INTERNATIONAL ICE PATROL, 1973 



The 1973 International Ice Patrol Service in the North 

 Atlantic Ocean was conducted by the United States Coast Guard 

 under the provisions of Title 46, United States Code, 

 Sections 738, 738a through 738d, and the International 

 Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1960, Regulations 

 5 through 8. The International Ice Patrol is a service for 

 observing and disseminating information on ice conditions in 

 the Grand Banks Region of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. 

 During the ice season, the southeastern, southern and south- 

 western limits of the regions of icebergs in the vicinity of 

 the Grand Banks of Newfoundland are guarded for the purpose 

 of informing passing ships of the extent of this dangerous 

 region. The International Ice Patrol also studies ice 

 conditions in general with emphasis on the formation, drift 

 and deterioration of icebergs, and assists ships and personnel 

 requiring aid within the limits of operation of the Ice 

 Patrol forces. 



The International Ice Patrol is directed from the Ice 

 Patrol Office located at the U.S. Coast Guard Base, Governors 

 Island, New York. The Office gathers ice and environmental 

 data from a variety of sources, maintains an ice plot, fore- 

 casts ice conditions, prepares the twice-daily Ice Bulletin, 

 replies to requests for special ice information, and executes 

 operational control of the Aerial Ice Reconnaissance Detach- 

 ment, the Ice Patrol oceanographic cutter, and the Surface 

 Patrol cutter when assigned. 



Vice Admiral Benjamin F. ENGEL, U.S. Coast Guard, was 

 Commander, International Ice Patrol. Captain Eugene A. 

 DELANEY, U.S. Coast Guard, was directly responsible for the 

 management of the Patrol. 



A single pre-season flight was made In mid- January 1973. 

 The Aerial Ice Reconnaissance Detachment was deployed to 

 Canadian Forces Base, Summerside, Prince Edward Island on 

 24 January and returned to the United States on 28 July 1973. 



The 1973 Ice Season officiall. ommenced at 0000 GMT, 

 24 January, when the first Ice Bulletin was issued, and 

 continued until the final Bulletin was issued at 0000 GMT, 

 31 July 1973. The twice-daily Ice Bulletins were broadcast 

 by the International Ice Patrol Communications Station 

 Boston/NIK, U.S. Naval Radio Station Norfolk/NAM, Canadian 

 Maritime Command Radio Station Mill Cove/CFH. and Canadian 

 Coastal Radio Station St. John's/VON. The Ice Bulletin was 



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