Charts 1905

MG488 Log of the SS “Greenland”: Mar 13, departed Wesleyville, slob ice and ice very light; 15th, NE course all the time – ice very scarce only slob, 18m N of Cape John; 17th, slob ice, 2m N of Penguin Island, all ships heading south; 18th, tight ice later jammed in heavy ice; 21st, sealing, tight ice 5m N of Cape Bonavista; 22nd, good head way through ice off Cape St. Francis; 24th, good head way slack ice, no seals; 25th, lat. of Grand Bank, Fortune Bay, no seals, ice slack; 26th, lat. of Cape Spear, very slack slob ice, no seals; Apr 8, sealing in tight ice (position unclear). Last entry Apr 15 (don’t think they were that far away from St. John’s).
NYMR (except as noted):

January/February

Jan 26 SS “London City” at St. John’s from Liverpool reports an immense area of heavy arctic floes 120m off St. John’s, with 3 large bergs. The floating ice is directly in steamer routes.
Jan 28-29 SS “Sarmatian” from Glasgow to Boston 4827’N 4842’W extensive field ice. Steamed 8m E then SSE along the eastern edge of the field; 29th, had clear water to the south but ice to the westward as far as the eye could reach. She continued on her southerly course 32m and then set a course to pass 30m south of Virgin Rocks and no more ice of any kind was sighted.
Jan 29 4850’N 4710’W a berg ~200′ long and 50′ high.
Jan 30 4815’N 4809’W a berg 200′ long and 70′ high and a large quantity of field ice.
Feb — Bark “Vidonia” from Petty Harbour to Bahai, Brazil caught in ice just off Petty Harbour and crushed ashore between Long Point and Motion Head. (JPA).
Feb 2 St. John’s: The coast line, except the southern seaboard, is blocked with ice. The ocean beyond Grand Banks is covered with immense Arctic floes and steamers are compelled to go many miles south of Cape Race, it being too heavy to penetrate. Several large bergs are reported in the pack.
Feb 7 “Minto” icebound waiting change of wind to proceed Gibralter (sailed Feb 13). (#866).
Feb 8 Brig “Vidonia” caught in the ice off St. John’s harbour and breaking up.
Feb 12 Between 4716’N 4718’W and 4706’N 4732’W a number of ice fields, some ¼m long and 150′ broad.
Feb 13 SS “Sylvia” at St. John’s after bad experience in storms and ice in the Grand Banks.
Feb 20 SS “Brittanic” (Nor) at St. John’s from Newcastle reported heavy ice floes extending 300m seaward beyond the eastern edge of the Grand Banks.

March

Mar — 4230’N 48W to 50W, 6 large bergs and a quantity of detached ice.
Mar — 45N 45W to 44N 49W a large quantity of bergs and field ice were passed.
Mar 1 Sailings delayed by ice. (#866).
Mar 16 4644’N 4222’W to 4621’N 4327’W, 1 large and 2 small bergs.
Mar 16 4644’N 4254’W to 4507’N 4839’W many large bergs and a quantity of small ones were passed.
Mar 16 4648’N 4155’W to 4525’N 4310’W, 3 bergs from 50′-90′ high and 180′-330′ long.
Mar 20 St. John’s: Advices from the northern and western coasts report the worst ice blockade in modern times. Ice floes extend hundreds of miles seaward. Along the northern coast ice is packed in heavy fields. These also extend out from the Gulf of St. Lawrence past St. Pierre, Miq., thence south beyond Sable Is. and eastward beyond Cape Race, closing Placentia Bay. Steamers have been unable to enter the bay for 10 days.
Mar 20-21 4547’N 4345’W to 4439’N 4806’W a number of large bergs and several broken and submerged bergs.
Mar 22 4607’N 4610’W and 4447’N 4630’W for ~7 hours, many large bergs and a number of small ones, some field ice and numerous small pieces of detached ice.
Mar 23 4347’N 4852’W a large berg.
Mar 25 4236’N 4907’W a berg ~300′ long and 60′ high.
Mar 25 4325’N 4947’W a berg ~800′ long and 60′ high.
Mar 25 4412’N 4620’W to 4310’N 4923’W large quantities of field ice.
Mar 26 42N 46W a berg 85 ‘ high and 512’ long.
Mar 26 42N 4928’W to 4155’N 5017’W, 3 bergs.
Mar 27 4230’N 50W to 4220’N 5042’W, 4 very large bergs.
Mar 27 4325’N 4412’W a large berg.
Mar 27 4324’N 4407’W a berg 500′ long and 30′ high.
Mar 27 4440’N 4640’W a berg.
Mar 27 4501’N 44W a large berg.
Mar 29 42N 5022’W a berg 1,000′ long and 50′ high.
Mar 29 Issue: 47N 4245’W a large berg with pinnacles 150′ high; also 4620’N 4306’W a large berg.
Mar 29 42N 5040’W a berg.
Mar 30 4514’N 46W to 4435’N 5010’W, 4 large bergs over 100′ high; 7 medium sized bergs 30′-50′ high and field and pack ice with a quantity of small pieces extending to the western horizon.
Mar 30 4016’N 4620’W, 3 large bergs.
Mar 31 4250’N 30[!]40’N, 3 large bergs, 1 over a mile long and 100′ high.
Mar 31 43N 49N, 6 bergs.
Mar 31 4430’N 48W an icefield of immense dimensions and ~100 bergs. Mar 31 4250’N 4845’W a berg.
Mar 31 43N 4830’W a berg.

April

Apr — 40N to 4030’N 48W to 49W large bergs.
Apr — 4150’N 50W to 4146’N 5105’W, 8 bergs.
Apr — 4220’N 4830’W to 4135’N 51W a large number of bergs.
Apr — 4152’N 4934’W to 4119’N 49φW, 46 large and small bergs.
Apr — 4213’N and from 48W to 52W a large number of bergs.
Apr — 4221’N 4938’W to 4210’N 5130’W bergs of various sizes.
Apr — 4235’N 4848’W to 4217’N 5140’W, 20 bergs and a quantity of detached pieces of ice.
Apr 1 4239’N 4816’W and 4238’N 5032’W, 15 bergs of various dimensions.
Apr 1 4117’N 4756’W a large berg and a number of small pieces.
Apr 1 4155’N 50W to 51W for 4 hours, 15 bergs and several small pieces of ice.
Apr 1 42N 4835’W to 4153’N 51W, ~20 bergs and a great number of small pieces of ice.
Apr 1 42N between 5027’W and 5112’W, 11 large bergs.
Apr 1 4205’N 48W to 42N 51W, 10 large and small bergs and a quantity of small pieces and much field ice.
Apr 1 4219’N 4819’W, 4 large bergs.
Apr 1 4415’N 4524’W large quantities of field ice and ~40 bergs.
Apr 1-2 SS “Oriana” from Cardiff to St .John, NB sailed into the midst of a large number of bergs and it was deemed wise to lay to for the night. Next morning she coasted along the edge of a large and closely packed field. At 1 pm the steamer was again compelled to coast along the edge of another field far greater than the first and it was not until 5 pm that the end was reached. The position of the southwest corner of this field was 4221’N 4951’W.
Apr 2 4205’N 5015’W to 4155’N 5115’W, 7 bergs.
Apr 2 4203’N 5718’W a very large berg.
Apr 2 4154’N 5003’W, 3 bergs.
Apr 2 4150’N 5006’W to 4148’N 5127’W passed 30 bergs extending over a distance of 20m.
Apr 2 4137’N 50W a large berg.
Apr 2 4349’N 4348’W a moderate sized berg.
Apr 2 SS “Michigan” to Liverpool from Boston 43N 50W sighted 37 large bergs and a heavy pack of field ice so dense she was compelled to steam 27m southward along the western edge before gaining open water. Subsequently sighted numerous bergs.
Apr 3 4149’N 5028’W to 4141’N 5216’W, 18 bergs ranging from 40′-190′ high.
Apr 3 4214’N 4814’W to 4215’N 5129’W, 12 bergs from 60′-80′ high and 200′-500′ long and a number of smaller pieces.
Apr 4 4121’N 4751’W a berg ~900′ long with flat top, bearing S 10m.
Apr 4 42N 4923’W enormous bergs measuring between 100′-500′ long and 60′-200′ broad.
Apr 6 4147’N to 4142’N, 4908’W to 5045’W, 27 bergs mostly of large size and large quantities of field ice.
Apr 6 4218’N 4816’W to 4210’N 5026’W, ~80 bergs large and small, some being 150′ high and 600′ long.
Apr 6 4142’N 5051’W many bergs.
Apr 7 4450’N 49W to 4440’N 4930’W, 23 bergs varying in height from 18′-50′ and also several small pieces.
Apr 8 41N 49W and 41N 48W, 9 bergs.
Apr 8 4125’N 4857’W to 4118’N 4936’W, 13 large and small bergs.
Apr 8 4220’N 5130’W a large berg.
Apr 8 4230’N and 43N, 48W and 50W much ice was seen.
Apr 9 4130’N 4840’W to 4030’N 4925’W a large number of bergs.
Apr 9 4149’N 4301’W to 4150’N 5005’W, 31 bergs some low and very dangerous, others 50′-100′ high.
Apr 9 4153’N 4914’W to 4150’N 5005’W, 46 large bergs.
Apr 9 42N 48W to 4220’N 50W numerous bergs large and small with pieces of broken ice floating about. They were in sight for a distance of 100m.
Apr 9 4203’N 4858’W to 4153’N 5012’W, 34 large and small bergs and quantities of field ice; 6 bergs each were over 100′ high and 500′ long.
Apr 10 4201’N 4813’W to 4205’N 5154’W, 63 bergs.
Apr 10 4140’N 5245’W several bergs.
Apr 10 4330’N 49W and 42[4?]’N 51W, 41 bergs.
Apr 12 4207’N 4738’W to 42N 5035’W, ~35 bergs most of them of medium size and south of 42N.
Apr 12 4330’N 4719’W a berg.
Apr 12 4367[!]’N 5006’W and 4332’N 5128’W a large number of bergs.
Apr 12 SS “Sagamore” at Boston from Liverpool was imprisoned for 16 hours by bergs on the Grand Banks.
Apr 12-13 46N 4630’W and 42N 52W, 16 large and high bergs, 1 of which was ~100′ high and 350′ long.
Apr 13 4153’N 4907’W, 2 small bergs and a number of detached pieces. Apr 13 4304’N 4831’W to 43N 5010’W a number of bergs.
Apr 14 4150’N 49W several pieces of ice and 1 berg ~500 yards long and as high as the ship’s mast.
Apr 15 4310’N 5035’W, 3 large bergs.
Apr 15 48W to 5020’W, 6 large and several bergs [?].
Apr 15-16 4158’N 4803’W to 4149’N 5139’W, 20 large bergs & several small ones.
Apr 16 48N 52W, several large bergs.
Apr 17 Wood schooner “Saint Georges” from Fécamp hit berg on Grand Banks. (IIP59).
Apr 18 4220’N 4751’W to 4201’N 4911’W, 3 small bergs.
Apr 18 4220’N 4816’W a small berg.
Apr 18 4132’N 5119’W several small pieces of ice.
Apr 18 SS “Sardinian” at Halifax from Glasgow 4230’N from 47W to 5103’W several large bergs and detached ice.
Apr 18 SS “Wasis” at North Sydney sighted a steamer supposed to be the “Bruce”, fast in the ice outside former port. The “Bruce” is bound for North Sydney from Newfoundland. The “Wasis” left Halifax Apr 3rd.
Apr 20 42N 5136’W, 2 medium sized bergs.
Apr 20 Sydney: A very extensive field of Gulf of St. Lawrence ice, which on Apr 3rd closed in on Eastern Nova Scotia coast, has moved off, permitting movement of vessels along western edge. The field still extends from Cape North southward to east of Sable Is. It is exceptionally heavy and close packed, and should easterly winds prevail will render navigation difficult for several weeks.
Apr 21 4050’N 5050’W a berg 30′ high and 200′ long.
Apr 21 SS “Kroonland” at New York from Antwerp 4815’N 50W passed 2 large and 3 small bergs.
Apr 21 SS “Tunisian” at Halifax from Liverpool reports on Monday passed ice in 4239’N 4813’W and 4239’N 5019’W. On Wednesday night was in communication with SS “Bavarian” from Halifax to Liverpool, which reported 2 bergs in 4206’N 51W. On 15th was in communication with SS “Caledonia” from New York to Glasgow, which reported 15 bergs from 4127’N 49W to 4230’N 4605’W.
Apr 21 4209’N 51W, 2 small pieces of ice.
Apr 21 4512’N 4750’W to 4433’N 4850’W, 22 bergs.
Apr 21-25 Cable steamer “Mackay Bennett” working on tail of Grand Bank encountered 25 numerous bergs in 4310’N between 4950’W and 5010’W. Some of these bergs were long and low lying and in thick weather would need special caution to avoid.
Apr 22 4216’N 5105’W some ice was seen.
Apr 22-24 4408’N 4432’W to 4208’N 5030’W, 3 large and 2 small bergs and many small pieces.
Apr 23 4350’N 4220’W, 2 bergs.
Apr 23 4212’N 4820’W to 4212’N 5120’W, 5 large and 2 small bergs.
Apr 23 4150’N 51?35’W a berg 200′ long and 50′ high.
Apr 23 4154’N 5135’N a berg 300′ long and 100′ high.
Apr 23 4150’N 5008’W a berg 50′ high and 200′ long.
Apr 24 42N 5010’W, 2 large bergs and several small pieces.
Apr 24 SS “Grand Lake” at St. John’s from sealing with bows battered by collision with an iceberg.
Apr 24 Halifax: Tug “Standard” with an oil barge in tow bound from Boston for Montreal put in here today on account of ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Apr 26 4259’N 4911’W to 4241’N 5033’W, 7 large bergs and 10 small ones and a quantity of field ice.
Apr 28 4147’N 5017’W a berg 140′ long and 80′ high.
Apr 28 SS “Dansborg” from Cadiz and SS “Sicily” from Liverpool at St. John’s report a great number of bergs and floes on the Grand Banks and on the regular ocean shipping track. The former sighted a berg 1,000′ long, 300′ high, in the waters frequented by ocean liners.

May 1 4536’N 5748’W large ice fields.
May 1 Quebec: A telegram from Cape Ray on Saturday stated that 5 steamers were stuck in the ice off there. The ice extends across the gulf.
May 2 HMS “Latona” which passed E of Cape Race today reports sighting large ice fields in 4536’N 5748’N.
May 5 Reports of heavy ice in Cabot Strait from both St. John’s and Sydney.
May 8 SS “M C Holm” at Cape Ray for Montreal with plates damaged by ice.

Jul 15 Mission ship “Harmony” met heavy ice and bergs on her way to Hebron, Labrador, and other accounts for the year indicate an exceptionally heavy ice year. (EW).