Ancient, amazing, and mesmerizing to behold, icebergs are a perfect match for Newfoundland’s ruggedly beautiful shore. Because icebergs come to us from the North, the right time to see them varies along the coast: the further north you go, the longer the season is.
Sharing your iceberg sightings
During the active iceberg season, Newfoundland & Labrador’s IcebergFinder is the established place to find out about recent iceberg sightings. Another fine place for recent sightings is the crowd-sourced Newfoundland Iceberg Reports group on Facebook, I recommend you check them both out.
In the comment section below, I’ll add my own observations and keep a record of recent sightings as well, and you are welcome to share your sightings there too:
Iceberg seasons through the years
So when exactly is the iceberg season?
Every year is a little different, so it’s a good idea to keep your eye on the official Canadian Ice Service charts. By checking these charts early every year, you’ll soon see the potential of the upcoming season. This page keeps track of the annual iceberg seasons in 3 key areas:
- the Great Northern Peninsula (St. Anthony, L’Anse aux Meadows)
- the Kittiwake Coast (Twillingate, Fogo Island, Lumsden)
- the Avalon Peninsula (St. John’s, East Coast Trail)
To see what iceberg activity was like in previous years, just scroll back through the years in the window below:
| 2019: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: mid-April – … ▤ sea ice: mid-January – early May |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: mid-April – … ▤ sea ice: mid-February – mid-March |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: late April – … ▤ sea ice: no significant amounts of sea ice |
| Comments: | The 2019 ice season began mid-January with sea ice around the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula. In early March, a few scattered icebergs were spotted from St. Anthony to Twillingate. In early April, iceberg charts filled with offshore icebergs, which started arriving in mid-April. In May, the iceberg seasons is in full swing with icebergs present all along Iceberg Alley, from St. Anthony to La Scie to Twillingate to Fogo to Bonavista to St. John’s and the surrounding East Coast Trail. |
| 2018: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: mid-April – early August ▤ sea ice: late January – mid-May |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: late April – mid-June ▤ sea ice: late February – late April |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: no significant amounts of icebergs ▤ sea ice: no significant amounts of sea ice |
| Comments: | On the Avalon, icebergs did come, but not in significant numbers. The Bonavista Peninsula and Kittiwake Coast saw plenty of icebergs up until the end of June. By July the Great Northern Peninsula was the only reliable place left to spot icebergs. Browse back through the comments for week by week sightings and commentary. |
| 2017: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: mid-February – mid-August ▤ sea ice: mid-January – mid-June |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: late March – early August ▤ sea ice: late February – late June |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: early April – early August ▤ sea ice: late March – late April |
| Comments: | a good iceberg season right from the start / March and April polar bear sightings near St. Anthony, Twillingate, Newman’s Cove, Melrose, Catalina, Brookside, Wesleyville and St. Brendan’s |
| 2016: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: early May – late July ▤ sea ice: early January – early April |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: mid-May – early July ▤ sea ice: mid-February – early April |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: late May – late June ▤ no significant amounts of sea ice |
| Comments: | April and May polar bear sightings in Goose Cove and on Fogo Island |
| 2015: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: late March – late July ▤ sea ice: early January – mid-May |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: late April – mid-July ▤ sea ice: early February – mid-April |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: early May – late July ▤ no significant amounts of sea ice |
| Comments: | April and May polar bear sightings in La Scie, on Fogo Island, and near St. Anthony |
| 2014: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: late March – early August ▤ sea ice: late December ’13 – early June |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: late April – early August ▤ sea ice: late January – mid-May |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: late April – early July ▤ sea ice: early March – mid-March |
| Comments: | a good iceberg season on the Kittiwake Coast and the Avalon Peninsula / March and April polar bear sightings in St. Anthony |
| 2013: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: late February – early August ▤ sea ice: late January – mid-April |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: early March – early July ▤ sea ice: mid-February – mid-April |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ no significant amounts of icebergs ▤ no significant amounts of sea ice |
| Comments: | March polar bear sighting near St. Anthony |
| 2012: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: mid-March – late July ▤ sea ice: mid-January – late April |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: mid-March – late June ▤ sea ice: late February – mid-April |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: mid-March – mid-June ▤ sea ice: late March – early April |
| Comments: | March, April and May polar bear sightings near St. Anthony (2), Newtown/Greenspond and La Scie |
| 2011: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: late March – mid-September ▤ sea ice: late February – late April |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: late May & early September – early December ▤ sea ice: early April – mid-April |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ no icebergs ▤ no sea ice |
| Comments: | April polar bear sighting in St. Anthony |
| 2010: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: mid-April – late July ▤ sea ice: early February – early April |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ no significant amounts of icebergs ▤ no significant amounts of sea ice |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ no icebergs ▤ no sea ice |
| 2009: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: early March – mid-August ▤ sea ice: mid-January – mid-May |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: mid-March – late July ▤ sea ice: early February – early May |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: late March – early June ▤ sea ice: late March – early April |
| Comments: | April polar bear sighting in St. Anthony |
| 2008: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: mid-February – late July ▤ sea ice: late December ’07 – mid-May |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: early April – mid-June ▤ sea ice: late January – late April |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: late April – late June ▤ sea ice: mid-March – late March |
| Comments: | March polar bear sighting on Fogo Island and St. Anthony |
| 2007: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: early April – early August ▤ sea ice: mid-January – early June |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: early March – late July ▤ sea ice: mid-February – early June |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: early April – early June ▤ no significant amounts of sea ice |
| Comments: | July polar bear sighting in Raleigh |
| 2006: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: early March – mid-July ▤ sea ice: late January – early April |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: early May – mid-May ▤ sea ice: late February – late March |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ no icebergs ▤ no sea ice |
| 2005: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: late March – early May ▤ sea ice: early January – early May |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: early May – mid-May ▤ sea ice: late January – late April |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ no icebergs ▤ sea ice: late March |
About these dates
The dates listed above are based on personal observations, information shared on social media, and on the official charts published by the Canadian Ice Service. A threshold of 5 icebergs was used as the minimum required amount for the observed ‘start’ and ‘end’ of an iceberg season in any of the three key areas.
Wildlife
While icebergs are the undeniable stars of any good iceberg season, they’re often accompanied by more infamous visitors too: polar bears hunting seals are known to drift in with the spring sea ice, giving coastal communities a good reason to be extra vigilant.
East Coast Trail Guide
With Newfoundland’s #1 hiking guide in your pocket, you’ll have no trouble finding your way to any of the icebergs that arrive on the East Coast Trail this year.
Great iceberg sightings continue around the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula.
St. Anthony is the best place to see icebergs today, let’s hope the wind stays favourable so we can admire the bergs for a few more weeks.
Nice iceberg close to shore in Goose Cove today (Great Northern Peninsula).
Tour boat operators around St. Anthony are still seeing about a dozen icebergs close enough to show their guests. Whales are around too, so hop on while you the viewing is good.
Iceberg sightings continue around St. Anthony, with tour boat guests enjoying whale sightings too.
Do anyone know of any icebergs around the Avalon? Thanks
No icebergs near the Avalon Right now Gloria, but there is a rogue berg off Cape Freels which could end up somewhere around either Bonavista or Bay de Verde in the next week or so.
It’s August, it’s warm, and the iceberg season is coming to a slow end. Yes there are still some icebergs on the charts, but none seem to be close enough to shore to see anymore.
I’ll keep an eye on the situation and will definitely report any late-season icebergs if they show themselves 🙂
If you still want to see an iceberg and you’re up for a hike, head to Fleur de Lys, where a nice iceberg is reportedly close to shore near Spotted Point.
Today, another August iceberg was seen, this one on a boat tour out of St. Anthony.
An iceberg is floating around near Quirpon today, reported by Linkum Tours.
The 2019 sea ice season is underway, lots of ice can be seen along the coast from the Great Northern Peninsula to the Kittiwake Coast, even some scattered icebergs here and there.
No significant amount of ice has made it to the Avalon yet, but I’m keeping an eye on the situation.
Polar bear sightings have been reported from Labrador already, none from Newfoundland yet, but I expect some this month and the next… 🙂
It’s April 2019 and the iceberg chart looks very promising. Just have a look at how many icebergs are floating around there offshore: Predicting the 2019 iceberg season.
This week’s iceberg charts shows 11 icebergs somewhere between Labrador and the Great Northern Peninsula, that’s the very same area that still has some sea ice at this time.
Icebergs spotted near St. Anthony today, still at quite a distance, for now.
Polar bear spotted in New-Wes-Valley this evening, keep your distance 🙂
Good times ahead: icebergs spotted from several towns on the Kittiwake Coast today, and even from Bonavista! 🙂
Icebergs spotted from St. Anthony to Bonavista. Most of them still distant sightings, but one of them, in Durrell (near Twillingate), is near shore. Weather is still very cold though…
Iceberg near Fort Amherst in St. John’s today 🙂
Lots of happy iceberg watchers over the Easter weekend, with sightings in many familiar places from St. Anthony to Bonavista. The one iceberg that made it close to St. John’s has now been blown back to sea, but as you know, this is just the start of the iceberg season. Good times ahead 🙂
Two lovely icebergs along Motion Path today, that’s on the East Coast Trail near Petty Harbour, just south of St. John’s.
The weather is too icy, snowy, and foggy for good sightings on the Avalon today.
Excellent iceberg sightings from the Bonavista area today, even one with blue veins!
Close to St. John’s, you can still hike out to the icebergs on Motion Path today (from Petty Harbour).
Other than that, there are many more iceberg sightings from St. Anthony to Bonavista 🙂
More than a dozen icebergs are visible from the Bonavista Peninsula today. On my little map at the top of this page, that’s the peninsula between the Kittiwake Coast and the Avalon Peninsula bubbles. This is going to be a great month to see them!
An iceberg spotted off Cape St. Francis today, that’s the northernmost tip of the East Coast Trail. Hike out to it over Biscan Cove Path if you’re up for it. 🙂
Plenty of sightings today, with gorgeous iceberg pictures coming in from St. Anthony and surroundings, the Twillingate area, and the Bonavista Peninsula. On top of all that, a pretty good weather forecast for this weekend 🙂
Several icebergs can be seen from Signal Hill in St. John’s today, but most of them are still very far out. Let’s hope the wind brings them closer to shore soon. These same icebergs are also visible from viewpoints north and south of Signal Hill, like Sugarloaf Head, Blackhead, and Cape Spear.
Many other sightings continue to pour in from all the usual places further up north.
Iceberg close to Gull Island in the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve today 🙂
Nearly a dozen small icebergs reported from the northern part of the East Coast Trail today, so check out any of the trails described on my Hiking the East Coast Trail page.
For bigger icebergs, you may want to take a trip to Bonavista or Twillingate, both excellent road trip destinations.
Iceberg near shore on Cobbler Path this morning, that’s the part of the East Coast Trail from Outer Cove to Logy Bay, just north of St. John’s.
Icebergs in many many places right now, with in driving distance from any place along Iceberg Alley. The Newfoundland Icebergs Report group on Facebook is a great place to see the latest pictures, and so is Iceberg Finder. Today’s official iceberg chart looks pretty spectacular too!
A sizeable iceberg just showed up on a webcam image of Torbay. The cliffs on the left or part of Father Troy’s Trail, the stretch of East Coast Trail between Flatrock and Torbay. If you want to go see this one, try either hike #2 or #7 on my list of Easy hikes on the East Coast Trail near St. John’s.
This particular iceberg has moved from one side of Torbay Bight to the other, it’s now closer to Motion Head on Silver Mine Head Path, but of course it may not stay there for long either.
Great iceberg pictures coming in from Bonavista today 🙂
Lots of icebergs hiding in the fog off the East Coast Trail today, 60+ in the official iceberg chart! 🙂
A piece of iceberg has washed up on Middle Cove beach 🙂
Iceberg chunks on Torbay beach too!
Large icebergs between Brigus Head Path and Cape Broyle Head Path today, Brigus Head Path is the easiest of the two but the berg seems to be heading south, you may soon see it from Ferryland too 🙂
Icebergs all over the place right now, but if you’re looking around St. John’s, look in Pouch Cove, Tor Bay, Quidi Vidi, Blackhead, Petty Harbour, Bay Bulls, Witless Bay, and Admirals Cove (near Cape Broyle).
Some of these icebergs can be seen from the highway, others are more easily seen from viewpoints on the beautiful East Coast Trail. 🙂
Icebergs are now present in so many places along the East Coast Trail that it’s hard to pick a trail without one. For one of the most impressive bergs, head over to Brigus Head Path or Cape Broyle Head Path, there’s a large berg stuck in Cape Broyle Bay there.
For the easiest sighting near St. John’s itself, look up the nice iceberg below the cliffs of Deadmans Bay Path, which is also visible from Signal Hill. 🙂
Even though it’s foggy today, the iceberg sightings keep pouring in, and I get it, it’s impossible not to be in awe of these natural works of art, especially if you come from away 🙂
The East Coast Trail remains a great place to see icebergs, with sparkling specimens in almost every bay around St. John’s. Sure, it’s possible to see some of these icebergs from a pullout along the highway, but you can get much closer by hiking out to them over our wonderful coastal hiking trails.
Bonavista is another hotspot right now, with its icebergs boasting some unique patterns. 🙂
With icebergs everywhere along Iceberg Alley right now, we’re really spoiled for choice. One sighting deserves a special mention though: guests of an iceberg tour out of Bonavista were treated to a snowy owl perched atop a large iceberg, a unique sight to be sure 🙂
In the St. John’s area, icebergs can be found in many places along the East Coast Trail. Some of these bergs are also visible from towns along the trail, like from Pouch Cove, a 20 minute drive north of St. John’s, and Petty Harbour, a 20 minute drive south of St. John’s.
Further out, Grates Cove has been ‘home’ to a nice pinnacle iceberg for a while now, and there are many beauties around Bonavista and a couple of pretty ones near La Scie. 🙂
A polar bear was spotted in Fleur de Lys this morning (Baie Verte Peninsula). Polar bears are not native to Newfoundland but they do visit from time to time when sea ice takes them south. This is one of only a few polar bear sightings I’ve read about this year.
If you spot this or any other bear, keep your distance and stay safe. 🙂
Snowy and foggy around St. John’s today, please drive carefully and mind the moose!
Looking for icebergs on the East Coast Trail? You won’t have to look hard, there are currently icebergs reported along Stiles Cove Path (Pouch Cove), Father Troy’s Trail (Torbay), Deadmans Bay Path (St. John’s), Blackhead Path (Blackhead), Cape Spear Path (Cape Spear), and Motion Path (Petty Harbour), and that’s just the ones close to St. John’s. 🙂