg was first 

 spotted on 9 May at 48°53'N 51°32'W. It was 

 approximately 300 meters wide by 700 meters 

 long. With its very distinguishable rectangular 

 shape, this iceberg was easily differentiated from 

 other bergs in the area. For this reason, positive 

 resightings of this same berg were possible for a 

 period of over two months. This iceberg alone was 

 responsible for keeping the Ice Patrol in operation 

 for an additional month. An iceberg similar to this 

 berg in both size and shape was responsible for 

 keeping the 1976 Ice Patrol Season active until 

 July of that year. (See the 1976 Ice Patrol Report 

 CG-188-32, Appendix B.) 



June 1978 



The melting of all sea ice within the Strait of 

 Belle Isle was complete by the middle of June. 



Iceberg conditions on the Grand Banks as they 

 existed at the beginning of June are shown in 

 figure 12. Fog, producing zero to near zero visi- 

 bility, persisted on the eastern slope of the Grand 

 Banks from 12 June to 7 July prohibiting effective 

 visual ice reconnaissance in the area for 3V2 weeks. 

 Flights on 8, 11 and 12 June (figure 13) provided 

 the last complete coverage of the southern ice 

 limits until they were redefined by flights during 

 the second and third weeks in July. Icebergs 

 sighted on 12 June by the Ice Patrol aircraft and 

 two sightings by ships near 46°N 46°W on 17 June 

 were the last reports of icebergs south of 48 °N 

 received during 1978 with the exception of the 

 large tabular iceberg discussed earlier. The 

 southernmost iceberg reported during 1978 was a 

 small tilted blocky shaped iceberg at 44°20'N 

 48°44'W on 11 June. A total of 7 icebergs crossed 

 48°N during June. 



July-August 1978 



One iceberg remained south of 48 °N at the 

 beginning of July. This large tabular berg (figure 

 14) maintained its flat almost perfectly rectangular 

 shape past at least 2 July. When resighted on 7 

 July, it had broken into two medium-size tilted- 

 blocky-shaped bergs, three small blocky bergs and 

 a number of growlers. Its deterioration proceeded 

 rapidly from that point. By 14 July only one 

 medium drydocked-shaped iceberg, one small 

 drydock berg and one growler remained. This 

 iceberg was predicted to have completely melted 

 by 18 July. Notice was given to mariners on that 

 date that there was no known ice south of 48°30'N 

 and none was expected to survive to drift south of 

 47°N during the remainder of 1978. The ice recon- 

 naissance detachment returned from St. John's on 

 20 July. No icebergs were known to have crossed 

 48°N during July and August 1978. Scattered berg 

 reports for northern Labrador Sea and the 

 approaches to the Strait of Belle Isle were received 

 as usual. 



