1962 Season
December
Dec 29 Souris – SS “Tosca” was expected to sail from Souris last night. (Pat 30 Dec p3 c2)
January
Jan 22 Ice shacks on Summerside Harbour burned by youth. (Pat 22 Jan p2)
Jan 27 Fined for cutting holes in ice in Summerside harbour. First ice race set for North River Causeway on Saturday (27th). (Pat 26 Jan p3)
February
March
April
Apr 14 It is not known what effect the east south east winds last night had on the ice in the Strait. (Pat 14 Apr p3 c1)
Apr 21 Little heavy ice was reported in the Strait of Northumberland. (Pat 21 Apr p1 c7)
Apr 23 Ice is melting fast in the Gulf, today ice was about 10 miles off the North Shore, pretty well loosened up and giving about four tenths coverage. (Pat 23 Apr p1 c3)
Apr 22 With the arrival in Charlottetown, Sunday of the Imperial Oil Company tanker “Imperial Halifax”, the 1962 shipping season to this port opened about three weeks earlier than in 1961. Capt. Joseph Kearley experienced considerable difficulty with heavy ice conditions west of the Strait of Canso, but was only able to make a few miles when she became ice locked in George’s Bay. The shipping of Island produce to Newfoundland is also expected to get a start within the next few days. (Pat 23 Apr p5 c1)
Apr 24 The Northumberland Ferries is scheduled to start May 1st, ice conditions may delay the start. (Pat 24 Apr p1 c8)
Apr 27 Federal Minister of Fisheries speaking about opening of Lobster Season in District 7B noted that “there was some ice evidence, the condition was improving. (Pat 27 Apr p1 c1)
Apr 27 Ice in waters surrounding PEI is slowly funnelling out of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and rotting and disintegrating. West of Charlottetown, between Victoria and West Point, there are a large number of ice floes in the area. There was a heavy concentration of ice in the Pictou area but wind and tide yesterday moved it away. There is still quite a lot of ice in the northern PEI waters, towards the Magdalene Islands and also in the Cape Breton area; .shipping was moving with caution. (Pat 27 Apr p12 c3)
Apr 30 Only a fraction of the lobster fishermen in area. 7B will be setting traps today because of the adverse ice conditions. Boats are out today from most ports along the east coast of the Island where no ice is in sight. Although ice eased away from the shore in the Victoria area over the weekend, there was still no chance of boats leaving that port this morning. The most severe conditions are in the sector from Alberton to North Rustico, ice blocked the harbours at Alberton and Tignish. (Pat 30 Apr p1 c5)
May
May 1 Wood Islands-Caribou ferry delay in opening. There is still too much ice around Pictou, Pictou Island. Caribou are to permit buoys to be placed. Ice delayed the opening of the service last year until May 21st, the latest opening date since it was inaugurated in 1941. May 6th was the latest opening date prior to that. (Pat 1 May p1 c1)
May 2 The situation continued grim in the north and western areas as ice today again blocked attempts to get to the lobster grounds. The Souris area was reported completely free of ice. Ideal conditions (for fishing) prevailed also in the Southern Kings fishing grounds. Naufrage and North Lake had ice trouble yesterday. Alberton, Tignish and Rustico fishermen are still grounded. (Pat 2 May p1 c1)
May 3 Ice movement in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Northumberland Strait is reported having a delaying effect on the full operations of the produce shipping season at Charlottetown. (Pat 3 May p2 c2)
May 4 Heavy ice drifting in off Cape St. Lawrence caught the MV “Colwell Boy”. The MV “Paula Marce” left Rustico Friday and heavy ice tore a hole in her hull. (Pat 7 May p10 c4)
May 7 Ice is packed solidly along the shore from Tignish down past Alberton. There is 17 miles of ice off North Cape and huge growlers. Most traps (lobster) were out on the eastern portion of the north shore and down along the east coast. Wallace, N.S. – ice kept lobster fishermen from running their gear. (Pat 7 May p1 c5)
May 8 Wind drives ice from North Shore. Fishermen at North Lake said no ice visible from shore. Wood Islands ferries reported not a bit of ice in that area. (Pat 8 May p1 c8)