Volume 4, 1951 - The Arctic Circle - Home

Burwell. This was found to be partly elear of iee, and
soundings showed that it afforded a reasonable anehorage
for the Algerine. By noon the ship was lying at anehor in
Fox Harbour, and that afternoon a base line was measured
over the ice. It VJas believed that the nineteen-foot tide
range eaused too mueh discrepaney in the measurements.
However, a subsequent subtense base measurement cheeked
with the iee measurements within three tenths of a foot.
Triangulation was begun, the lumber to build the triangulation
stations being earried over the iee.
The weather for the next few days was eomparatively
warm and sunny, and was, in faet, the most pleasant weather
during the whole season. The· sun, eombined vJith the effeet
of spring tides, weakened the iee in the harbour. On July 3
the ship sailed from Fox Harbour to begin breaking out the
ice in Port Burwell. Captain Haneoek handled the ship with
great skill, and large pans of iee were broken out and pushed
pieeemeal into Forbes Sound, where the rapid tide stream and
favourable winds carI'ied them into Hudson Strait. That same
evening, the Algerine was at anchor in Port Burwell, now eompletely
free of iee. The following four days the weather
continued favourable and 24 triangulation stations were built,
the subtense base measurement was completed, and observing
done. However, the weather turned, and on July 9, when ready
to begin sounding, strong westerly winds brought large pans
of iee back, and all boats had to be hoisted. On July 11
both launehes were again out sounding, running between the
iee pans and hampered, in addition, by a considerable swell.
From July 17 to 20, operations were once more brought to a
near standstill by fog followed by a southeast gale. During
this tliae, the Hydrographie Survey ship Terra Nova, Mr. Goodwill
in charge, .sought shel ter in the harbour, while on passage to
Southampton Island. On July 21 both launehes eompleted final
soundings in Forbes Sound, again eontending with heavy iee and
choppy seas. Rock posts were established, the tide gauge d:smantled,
and final sun observations for azimuth completed.
Continuous iee reports relayed from the air base ac
Koojesse Inlet, Frobisher Bay, through the Department of Transport
radio station at.Resolution Island, had so far indicaJed
that the Frobisher Bay ieewas unbroken and impassable. 0:
July 21 the iee was reported to be moving out of the bay, tnd
no time was lost in eompleting all that was possible at Pœt
Burwell. The Algerine proeeeded on passage to Frobisher ai
1815 on July 21. Twenty-three days had been spent in the
Port Burwell area, but on only nine of these had a full da"s
work been possible.