Charts 1889

Normal amount 0. (M).
During the year 1889 hardly any reports were made of ice until April, when numerous bergs, but hardly any field ice, were reported from latitudes 48 to 46N., between longitudes 44 and 49W. During May a large increase in the number of bergs follows, extending from 49 to 46N., between 42 and 50W. (#93).
NYMR (except as noted):

February

Feb No icebergs have been reported for the month. This fact constitutes an unusual feature, as with the exception of the current and the preceding year, icebergs have been encountered over or near the Grand Banks in February since and including, 1883. The field ice reported was also largely deficient, when compared with the average for the month. (MWR).
Feb ? Schooner “Hermann Babion”, 80m W½S of St. Pierre encountered heavy drift ice, which extended all the way to Scatari. (MWR).
Feb ? Schooner “Cecil H. Low”, 20m SW from Scatari, heavy field ice. (MWR).
Feb ? Ship “William Cochran” 4535’N 48W, 1 piece of field ice 50′ long, just awash. (MWR).
Feb 21 SS “St. Pierre” encountered field ice between St. Pierre and Halifax.
Feb 24 SS “Mars” from Amsterdam to New York passed through small pieces of detached ice on the Banks for 30 hours.

March

Mar No icebergs were reported for the month. (MWR).
Mar 2 SS “Devonia” encountered thin field ice 4420’N 53W, this being the only field ice noted during the month, a very unusual feature of the last 7 years. (MWR).

April

Apr 18 SS “La Bretagne” 4357’N 5020’W, 2 small bergs. (MWR).
Apr 23 SS “Glenrath” 46N 5932’W field ice ~5m by 1m in extent. (MWR).
Apr 24 SS “Nova Scotian” at St. John’s from 4854’N 4747’W to 4829’N 4848’W passed a large number of bergs. [NYMR: 4831’N 4908’W, 1 large berg and a large quantity of broken ice]
Apr 24 SS “Lake Superior” 4655’N 4657’W, 1 moderate sized and 2 small bergs. (MWR).
Apr 24 SS “Demerara” 4817’N 4451’W a plateau shaped berg; passed 8 bergs [to 4750’N 47W] during the day.(MWR).
Apr 24 SS “Austerlitz” 4742’N 4612’W, 1 berg ~300′ high and ½m long, wedge shaped, and a number of large floes.(MWR).
Apr 25 SS “Circassian” 4912’N 44W several bergs. (MWR).
Apr 25 SS “Oregon” 4915’N 4441’W, 1 small berg; 4819’N 4722’W a large and a small berg; 4808’N 4753’W a large berg [was detained between 4 and 5 hours off Cape Ray and Bird Rocks by heavy field ice]. (MWR).
Apr 25 Mr. John Higgins, observer at St. John’s reported a large berg off the Narrows. (MWR).
Apr 25 SS “Palestine” 4740N 4350’W a berg ~100′ by 50′. (MWR).
Apr 26 SS “Hungaria” 4540’N 4720’W a large berg [150′ high]. (MWR).
Apr 26 SS “Slavonia” 4601’N 4735’W a berg ~100′ high and 400′ long. (MWR).
Apr 26 SS “Palestine” 4654’N 4630’W, 2 bergs ~150′ by 60′. (MWR).
Apr 26-27 4741’N 4053’W a large berg and next day seen by the same steamer 2 more large sized bergs.
Apr 27 SS “Lake Superior” off Bird Rocks, several narrow strips of ice. (MWR).
Apr 27 SS “Jersey City” 4626’N 4628’W passed close to a large berg; 4508’N 4725’W saw another berg.
Apr 29 SS “Roman” 4716’N 4311’W a moderate sized and 2 small bergs. (MWR).
Apr 30 SS “Critic” 46N 465’W passed a large berg.

May 2-3 SS “Weatherby” 4306’N 5254’W passed a patch of field ice ~15m in length; 4306’N 5706’W passed another lot of field ice ~6m long.
May 3 SS “Grecian” 4814’N 4630’W passed 2 large bergs.

Jun 11 SS “Saale” 4254’N 4954’W collided with berg, undamaged. (#93).
(Hardly any mention of ice at all; some bergs appeared later in May and June.)