1896 Season
Dec 27 Halifax, incoming steamers report an immense iceberg off Cape Race, right in the track of ocean shipping. This is a remarkable occurrence so early in the winter. (HH 01/01/1896 p7#1)
Jan 6 We rarely knew ice to make so rapidly in the harbour. Saturday it was entirely clean and today is all frozen over. (Pat 6 Jan p3#2)
Feb 4 Pilot Cann, of Sydney, CB, arrived yesterday from St. Pierre, in the steamer “Pro Patria.” He left Sydney, Feb 4th in the barque “Canada” bound to St, Pierre intending to leave the barque outside the harbor and return ashore in the tug. He had told Mrs. Cann he would be home for dinner, but he has not been home since. The barque was caught in an ice floe and drifted about four days in sight of land and on getting clear of the ice proceeded for St. Pierre with the pilot on board. (HH 20/02/1896 p4 #2)
Feb 6 There is very little ice this season on Summerside Harbour it being thin, and on account of the body of snow on it, really unsafe in many places for teams. Outside there is scarcely any ice there being clear water almost to the lighthouse. With anything of a heavy thaw the harbour would open up again. – Journal (Pat 6 Feb p3#2)
Feb 27 The Furness line steamer “Halifax City” arrived from London yesterday. On the 27th in 48°N 46°20 W, while running in dense fog the steamer entered a field of ice and was fast for six hours. After getting clear a southern course was steered for 112 miles to get round the southern edge of the field. Thence to 45°20 N 59° W, fine weather experienced. Met more ice then and steered W by N 60 miles through a dense field, finally leaving it 60 miles east, true, from Cape Canso. This was not very heavy ice. The other field that was encountered on the banks was heavy Arctic ice, the field containing large bergs. Captain Newton tried to avoid the second field steering ten miles north and then twenty miles south, to find open water but found none and then steamed strait through the field. (HH 03/03/1896 p7 #1)
Mar Capt. W. S. Maun of SS “Corean” at Philadelphia Mar. 10 reports a strong polar current from Halifax southward, with very low temperature of water. He was informed at Halifax that the ice was breaking up in the Gut of Canso and that a greater quantity of ice was expected off the Grand Banks during the coming months than usual. (HB #341 Mar 11)
Mar 1 SS “Halifax City” sighted ice field and iceberg in 48°20’N 46°33’W and saw the last of the ice fields in 45°17’N 59°10’W. (HB #341 Mar 11)
Mar 1 SS “Labrador” 44°50’N 58°30’W passed broken ice for a distance of 10 miles E and W. (HB #343 Mar 25)
Mar 2 Captain Denis of the French steamer “Pro Patria,” arrived at Boston, Friday, from St. Pierre via Halifax, and reports encountered heavy field of ice between Sydney, CB, and the latter port, extending north and south as far as the eye could reach. For nine hours the steamer was obliged to force her way through ice, and although running under full speed she was able to make only four miles an hour during that time. (HH 10/03/1896 p2#2)
Mar 11 The steamer “Pro Patria” arrived on Saturday afternoon from St. John’s, NF, after a hard passage. She left port on Wednesday afternoon, encountering seven miles of heavy Arctic ice off Cape Ray, and went inside of it. (HH 14/03/1896 p7#1)
Mar 23 The harbour of North Sydney is open and clear of ice and there was none to be seen outside. (NYMR)
Mar 23 North Sydney, navigation opened here March 1st. There has been no ice off the harbor since to interfere with shipping. (HH 24/03/1896 p1#2)
Mar 23 North Sydney, CB, ice heavy and close packed at all stations today moving NE. (HH 25/03/1896 p7#1)
Mar 26 North Sydney, ice close packed here. Open at Magdalen and St. Paul’s stationary. (HH 26/03/1896 p6#2)
Mar 30 Meat Cove, CB, all stations report heavy close packed ice; stationary; light east wind. (HH 31/03/1896 p5#4)
Apr 10 Meat Cove, here and Magdalen Islands heavy close packed ice, moving SW and W. St. Paul’s clear of ice. The eastern edge of the ice extends from Cape North in the direction of Bird rock. All west of that must be full up to P E Island. (HH 11/04/1896 p8#4)
Apr 11 Meat Cove, CB, Magdalens and here ice open, moving southwest, St. Paul’s clear of ice. (HH 13/04/1896 p8#1)
Apr 13 No ice east St. Paul’s. Heavy close packed here [Meat Cove?]. Light open at Magdalens, moving east. (HH 14/04/1896 p1 last col)
Apr 13 Sydney Light, NS, wind light from north east and cloudy. Ice close packed. Steamer “Graffoe” from Coosaw tried to get into Sydney yesterday, but found ice too heavy and had to bear up for Louisburg. (HH 14/04/1896 p7#1)
Apr 16 SS “Flamboro” 46°10’N 59°45’W passed broken field ice; 46°35’N 60°W saw more of the same. (HB #348 Apr 29)
Apr 18 Sydney Light, CB, ice open and moving southeast. (HH 20/04/1896 p7#1)
Apr 21 Meat Cove, CB, west end of Magdalens heavy close packed ice. East of Meat Cove heavy, open, distant; all moving east. St. Paul’s ice scattered. (HH 21/04/1896 p6#3)
Apr 27 Meat Cove, clear and calm, light open ice distant. St. Paul’s reports light scattered ice. Magdalenes reports heavy open ice. (HH 28/04/1896 p1#3)
Apr 28 Port Mulgrave, the straits are clear of ice. (HH 28/04/1896 p8#1)
May 3 (prior to) Sealing SS “Harvest Home” from Channel got jammed in the ice off Souris and drifted ashore at East Point, and lost. (NYMR)
May 4 North Sydney: navigation is now open to all sorts of vessels. (LL)