Volume 4, 1951 - The Arctic Circle - Home

Two lines of soundings were taken and plotted in
Gray Strait, which was now free of ice. This vvork had to
be done at night and the staff was put into eontinuous watches.
The course lay to the westvlJardof the Button Islands to Acadie
Cove, Resolution Island, which we entered at 0600 on July 22.
Radio problems were discussed with the Department of Transport
radio operators there, before continuing into Gabriel Strait
that afternoon. Some very large icebergs and numerous small
bergs and growlers were sighted in the strait, and the vessel
sailed through moderately heavy broken pan ice.
Frobisher Bay was entered in the early hours of
July 23, and the passage of the bay became increasingly difficult
because of heavy ice. Following small leads of open
water the vessel was forced over to the east shore, eventually
reaching a small anchorage between the northern end of Gabriel
Island and a small islet lying off that island. Here she was
securely hemmed in by almost unbroken ice to the north. AS
these waters were completely unchart3à. extreme caution had
to be used at all times.
The Algerine remained at anchor at Gabriel Island
for two days, until from a height of land behind the harbour
a few leads were seen opening up along the western shore.
With considerable difficulty, and after running northwards
on the east side of Chase Island as far as Field Island, the
vessel managed to reach the western shore in the vicinity of
Mt. President's Seat. The iee and adverse winds once more
made it necessary ta find shelter, and the ship anchored in
Robinsons Harbour, north of Wynne-Edwards Bay, at 1800 on
July 29. The following day, one launch was put in the water
and as many soundings were taken as the close-packed ice would
allow in this small anchorage. A party climbed a 2,000-foot
peak and sighted what appeared to be slightly better conditions
up the baYe But the next day the vvind was strong and unfavourable
and it was not until 1600 on August 2 that the vessel could
proceed. Meanwhile the winds had shifted the ice, and it was
possible to follow some leads up the western side of the bay,
breaking through heavy ice at times. At 0530 on August 3 the
ship was caught in heavy ice in the entrance to Bartlett Narrows,
and carried through the narrow strait, three cables wide, in a
solid ice jam by the tide, running at approximately five knots.
Captain Hancock managed to get the ship's head around to the
westward, so that she was carried through beam-on, and by going
full ahead before Sh8 had actually reached the northern end of
the Narrows, she just cleared the dangerous Charybdis Reet.
The remaining 25-mile run to Koojesse Inlet was completed
without difficulty through comparatively ice-free water.
During the entire passage from Burwell to Koojesse Inlet continuous
soundings were taken and plotted, fixing being done by
tangents to points of land.