Charts 1903

February

Feb 2 St. John’s: Incoming local shipping brings reports of heavy Arctic ice floes, which are drifting southward and threatening to blockade the eastern seaboard and overrun the Grand Banks. The northern coast line is now closed until May.
Feb 5 St. John’s: The port is now blockaded by ice floes. SS “Rosalina” and SS “Glencoe” unable to leave port. A furious SE gale is raging and packing ice along the whole coast. Arctic ice covers the whole ocean and is driving southwards with the Labrador current towards the Grand Banks and the ocean shipping track.
Feb 5 “McGowan” cannot proceed to destination on account of the ice – Liverpool ? (sailed 11th). (#866).
Feb 6 SS “A R Troop” from Sydney, bow plates damaged by ice off Scaterie.
Feb 12 4818’N 49W a large field if ice.
Feb 21 We are ice bound (HG). Next sailing mention Mar 11. (#866).

March

Mar — 4525’N 4445’W a large berg and several small ones was [sic] passed.
Mar — Between 4653’N 4356’W and 4620’N 4604’W several bergs; between 4620’N 4610’W and 4348’N 4915’W bergs and heavy field ice.
Mar — Between 4830’N and 5309’W, 18 bergs [?].
Mar — 4420’N 4513’W and 4228’N 5236’W, 20 bergs.
Mar — 4530’N 4530’W, 21 bergs.
Mar 2 SS “Nordhal” at Boston from Tyre ran into heavy field ice east of the Grand Banks and proceeded in a southerly direction 15 hours.
Mar 5 SS “Burgermeister” from Shields to New York 4611’N 4227’W passed a berg ~200′ long and 50′ high.
Mar 6 SS “Deutschland” from Shields to New York 46N 4630’W passed a berg.
Mar 6 SS “Ethiopia” from Glasgow to New York from 4716’N 4522’W to 46N 4730’W passed ~100 bergs, the largest being 100′ high and 30′ long; also a quantity of detached pieces.
Mar 6 St. John’s: Sealing steamer “Algerine” bound for the seal fishery in the Gulf was caught in an ice floe and driven on a reef near St. Pierre. There is considerable ice about the Grand Banks, and the ice-fields are extending towards the coast.
Mar 7 SS “Nicolai II” from Copenhagen to New York 4712’N 4536’W passed 20 large bergs some 100′ high.
Mar 7 SS “Willkommen” from Hamburg to New York 4638’N 4422’W passed a large berg; 8 hours later another large berg.
Mar 9-10 SS “Alcides” from Glasgow to St. John, NB, 4622’N 4358’W sighted a large bank; 4622’N 4422’W another large bank and several small bergs; 10th, 4445’N 4852’W passed along the southern edge of a field of ice surrounded by bergs. The last field stretched northward as far as the eye could see.
Mar 10 SS “Noordland” from Liverpool to Philadelphia between 42N 5003’W and 4155’N 5030’W saw a number of large bergs, some estimated at over 200′ high. Counted 11 at one time. ~12 to 15m northward saw the tops of several very large bergs.
Mar 11-12 SS “Washington” from Rotterdam to New York 46N 44W passed several bergs of medium size; 12th, 44N 49W sighted a large field of pack ice.
Mar 12 SS “Bruce” at St. John’s with ice damage to bows.
Mar 12 SS “Bruce” at St. John’s from Sydney having met an unusual stretch of ice floes. She went outside Sable Is., yet ran through 60m of heavy floe-ice, 10′ thick.
Mar 12 SS “Sagamore” from Liverpool to Boston 4345’N 48W passed 5 bergs, 1 with lofty pinnacles, while on the northern horizon heavy field ice was seen extending from east to west in distance of ~7m.
Mar 12 SS “Norga” from Copenhagen to New York passed a quantity of ice and bergs at tail of Grand Banks; 4240’N 50W, 2 large bergs, one 305′ high and 1,460′ long and the other 150′ high and 2,000′ long; same night passed 2 other bergs and some field ice.
Mar 12-14 SS “Saxoleine” from Newcastle to Philadelphia 4551’N 4321’W passed a berg ~150′ long and 20′ high; 13th & 14th, from 4442’N to 4241’N and 4905’W to 4955’W saw large quantities of field ice and numerous bergs.
Mar 13 4630’N 47W to 4245’N 4940’W sighted 3 bergs and large quantities of field ice.
Mar 13-16 SS “East Point” from London to Philadelphia 4343’N 4921’W encountered much field ice extending north and west as far as the eye could see; also 1 berg ~20′ high and ~50′ long. Steamed to the south for 60m. 14th, 4215’N 5340’W passed through heavy field ice extending north and northwest.
Mar 15 SS “Hurworth” from Philadelphia to Tralee 46N 50W passed through a quantity of field ice and also sighted a number of bergs.
Mar 15-16 SS “Hestia” from Glasgow to Baltimore off Newfoundland ran into ice and next morning was completely surrounded by bergs, some 100′ high; cleared ice in 5 hours.
Mar 16 SS “Pandosia” at Boston from Tyne, in 4630’N encountered ice which extended 120m; it was very heavy field ice and was interspersed with bergs; ~50 of these bergs being passed before steamer got clear. Mar 16 SS “Georgios I” from Copenhagen to Boston 4641’N 4706’W on the edge of the Banks ran into a field of heavy pack ice interspersed with numerous bergs, some very large; steamed ~130m in SSW direction before reaching clear water in 45N 49W.
Mar 16 SS “Tanagra” from Tyne to Boston 49N 49W ran into field ice and had to steam 150m in a southerly direction to clear it; sighted 31 bergs, some very large.
Mar 17 32[!]05’N 5037’W, 2 bergs.
Mar 17 SS “Siberian” from Liverpool to Halifax met first berg 4234’N 4920’W and had them in sight until they reached 4232’N 51W; also sighted a large berg in 4233’N 5137’W; Captain says he has never seen ice as far south in March as this season.
Mar 18 Between 4239’N 4920’W and 4222’N 5130’W, 17 bergs.
Mar 19 From Sydney Light: Steamers recently arriving from the eastward report having met exceptionally heavy ice fields extending 75m southeastward from Scatarie Is. and having a width of ~40m. Late reports from lower Gulf St. Lawrence indicate that there are some very extensive fields which have not yet commenced to move out.
Mar 20 Between 4252’N 5208’W to 4222’N 5415’W, 16 bergs.
Mar 20 SS “Etruria” from Liverpool to New York 4155’N 4950’W sighted several bergs ~100′-600′ long and 40′-100′ high.
Mar 20 4657’N 40W, 2 large bergs.
Mar 21 SS “Bovic” from Liverpool to Boston from 4145’N 4949’W to 4145’N 5046’W passed a large berg and several small bergs and pieces.
Mar 21 4204’N 49W to 4212’N 32[!]W, 28 bergs and field ice extending for miles.
Mar 22 SS “Noordam” from Rotterdam to New York 4126’N 5154’W and 4160[!]’N 5256’W, 2 bergs.
Mar 22 SS “Pennland” from Antwerp to Philadelphia between 4215’N 4420’W and 4205’N 5253’W passed 73 bergs for a total of 158m.
Mar 23 4207’N 50W to 42N 5134’W numerous large and small bergs for a distance of 70m.
Mar 23 4131’N 5333’W a berg 45′ high and 250′ long.
Mar 24-25 SS “Phoebus” from Hamburg to New York 4145’N 4850’W passed a berg 100′ high and 300′ long; 25th, 4118’N 5320’W a berg 75′ high and 150′ long; 4128’N 5330’W another berg 100′ high and 150′ long.
Mar 25 SS “Celtic” from Liverpool to New York 4211’N 5103’W sighted a large berg ~175′ high; 4201’N 5214’W a small berg 15′ high, low and dangerous to navigation.
Mar 25 SS “Graf Waldersee” from Hamburg to New York 4133’N 5224’W and 4114’N 5328’W, 2 large bergs.
Mar 25 SS “Wells City” from Bristol to New York from 4207’N 4910’W to 4207’N 40[!]50’W passed 15 large bergs.
Mar 25-26 SS “Sicilian Prince” 4209’N 4912’W sighted 2 large bergs; 26th, 4135’N 5324’W, 2 more ~600′ long and 120′ high.
Mar 25-26 4413′[or 23′]N 4613’W to 4315’N 4855’W a berg and several small pieces.
Mar 26 SS “Campania” from Liverpool to New York 4155’N 4910’W passed 2 bergs each 30′ high and 130′ long; 4151’N 5104’W, 2 others of the same dimensions.
Mar 26 SS “Philadelphia” from Southampton to New York in 42N 4909’W to 5026’W passed 4 bergs and several detached pieces of ice.
Mar 26 4145’N 5238’W a berg.
Mar 26-28 SS “Genesee” from Shields to Philadelphia 4530’N 4428’W to 4205’N 5130’W passed 13 bergs varying in size from 20′ high & 50′ long to 200′ high & 600′ long.
Mar 27 SS “Cambrian” at Boston from London between 4253’N 5048’W and 4253’N 5309’W passed 19 bergs.
Mar 29-30 4310’N 4420’W a group of giant bergs and from that time to the following afternoon a large number of bergs were sighted.
Mar 29-30 SS “Manchester City” from Manchester to Halifax passed many bergs, 1 ~200′ high and 1,000′ long. The 1st berg was seen in 4320’N 43W and the last was passed in 4230’N 48W.
Mar 29-30 SS “Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse” from Bremen to New York 4312’N 4415’W passed a large berg; 30th, 4124’N 5116’W a berg; 4141’N 5123’W another berg was passed.
Mar 29-30 SS “L’Aquitaine” from Havre to New York 4310’N 4838’W a berg ~90′ high and 180′ long; 4222’N 5110’W a berg ~40′ high and 150′ long; 30th, 4148’N 5549’W passed a small berg.
Mar 30 SS “Oceanic” from Liverpool to New York 4206’N 4846’W passed a berg, 6 hours later another berg.
Mar 30 SS “Lancastrian” from Liverpool to Boston between 4203’N 4858’W and 4207’N 5210’W passed 20 bergs.
Mar 30 4206’N 4832’W a medium sized berg.
Mar 30-31 SS “Saxonia” from Liverpool to Boston 4334’N 4335’W passed a berg ~300′ long; 31st, 4201’N 4839’W passed within a mile of a large berg and until 4204’N 5654’W passed 10 bergs.
Mar 31 4150’N 5204’W to 4147’N 5337’W, 19 large, medium and small bergs.
Mar 31 4203’N 4815’W to 4158’N 4906’W, 3 bergs.
Mar 31 4309’N 4550’W [to] 4240’N 4750’W, 4 bergs. Mar 31-Apr 1 SS “Deutschland” from Hamburg to New York 4323’N 4225’W passed a berg ~60′ high; Apr 1, 4142’N 5220’W another one 80′ high; 4158’N 4840’W a medium size berg.

April

Apr — 4150’N 49W to 4140’W 54W a large number of bergs.
Apr — 42N 55W to 4140’N 53W several bergs.
Apr — 4310’N 4454’W to 4?39’N 5348’N, 4 bergs and a quantity of pack ice.
Apr — 41N 5310’W, 2 bergs.
Apr — 4150’N and 4139’W and 5210’W and 5328’W several bergs and field ice.
Apr — 4330’N 4745’W, ~200 small bergs.
Apr 1 SS “Rotterdam” at New York from Rotterdam between 42N 4807’W and 4111’N 5237’W passed 3 bergs and several small pieces.
Apr 1-4 4213’N 4901’W and 4230’N 5342’W, 5 bergs.
Apr 2 4212’N 4920’W a berg and some small pieces of ice.
Apr 3 SS “Burgundia” and SS “Notre Dame du Salut” at St. Pierre badly damaged and smashed by ice floes.
Apr 3 4130’N 4830’W to 4128’N 5555’W, 3 bergs.
Apr 3 4128’N 5220’W to 4124’N 5348’W, 11 bergs and several pieces of ice.
Apr 3 4140’N 5340’W, 3 bergs and several small pieces of ice.
Apr 3 4201’N 5059’W, 2 large and 2 small bergs.
Apr 4 4207’N 4904’W to 4205’N 5222’W, 18 large bergs.
Apr 4 4217’N 5107’W to 4158’N 5352’W several small and large bergs and small pieces of ice; 1 berg was 67′ high by 375′ long.
Apr 5 4150’N 4833’W, a large berg.
Apr 5 4351’N and 4745’W and 4335’N and 4945’W, 2 bergs.
Apr 6 4345’N 51W, 3 large bergs.
Apr 7 SS “Minneapolis” at New York from London 4225’N 5025’W to 42?5’N 5140’W, 4 bergs and from 42N 5330’W [to] 4150’N 5405’W, 5 bergs and several pieces of ice.
Apr 7 SS “Southwark” at New York from Antwerp 4220’N 4839’W to 4215’N 5117’W, 3 bergs and a number of small pieces.
Apr 7 4140’N 5343’W to 4144’N 54W, 4 large bergs.
Apr 7 4227’N 53W a large berg.
Apr 7 4256’N 5013’W a berg ~20′ high and 50′ long.
Apr 7 41N 53W, 2 large bergs.
Apr 7 4134’N 5344’W, 4 large bergs.
Apr 7 4150’N 46W a berg.
Apr 8 Issue NYMR: [part missing] .. Field ice and numerous bergs are reported on the Banks and beyond, the most easterly position being 47N 42W; the most southerly 4114’N 5328’W. Field ice is also reported along the south coast of Newfoundland and in Cabot Strait. The St. Lawrence Gulf and River are ordinarily open to navigation Apr 25.-(From the Pilot Chart of the North Atlantic Ocean).
Apr 8 SS “Prinzess Irene” at New York from Bremen 4204’N 5133’W to 4147’N 5343’W passed a number of bergs and field ice.
Apr 8 4110’N 4715’W a berg.
Apr 8 4250’N 5330’W a large berg.
Apr 8 4733’N 4657’W numerous large bergs and much field ice.
Apr 9 SS “Toronto” at New York from Hull from 47W to 54W saw 10 bergs, all but 2 lying low in the water and very dangerous.
Apr 10 4056’N 5123’W a berg.
Apr 10 SS “Chicago City” at New York from Swansea from 4157’N 4553’W to 4140’N 5335’W passed 4 bergs and a number of detached pieces very dangerous to navigation.
Apr 10 4049’N 5245’W a berg.
Apr 10 4145’N 5245’W a berg.
Apr 11 41N 47W a berg.
Apr 11 4204’N 5255’W to 4206’N 5350’W, 3 large bergs.
Apr 12 Bark “Culdoon” ashore at Scaterie, ice all around the island.
Apr 12 4143’N 5320’W a berg 70′ high and 200′ long.
Apr 12 4145’N 5325’W a berg.
Apr 12 4305’N 5207’W to 4205’N 5336’W, 3 bergs, 1 of considerable size.
Apr 13 4142’N 5423’W a large berg.
Apr 13 4150’N 5350’W, 3 bergs ~50′ high.
Apr 13 4202’N 5350’W a large berg.
Apr 14 4215’N 53W a berg ~100′ high and 250′ long.
Apr 14 4245’N 5005’W to 4205’N 5417’W, 4 bergs. Apr 15 42N 52W, 2 bergs.
Apr 15 Issue: The steamship lines from New York have agreed, while the ice lasts, upon the following crossings in the North Atlantic. Westward 4100’N, 4900’W; eastward 4010’N, 4900’W.
Apr 15 42N 54W a berg.
Apr 15 4219’N 5240’W a berg.
Apr 16 SS “Queenswood” at Boston from Blyth on the southeastern edge of the Grand Banks in 44N passed 4 large bergs.
Apr 16 SS “Lord Lansdowne” at Baltimore from Port Talbot saw ice in 4058’N 5210’W which is the furthest point south ice has been observed for about 6 years.
Apr 17 SS “Cimbria” at Boston from Blyth met heavy pack ice on eastern edge of Grand Banks; was obliged to steam 100m to clear it; also passed 7 bergs.
Apr 17 SS “Masconomo” at Boston from Hull passed 3 bergs on the southern edge of the Banks.
Apr 17 Sydney Light: The coast of Eastern Nova Scotia from Sydney eastward to St. Pierre and Cape Race, and northward to Cape Ray has been clear of ice since 8th inst. Considerable ice was reported yesterday in vicinity of Magdalen Is. Apart from this the Gulf and River St. Lawrence were clear. The first steamers entered Gulf on 13th.
Apr 17 4416’N 4556’W a berg ~2,000′ long and 200′ high.
Apr 18 SS “Peninsular” at New York from Lisbon 41N 5310’W passed 2 bergs.
Apr 18 4217’N 4902’W several small pieces of ice.
Apr 18 4235’N 4829’W, 2 large bergs.
Apr 18 4375[!]’N 4026’W, 3 large bergs.
Apr 19 4225’N 49W a large berg.
Apr 19 4130’N 5414’W a berg.
Apr 19 4147’N 4804’W, 3 large bergs and 1 small one.
Apr 20 4205’N 5247’W a berg.
Apr 20 4134’N 5349’W a berg.
Apr 20 4228’N 5026’W, 10 small pieces of ice.
Apr 21 4252’N 4958’W a berg.
Apr 21 – 23 4501’N 4435’W to 4301’N 5355’W passed 8 bergs, one 2000′ long and 700′ high.
Apr 22 4248’N 5039’W a berg.
Apr 30 4035’N 6302’W large field of ice.

May 2 4220’N 4902’W a berg.
May 4 Bark “Culdoon” at Sydney from Ireland saw 40 bergs near the Grand Banks.
May 5 St. John’s: Incoming shipping reports immense ice floes drifting southward over the Grand Banks and into the ocean steamer track. All the northern coastline of Newfoundland is blocked with floes.
May 7 4455’N 4009’W, 2 bergs.
May 9 St. John’s: Immense number of icebergs off the Newfoundland coast and Grand Banks interfere seriously with steamer traffic. Several Montreal liners which have sighted Cape Race report icebergs of great size and in unusual abundance, covering the entire shipping track.
May 30 French Schooner “Glaneur” sunk by ice in the North Atlantic. (PR).

Jun 10 Barkentine “Belfast” from Belfast to Miramichi struck ice day before and abandoned. (PR)