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:
| 2024: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: late March – … ▤ sea ice: early February – early April |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: mid-March – … ▤ sea ice: no significant amounts of sea ice |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: not yet ▤ sea ice: no sea ice this season |
| 2023: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: early March – late August ▤ sea ice: early February – late May |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: mid-March – early August ▤ sea ice: late February – late April |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: mid-March – late June ▤ sea ice: mid-March – early April |
| Comments: | Flowing down from Labrador, sea ice reached the shores of Newfoundland throughout February and March.
Icebergs soon followed, with many great near-shore sightings along most of Iceberg Alley throughout spring, and some more northerly sightings even lasting through early summer. |
| 2022: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: mid-April – early August ▤ sea ice: late January – early May |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: mid-April – mid-June ▤ sea ice: early March |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: mid-April – mid-May ▤ sea ice: no significant amounts of sea ice |
| Comments: | Flowing down from Labrador, sea ice reached the Great Northern Peninsula in late January, before steadily spreading south towards LaScie and Twillingate in February, where it touched shore in early March.
In early April, several polar bear sightings were reported, see the comment section for more details. The first iceberg sightings of the year also came in early April, with more of them showing up by mid-April, notably around the Great Northern Peninsula, the Kittiwake Coast, and the Bonavista Peninsula. While iceberg numbers remain low into May, some icebergs made it close enough to shore to delight iceberg watchers anyway. |
| 2021: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: mid-April – mid-May ▤ sea ice: late March – early April |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: briefly in late April ▤ sea ice: no significant amounts of sea ice |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: no icebergs ▤ sea ice: no sea ice |
| Comments: | Sea ice reached Newfoundland in late March but didn’t make it far beyond the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula, with most of it remaining offshore.
In April, icebergs showed up on the iceberg analysis charts, but consistently foggy weather made sure most of them went unreported until the weather improved in late April. In May, iceberg numbers remained low until they eventually dropped off the radar completely. Looking ahead, it doesn’t look like we’ll see any further icebergs this year. |
| 2020: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: mid-March – late July ▤ sea ice: early February – late April |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: early April – late June ▤ sea ice: early March – early April |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: early April – early June ▤ sea ice: no significant amounts of sea ice |
| Comments: | The 2020 ice season began in early February with sea ice around the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula. By early March, the ice reached the shores of Twillingate and Fogo Island, where it lingered for a few weeks before being blown offshore.
The first icebergs of the 2020 season were spotted off the Baie Verte Peninsula and Twillingate in March, with icebergs showing up off the coast of Bonavista and St. John’s by April. With COVID-19 precautions in place for much of spring and summer, 2020 wasn’t a good year for iceberg watching. This season’s iceberg numbers were down too, not many made it to shore in accessible locations. As icebergs go, you only need 1 to have a great experience though, so 2020 wasn’t a total loss for those lucky enough to see them. |
| 2019: | |
| Great Northern Peninsula: | △ icebergs: mid-April – early August ▤ sea ice: mid-January – early May |
| Kittiwake Coast: | △ icebergs: mid-April – late July ▤ sea ice: mid-February – mid-March |
| Avalon Peninsula: | △ icebergs: late April – mid-July ▤ 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 was 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. Thanks to favourable winds and high iceberg numbers, icebergs along the East Coast Trail remained near shore throughout June and much of July. In the warm days of summer, the Great Northern Peninsula will be the likely last place to see icebergs near shore into early August. |
| 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 iceberg analysis charts published by the Canadian Ice Service, information shared on social media, and on my own observations made during hikes and drives along the coast. In any of the three key areas, a threshold of 5 icebergs present over 3 consecutive days is used as the minimum required amount for the observed ‘start’ and ‘end’ of an iceberg season.
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.
newfoundsander 
Two more icebergs reported today, one from L’Anse aux Meadows, one from Cape Bonavista, both very far from shore, but still nice to see them being reported.
Iceberg numbers are still small, but we now have ‘first sightings’ from the Great Northern Peninsula, Central Newfoundland/the Kittiwake Coast, as well as the Bonavista Peninsula.
When numbers in these areas reach the threshold of 5 icebergs present for 3 consecutive days, I will add them to my seasonal overview.
Another polar bear sighting, this time in St. Anthony on the Great Northern Peninsula, and it was caught on video from a security camera across the street. Here’s the video at the Weather Network.
Foggy windy but saw in Elliston
Glad to hear it Lynda 🙂
Another polar bear sighting, this time on the Avalon Peninsula in the Red Head Cove and Grates Cove area, and it has been captured last night. Here’s a picture on Twitter.
A small iceberg was reported off Tinkers Point Path yesterday, it’s about 40 km south of St. John’s on the East Coast Trail, I wonder if anyone is hiking out to it this Easter weekend 🙂
Small berg off tinkers path! (tors cove-mobile)
Did you hike out to it today? The wind may blow it off shore again soon…
I did! It was very close to shore but there was a lot of wind on the ocean yesterday so it’s very possible.
Glad you got to see it 🙂
Great looking iceberg in Twillingate today!
The small iceberg in Mobile, 40 km south of St. John’s, was still there today. To see it yourself hike out to it on Tinkers Point Path, one of the easiest trails on the East Coast Trail. 🙂
Some tour boats are on the water this weekend, taking people to the iceberg near Triton/Badger Bay and the iceberg near Bonavista/Ellison. Humpback whales are being reported too!
Kind of surprising: the current iceberg analysis chart actually shows a lot more icebergs near the Avalon Peninsula than near the rest of the island. If the wind cooperates I expect sightings to increase from there soon 🙂
The big iceberg in Triton is still there today and will likely be there this weekend. Go see it while you can, it’s a ~6 hour drive from St. John’s, a ~2.5 hour drive from Gander or Corner Brook, and a ~5 hour drive from Port aux Basques 🙂
I have seen on posts that an iceberg was a few hours from St. John’s.
I also noticed the post about this being weird season, as more icebergs where near St.John’s than the Northern Peninsula.
In 3 weeks from today, I will be crossing from North Sydney to Port aux Basque.
I see on the iceberg chart that there are a few around St.Anthony.
Hopefully they will keep migrating south from Labrador and not be gone when I arrive in St.Anthony on May 31st
Good to hear you’re going through with your planned trip. Let’s hope favourable winds and currents will bring more icebergs south from Labrador to St. Anthony and the rest of Iceberg Alley.
Great iceberg viewing today in Spillers Cove near Durrell (near Twillingate). This iceberg is currently grounded right up against the cliffs below a trailside viewpoint. Pretty epic!
Good looking icebergs are still close to shore near Twillingate and Bonavista, even the one near Triton is still there.
Iceberg numbers are still low, but some are within easy viewing distance from shore. Over the long weekend, one the nicest looking icebergs was grounded very close to shore off Merritt’s Harbour, near Twillingate.
Seen a little one in St. Lunaire-Griquet.
There maybe a larger one further down towards L’Anse aux Meadows.
I will be going there and will keep you posted.
Thanks Rob, enjoy your time up there!
Tour boats sharing some nice pictures of a sizable iceberg near St. Lunaire-Griquet on social media.
Do we have Icebergs in Bonavista or nearer Zt Johns at this time
None near St. John’s at the moment. On the Bonavista Peninsula, there was a small iceberg near Open Hall this past week, might still be there but getting smaller by the day.
Hundreds of icebergs along the Labrador shore, especially the stretch between Cartwright and Black Tickle, where today’s Iceberg Analysis Chart places 300+ icebergs…
Considerably less icebergs are present along the Newfoundland shore, but still enough for tour boats from St. Anthony to Bonavista to have successful iceberg viewing.
I would like to see icebergs from land between June 14 and 16, 2022 if possible in Central Newfoundland
Hi Joe, there aren’t many out there right now, but you may get lucky by visiting all the viewpoints.
Just got off the boat at Twillingate and NOT a single iceberg seen, so disappointing 😰
Sorry to hear that, lovely evening for a boat tour though! If you’re really keen on seeing some icebergs in the next few days, St. Anthony is a good location right now.
The Great Northern Peninsula is still the place to be for icebergs right now. Happy summer everybody! 🙂
Going into the long weekend, St. Anthony remains the place to be for iceberg sightings, with reports coming in from viewpoints on shore and from tour boats that go out to see bergs and whales.
I spotted an Iceberg approximately 30-40 kms north east of Twillingate lighthouse. I was hiking on the French Beach Trail around 15:00 hours on Canada Day, wind direction at the time was ENE so should hopefully drift closer towards Twillingate by tomorrow morning if the winds hold up. It was too far away to get a picture with my phone but my binoculars it was easily visible. Hopefully visibility will be good tomorrow.
Thanks for sharing your iceberg sighting Greg, sounds like a good day on the trail 🙂
It’s early July and there’s 1 iceberg remaining within reach of tour boats out of St. Anthony. The Iceberg Analysis Chart shows many more icebergs further north, along the Labrador shore, but it’s uncertain if those bergs will make the journey to Newfoundland any time soon.
No new iceberg sightings around Newfoundland for about a week now, but with plenty of icebergs still present along the Labrador shore we may still see some in the weeks ahead.
saw an iceberg just off the shore of Mary’s harbour close to Battle Harbour
saw iceberg on aug 10 2022 near Battle Harbour
The first polar bear sighting of the season just came to my attention, the bear was spotted in Saint Carol 3 days ago (near St. Anthony). As always, be careful around polar bears…
A good weekend for early icebergs, with sightings coming in from St. Anthony, Bonavista, and even Outer Cove, only 15 minutes from St. John’s 🙂
More icebergs reported today, with new sightings coming in from Twillingate and Bauline (on Conception Bay). For more up-to-date news, stop by the Facebook group linked above.
2023 is turning out to be a great year for icebergs, with sightings coming in from many areas along Iceberg Alley.
Reported locations along the East Coast Trail include Cape St. Francis (Biscan Cove Path), Pouch Cove (Stiles Cove Path), and Cape Spear (Cape Spear Path). Undoubtedly there are great icebergs to be seen along the other trails too, so let us know if you find any 🙂
Beautiful icebergs are still being reported every day; what a picture perfect season this has become.
Along the East Coast Trail, the iceberg currently off Ferryland is attracting the most viewers, but there are icebergs elsewhere along the trail too, like at Cape St. Francis.
Further afield from St. John’s, Twillingate is a great place to be, with several icebergs grounded near the cliffs at Spillers Cove.
Happy May 2-4 everyone 🙂 I read the iceberg in Ferryland is still out there, so why not visit there if you haven’t already.
If you’re up for an East Coast Trail hike, Ferryland’s Caplin Bay Path has a trailhead on the Southern Shore Highway just south of the Colony of Avalon Visitor Centre, and offers some lovely viewpoints and hiking trails overlooking the lighthouse peninsula.
For even closer views, you might also try driving or walking up to the lighthouse itself, though that may prove to be a bit busier.