Maximum amount +2. (M).
A very large volume. A large body on the bank May 20 and 30. (GR).
Access to St. John’s very difficult for several weeks. (GR).
Northern Ice at St. John’s arrive Jan 22, depart Jun 10. (JW in GR).
At Ferryland, drift ice arrived at harbours and shores Feb 17 and held until Mar 11 to 24th, then on and off. Vessels passing along in the ice Apr 24. Finally cleared off May 6. (GR).
In 1875 the south coast was enveloped in ice until April 24th. (GR).
Gulf or Northern ice only twice in Fortune Bay for the last 30 years (1857-1887), 1875 and 1876. (GR).
Jan 26th, heavy ice at Cape St. Francis. Jun 18th, the northern bays all blocked until 1st of July, when the ice was off the Groais island. (GR).
Feb issue: “The ice-blockade of the Middle and East Atlantic coast, which has not been exceeded in severity before during the present century, being comparable to that of 1780.” and also navigation in New York Bay from Jan 15 to Feb 25 most severe obstruction since 1847. (MWR).
March issue: European steamships arriving at U.S. ports in March reported unusually enormous ice-fields and icebergs, floating southward off the Atlantic coast. (MWR).
Apr issue: “The unusual large quantities of drift ice and enormous icebergs off the Atlantic coasts.” and “European steamships arriving at American ports reported very large quantities of ice in the North Atlantic during the first part of April. (MWR).
Jun issue: “the immense masses of drift ice and the long-continued presence of icebergs in the North Atlantic, greatly affecting the weather in all the Atlantic States”. ..Ice drift and icebergs unusually large and late … . “The steamship Caspian, which touched at St. John’s on July 1st, was five days among the icebergs, and previous to that day, steamships could not get to St. John’s on account of ice-obstructions.” (MWR).
“The quantity of ice reported has been greater than that of any year since 1875.” (MWR June 1880).
January/February
Jan 3 & 29 Mention of ice in the Straits of Canso. (LL).
Jan 15 SS “Canadian” from Liverpool to Baltimore passed large quantities of ice before reaching Newfoundland and between Newfoundland and Halifax. (LL).
Jan 22 The “L’Edouard” from Arecibo to St. John’s had been 3 days in the ice. (LL).
Jan 24-25 SS “Victoria” from Glasgow to New York 46N 46W-48W passed large fields of ice. (LL).
Jan 25-29 SS “C.F. Funch” from Antwerp to New York 46N 49W saw large quantities of drift ice and on 28th & 29th was completely surrounded by field ice. (LL).
Jan 26 “James Stewart” from Greenock to St. John’s was obliged to run off the Gulf Stream twice to get free from ice. She made ice St.John’s bearing WNW 189m; she went southward and westward but was unable to find an opening. (LL).
Jan 27 SS “America” from New York to Bremen fell in with heavy fields of ice in 46N 4750’W compelling the vessel to steam 10 nautical miles south in order to reach clear water. The ice is very early this year on the Banks of Newfoundland. The master recommends all vessels, whether sailing or steam, bound from or for the northern ports of the USA to take a course at the south of the Banks. (LL).
Jan 28 SS “Assyria” from Marseilles to New York passed through 40m of heavy field ice. (LL).
Feb 2 SS “Nevada” from New York to Liverpool 46N 48W passed some field ice. (LL).
Feb 2 SS “Arragon” from Bristol to New York 46N 47W passed a number of small bergs and large quantities of field ice. (LL).
Feb 2 “Adriel” from Vianna to St. John’s got into the ice 120m off St. John’s and remained in the ice which was very heavy and thickly packed until Mar 25. (LL).
Feb 3 “G S Fogey” left St. John’s for West Indies, put into Renews because of ice and did not leave till Mar 5. (PL).
Feb 9 Issue: We are passing through a winter which the oldest inhabitant does not remember the parallel for severe and rough weather. (Newf.).
Feb 9 Issue: The harbour is covered with ice of an unusual thickness (very cold weather) making it impossible for shipping to leave or enter port. (PL).
Feb 10 SS “Neckar” from Bremen to New York 4540’N 4830’W passed some snow ice. (LL).
Feb 16 SS “Neptune” arrived from Halifax (13th ?), reports quantities of ice nearly all the way. (Newf.).
Feb 18 Issue: Shore blocked with ice around Channel. (PL).
Feb 18 “Era” in difficulty in the ice (off Cape Pine ?) (PL).
Feb 18 There is an ice floe off Halifax for a distance of 50m, The Chesapeake is frozen over and the Potomac is closed to navigation. (LL).
Feb 19 Very cold, 20 below zero [-29C] at Government House and 3 lower [-30.5] at Signal Hill, lowest point we believe it has ever reached in this country. Navigation is completely arrested. The “Hecules” put out on the 17th for Harbour Grace but could not get past Torbay for ice. The whole ocean outside here seems a mass of ice and several vessels are reported frozen up along the coast. (Newf.).
Feb 19 The Yarmouth harbour, NS is blocked with ice. (LL). Feb 20 SS “City of Brooklyn” 20m Polar Steam 4156’N 5338’W. (NYMR).
Feb 22 SS “Wisconsin” from New York to Liverpool 44N 50W passed through a field of ice. (LL).
Feb 24 SS “Mosel” great many icefields and icebergs 4330’N 4830’W, sailed 3 hours to clear it. (NYMR).
Feb 24 Issue: SS “Cimbria” from New York to Plymouth 46N 50W passed large quantities of drift ice. (LL).
Feb 24 SS “City of Chester” from New York to Queenstown 44N 49W-48W passed south of several patches of ice. (LL).
Feb 24 SS “Lessing” from Hamburg to New York 45N 47W passed a large quantity of ice. (LL).
Feb 25 SS “England” large quantities of field ice afloat 4442’N 4617’W. (NYMR).
Feb 27 SS “Schiller” from New York to Plymouth 45N 49W met with an immense field of ice mixed with which were huge bergs. The vessel was steered for 4 hours in a southerly course along a hedge of ice, when a break was seen in it, the field separating into 2 parts. The “Schiller” steamed for 2 hours through this channel, and then arrived again in clear water. As far as could be judged, the field was about 21m broad at the point where the ship encountered it, and the southern portion of it extended far to the southward to 44N. (LL).
Feb 27 “E.S. Powell” from Wilmington to Liverpool 42N 51W fell in with immense fields of ice. ( LL).
Feb 28 SS “Hannover” from New Orleans and Havana to Southampton 44N 49W was 2 hours in ice. (LL).
March
Mar 1 Brig “Moses” from New York turned about 80m from a port of Newfoundland. (NYMR).
Mar 1 “Violette” abandoned in ice 2m of Cape English, St. Mary’s Bay. Drifted off Cape Pine and carried wreckers with it, they being picked up on the 11th. Some survivors could not be landed at Harbour Grace because of ice. (fgmm).
Mar 1 SS “Frisia” from New York to Plymouth 40N 48W passed through a large ice field. (LL).
Mar 2 Issue: SS “Eleanora” from New York to Portland reports having passed through ~110m of ice [ many other mentions of ice on eastern seaboard from Cape Cod to Baltimore and Boston]. (LL).
Mar 2-10 “Sea Lion” from Boston to St. John’s on 2nd saw large fields of floating ice; 5th, passed through a field of ice and became jammed; 9th, the ice became more broken and the vessel got into open sea and proceeded to Halifax to await the clearing away of the ice. When 140m E and 90 S of Cape Race, found one solid body of ice, and no water to be seen as far as the eye could reach from aloft. (LL).
Mar 3 SS “Neckar” from New York to Southampton passed numerous icefields and a few bergs off the Banks of Newfoundland. (LL).
Mar 4 SS “Pommerania” from Hamburg to New York 45N 48W passed immense fields of ice. (LL).
Mar 4 “Daisy” from Cienfuegos to Halifax reports having passed through 50m of heavy ice up to within 5m of Sambro Head. (LL).
Mar 5 SS “Silesia” from Hamburg to New York 44N 50W passed through immense fields of drift ice. (LL).
Mar 5 ASS “Wyoming” from Liverpool to New York 44N 48W-49W passed through large fields of heavy pack ice and saw 5 bergs. (LL).
Mar 5 SS “England” from Liverpool to New York encountered a floe of ice estimated to have been at least 20m wide and 30m long and injured her bows. (LL).
Mar 6 SS “Lord Clive” from Liverpool to Boston reports large quantities of field ice on the S edge of the Bank. (LL).
Mar 9 SS “Hermann” [from Bremen to New York -LL] 4402’N 4838’W passed 4 bergs and very large icefields. NYMR 4333’N 4907’W passed another field of ice. (NYMR).
Mar 10 SS “Siberia” 4342’N 4816’W passed through several fields of ice and sighted several icebergs. (NYMR).
Mar 12 SS “Geo Shattuck” saw ice 30m SSW of St. Pierre. (NYMR).
Mar 12 Brig “Daisy” at Halifax passed through 50m of heavy ice up to 5m from Sambro. (NYMR).
Mar 13 SS “Canada” passed several large ice fields 4315’N 4810’W. (NYMR).
Mar 13 Sealing steamers at St. John’s and Harbour Grace succeeded in making way out of ports through ice. No reports of sailings sealers having left yet. (NYMR).
Mar 13 Brig “Bonito” from Sicily bound for Harbour Grace could not get near Newfoundland coast and landed at Le Have, N.S. (NYMR).
Mar 13 Great quantity of ice outside the harbour hindering the sealing fleet. The “Hector” returned with damage to her propeller. (PL).
Mar 14 Advices from Halifax state that up to the latest advices no vessels had left St. John’s, NF for the seal fishery, the harbour being frozen over. (LL).
Mar 15 SS “Tiger” passed by St. Pierre being unable to get in because of ice. (PL).
Mar 16 “Marco Polo” from Bremen to New York 42N 49W passed large quantities of field ice. ( LL).
Mar 16-17 SS “Rhein” from Bremen to New York passed a berg and large field of ice extending ~22m in 44N 49W, also several large bergs on the 17th in 4[4?]N 51W. (LL).
Mar 17 SS “Weser” from New York to Southampton [and Bremen] 43N 51W saw 2 bergs and later in the day in the same latitude passed through an icefield extending from 49W to 4850’W and N and S beyond eyesight. (LL).
Mar 17 SS “State of Georgia” from Glasgow to New York passed through immense fields of ice, and 8 large bergs in 43N 49W. (LL). Mar 18 SS “City of Chester” from Liverpool to New York 43N 48W passed several small pieces of ice. (LL).
Mar 18 SS “Prussian” from Liverpool to Portland passed through heavy field ice on the edge of the Banks and several large bergs were seen. (LL).
Mar 19 SS “Hercules” for St. John’s put back to Brigus because of ice. (PL).
Mar 19 RMS “Newfoundland” arrived yesterday from Halifax having been 5 days in very heavy ice, making little or no progress. She saw 3 vessels jammed in the ice but no news of the “Violette”. (Newf.).
Mar 19 SS “City of Chester” passed 4 small pieces of ice 4243’N 4932’W. (NYMR).
Mar 19 “Conqueror” from Savannah to Liverpool 43N 49W ran into a very heavy field of ice, so compact that for a while the vessel could scarcely move through it; she hauled up S by E and passed out of the ice, and after making about 10m, saw no more of it. (LL).
Mar 19 SS “George Shattuck” from St. Pierre to Halifax reports having been jammed in the ice for 14 days. (LL).
Mar 19 SS “Cimbria” from Hamburg to New York had great difficulty in getting through thick fields of drift ice in 46N 47W. (LL).
Mar 20 Issue: The St. Mary’s Disaster; describing the “Violetta” and rescue by schooner “G S Fogey” and “Lady Mary”. Also: RMS “Newfoundland” arrived, delayed several days by ice. (PL).
Mar 20 SS “Hercules” arrived St. John’s from Brigus, sustained considerable damage to her bows, false stem and portion of her inner timbers being carried away. (PL).
Mar 20 Brigantine “Emeline” arrived from Cadiz, 68 days, reports seeing brig “Jura” in the ice off Cape Race. Brig “Trusty” unable to get into Conception Bay because of ice. Also: SS “Tiger” reported being in ice off St. Pierre. (PL).
Mar 20 SS “Lessing” from New York to Plymouth between 43N 60W & 41N 48W passed large quantities of ice and was obliged to steer a southerly course for some hours. (LL).
Mar 22 A French brig, with a cargo of West India produce has been abandoned in the ice 15m SW of Cape Pin [sic], NF. (LL).
Mar 23 Issue: a report of the St. Mary’s and “Violette” disaster (13 dead). At one point the vessel, still in ice presumably, drifted 100m SE of Cape St. Mary’s and then back again to within 50m of land. (Newf.).
Mar 23 SS “Tiger” arrived St. John’s reports ice around St. Pierre, Burin etc. (PL).
Mar 23 SS “Oder” from Bremen to New York from 448’N 4732’W to 448’N 4924’W passed with slow speed through immense masses of ice. (LL).
Mar 25 SS “C.F. Funch” from Antwerp to New York between 46N & 44N and 45W & 50W passed several bergs and quantities of field ice. (LL).
Mar 26 “Spectre” left St. John’s for Britain later in Trepassey getting repairs to bows stove in by ice (mentioned Apr 24).(PL).
Mar 27 “Beltress” arrived from Greenock much damaged by ice, planks cut very deep. Also: great body of ice reported off Placentia Bay. (PL).
Mar 28 Bark “Johanne Marie” [from Liverpool to Baltimore – LL] 46N 44W fell in with large quantities of field ice. Got out of it Apr 4 [2nd – LL] in 4130’N. (NYMR).
Mar 28 SS “Westphalia” from Hamburg to New York 45N to 42N 46W passed large fields of ice and had to go to the southward for 10 hours to clear them. (LL).
Mar 28-Apr 1 SS “Arragon” from Bristol to New York 4640’N 4520’W passed large quantities of field ice and bergs; Apr 1, cleared them 4540’N 5250’W after being in the ice for 4 days and 6 hours. (LL).
Mar 31 SS “Rhein” from New York to Southampton passed many bergs in 43N 49W and large fields of ice around the horizon. (LL).
April
Apr — Bark “Arica” slightly damaged by ice in 42N 52W. (NYMR).
Apr 1 SS “China” passed a very large iceberg; also a very large ice floe in 4653’N 4125’W. (MWR).
Apr 1 Much mention of vessels being detained off shore. (PL).
Apr 1 Schooner “Margaret” from St. John’s to Lisbon had been fast in the ice for 3 days. (LL).
Apr 1 SS “Hecla” from Boston to Liverpool 43N 57W on her outward voyage spoke the “Viola” from Antwerp to St. John’s which vessel had been 40 days in the ice. (LL).
Apr 1 “General Wolseley” from Liverpool to St. John, NB, 43N 51W saw a number of very large bergs and immense fields of ice; had to pass through ~½m of it, occupying about an hour, and met with more or less drift ice for about 12 hours afterwards. (LL).
Apr 2 SS “Italy” saw several bergs 4210’N 5004’W. (NYMR).
Apr 2 Barque “Harmony” from Liverpool to St. John, NB, 43N 61W sighted a large field of ice and the vessel was kept SE to avoid it; the field was supposedly 100m in length, as the barque was 7 days in passing it. (LL).
Apr 2-3 SS “City of New York” icebergs and ice fields in 4153’N 5309’W. (MWR).
Apr 3 SS “Ethiopia” 4238’N 4931’W a large iceberg. (MWR).
Apr 3 SS “Switzerland” numerous icebergs and field ice extending westward to 5031’W. (MWR). Apr 3? The brigs “William” and “Trusty” came into collision in Conception Bay the night after leaving port when in the act of wearing ship to avoid a string of ice, they both sustained damage. As the ice prevented them from getting out of the Bay.. (#866).
Apr 5 SS “Cymbria” from New York to Plymouth passed some detached pieces of ice in 41N 51W. (LL).
Apr 5 SS “Pennsylvania” from Philadelphia to Liverpool saw some small bergs in 42N 48W. (LL).
Apr 6 First arrivals from the seal fishery, bumper trips. (Newf.).
Apr 6 SS “Newfoundland” at Halifax from St. John’s encountered heavy ice from Newfoundland to within 20m of Sable Is. (LL).
Apr 7 SS “Oder” from New York to Southampton passed large fields of ice in 42N 50W. (LL).
Apr 7 SS “City of Brooklyn” from New York to Liverpool 42N 50W passed 5 large bergs. (LL).
Apr 8 SS “Baltic” 4202’N 4212’W, 5 large icebergs. (MWR).
Apr 9 “Peerless” spoke “James Stuart” 70m SW of Cape St. Mary’s in the ice. (PL).
Apr 10 SS “Schiller” 42N 50W an immense iceberg. (MWR).
Apr 10 Sealers jammed in the ice, “Walrus” came in south of Cape Spear. (PL).
Apr 11 SS “Newfoundland” from St. John’s to Sable Is. encountered heavy ice. (LL).
Apr 11 “Calista Haws” from Pensacola to Liverpool 40N 50W passed several bergs. (LL).
Apr 12 “Ann Wilson” from Belize to New York 39N 48W passed a very large berg. (LL).
Apr 13 SS “Weser” [from Bremen to New York – LL] about 42N 50W passed a great quantity of drift ice and a large iceberg. (MWR).
Apr 13 “Tigress” and “Lion” both seen off the harbour yesterday, but the ice packed by the northeaster prevents entrance at present. Trips not so encouraging as originally expected. (Newf.).
Apr 13 Winds packing in ice along the shore. (PL).
Apr 13 Passed much ice from 42N to 4232’N run 3 hours south to clear in lon. 5031’W. (NYMR).
Apr 13 Ship “Roseneath” bow stove in, in 47N 48W, got clear in 19th. (NYMR).
Apr 13 “Roseneath” from Glasgow to Halifax 47N 48W encountered ice. (LL).
Apr 14 SS “Nova Scotian” from Liverpool to Baltimore 42N 49W saw an ice field many miles in extent. (LL).
Apr 15 SS “W.A. Scholten” in 4407’N 4912’W was surrounded by heavy fields of ice stretching as far as the eye could reach, many cakes 20′ thick, with surfaces of 5,000 square feet, while icebergs 80′ high and 600′ long surrounded the steamer which escaped with difficulty. (MWR).
Apr 15 SS “City of New York” from New York to Liverpool 42N 50W passed a large berg. (LL).
Apr 16 SS “Nova Scotian” from Liverpool via Queenstown to Baltimore met a field of heavy Arctic packed ice in 4150’N, passed 100m to the southward to clear it. Saw several vessels in it. (NYMR).
Apr 17 Issue: Vessels have got in and out but again ice as far as can be seen from Signal Hill. (PL).
Apr 19 SS “Frisia” from New York to Plymouth 43N 51W passed large quantities of drift ice varying from 1′ to 3′ in thickness; also saw 8 large bergs. (LL).
Apr 19 “Brazos” from Galveston to Liverpool 41N to 43N 50W passed a large quantity of field ice and bergs. (LL).
Apr 20 SS “Severn” 4738’N 6928’w stove bows. Ice again at 4431’N 5731 on 25th, jammed till 26th. (NYMR).
Apr 20 SS “Holland 4135’N 50W passed a berg to south and saw ice to north. (NYMR).
Apr 21 SS “Othello” from Hull to New York 44N 48W passed large quantities of field ice and was obliged to run 150m S to clear it. (LL).
Apr 21 SS “Newfoundland” from Halifax to St.John’s was jammed in the ice near Cape Race. (LL).
Apr 22 Ship arrivals. (PL).
Apr 23 RMS “Newfoundland” caught in ice off Cape Pine (21st) – did not get clear till the 25th and finally arrived 28th. Harbour blocked by e wind. (Newf.).
Apr 23 Issue: SS “Nova Scotian” from – to New York 42N 50W passed a large icefield. (LL).
Apr 24 Issue: Ice very heavy off Cape Race, at least 30m ? (PL).
Apr 24 SS “Holsatia” from Hamburg to New York 43N 49W passed 3 large bergs and much field ice. (LL).
Apr 25 SS “Polynesian” for Liverpool passed Port au Basque, was subsequently jammed with other vessels in a gulf near Bird Rock, in a field of ice. (LL).
Apr 26 SS “Severn” in 4736’N 6928’W (?) was embayed and fast-stuck in the midst of large quantities of ice, and after escaping in a damaged condition ran through the ice fields 185m south. (MWR).
Apr 27 Issue: Spring business much delayed by ice. (PL).
Apr 28 Bark “Adele” arrived St. John’s from Boston after 49 days at sea. (NYMR).
Apr 28 Schooner “Rochester” sunk by ice off Scatari. (NYMR).
Apr 28 SS “Main” passed 3 icebergs in 4312’N 4830’W. (NYMR).
Apr 30 Schooner “Viola” spoken to in 4631’N 5215’W badly damaged by ice. (NYMR).
May — Presumably early May 1975: SS “Ohio” went out of her way 160 or 170 miles to avoid ice. Almost collided with a berg, within striking distance of a tandem whip. (BA76). May 4 Coast ice bound from here to Cape Race. (Newf.).
May 4 Issue: Owing to the large quantities of heavy ice with which our coast is blockaded the SS “Newfoundland” could not proceed to Halifax on May 1. The “Manotoban” which arrived Quebec on Apr 29 reports having passed through 100m of ice. SS “Micmac” making very slow progress towards the Narrows. (PL).
May 6 2 boats left but failed to round Cape Spear on account of the ice. (PL).
May 7 The brig “Dora” foundered in the ice off Bay Bulls, the crew taking to the ice and picked up by the brig “Racer” near Petty Harbour. (PL).
May 8 Issue: Immense blockade of ice and the consequent non-arrival of fishing crafts, the supply business will be protracted to a degree unprecedented in the country business history. ( PL).
May 9 56 vessels ice-bound in Bay Bulls awaiting favourable conditions. (PL).
May 10 SS “Strathtay” from Britain to Quebec ashore at Channel, being stove in, though no actual mention of ice. (PL).
May 11 The ice loosened and over 100 small craft arrived from the southward. (PL).
May 12 Barque “Viola” which left St. John’s a few days ago returned with stem cut through, rudder damaged and otherwise injured by ice. (PL).
May 13 SS “Helvetia” passed a berg and a dozen smaller ones 15m to SW in 4102’N 4850’W. (NYMR).
May 13 SS “Newfoundland” arrived having detained 6 days in the ice 50m SW of cape Race. (PL).
May 14 Issue: 5 vessels ice-bound at Trepassey. Also: since Jan 8 the ice has not been out of sight of Signal Hill and during that time most of the coast has been blockaded. (PL).
May 17 The schooner “Corisande” struck a large piece of ice off Cape Race in a dense fog, carrying away part of her stem. (PL).
May 19 The SS “Roma” arrived from Montreal having been 6 days in the ice 70m off St, Paul’s. (PL).
May 21 The “Hibernia” at Halifax on 18th tried for 2 days to enter this harbour and was at last obliged to proceed west, having carried away 3 blades of her propeller in the ice. (Newf.).
May 28 (HMS “Swallow” arrived from Halifax; she and the “Eclipse” are employees of the fishing protection service). (PL).
May 28 SS “Nestorian” arrived from Liverpool being 3 days coming through the ice. (PL).
Jun (early) SS “Golden Horn” in 4733’N 4930’W was detained 10 days amid icefields and icebergs. (MWR).
Jun 1 “Nestorian” arrived from Liverpool May 29. Passed through 80m of ice since 26th. (Newf.).
Jun 4 Northeaster till yesterday brings ice close home to us. (Newf.).
Jun 11 HMS “Swallow” returned here 9th unable to get beyond Catalina because of ice. Ice still in Bonavista Bay, Green Bay blocked up. 70 craft at Catalina waiting to get north. (Newf.).
Jun 11 SS “Nevada” 4323’N 4726’W came in collision with a large berg, staving in forecastle head and damaging her plates considerably. (MWR).
Jun 18 “Caspin (?)” [“Caspian” ?] arrived Liverpool 15th delayed by fog and icebergs. (Newf).
Jun 21 SS “Bermuda” found the Straits of Belle Isle completely blocked with ice and had to steer 175m to the SE to get clear but was still embayed in ice for a long time. (MWR).
Jun 22 “Commodore” steamed 400m SE and SE by S saw a great many icebergs but no field ice. (Newf.).
Jun 22 SS “State of Louisiana” in 42-43N and 48-49W passed large bergs. (MWR).
Jun 24 SS “City of Brussels” in 4225’N 4918’W passed large bergs. (MWR).
Jun 24 Brigantine “Caledonia” from Cupids to Labrador sank after hitting a pan of ice – crew landed at Seldom-Come_By. (Newf.).
Jun 29 SS “Scandinavian” while off the coast of Newfoundland sighted no less than 100 icebergs, many of them of monstrous size. (MWR).
Jul 1 SS “Caspian” touched at St. John’s, was 5 days among the icebergs and previous to that day, steamships could not get to St. John’s on account of ice obstructions. (MWR).