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In Newfoundland, Mother Nature wears two sizes. Large and Extra large.
There's nothing quite so awe-inspiring as getting up close and personal with a 10,000-year-old, million-tonne leviathan of ice.
And there's no better place to watch juggernaut icebergs than the Kittiwake Coast- in the heart of famed Iceberg Alley on the northeast coast of Canada's most easterly province, Newfoundland and Labrador. Each summer, the Kittiwake Coast hosts hundreds of icebergs on their slow voyage along the cold Labrador Current.
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 - VERIFIED SIGHTING
 - POTENTIAL SIGHTING
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If you believe a sighting to be false please note the ID# of the berg
and mail it to bergwatch@eberg.ca to be verified.
If you cannot see the map above, your browser does not support Inline Frames.
Please click the link below to view the map in a new window.
OPEN BERGWATCH IN NEW WINDOW
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Iceberg Fast Facts
. . . there was once a murder on an iceberg.
. . . in the Latin text entitled "Voyage of Saint Brendan the Abbot" the Irish monk was said to have "passed by towering crystals that rose up to the sky" during his legendary sixth century voyage.
. . . a secret second world war program (Habbakuk) was a plan to manufacture icebergs for use as aircraft carriers.
. . . icebergs have sheltered vessels in storms, towed sailing ships against the wind and cleared paths in sea ice for mariners.
. . .when iceberg ice melts it makes a fizzing sound, thus the term "bergy seltzer". The sound comes from the popping of compressed air bubbles which are in the ice. The bubbles form when air is trapped in the snow layers which are compressed to form glacial ice. Note that the released air is as old as the ice - thousands of years !
. . . icebergs may make very loud booming and cracking sounds without any sign of movement or calving. The sounds probably result from the sudden formation of cracks due to changing thermal and buoyant stresses in an iceberg. When icebergs do calve loud noises are common.
. . . birds taking flight from an iceberg are a good sign that the berg is going to roll soon. A possible explanation is that bird's keen sense of balance enables them to detect gradual movements in icebergs long before people can see them.
. . . in Newfoundland iceberg ice is now "harvested" for bottled water and vodka production. Both products are available in Newfoundland at retail stores. More products are expected soon as more people are entering the iceberg ice business.
. . . "growlers" or small iceberg pieces less than 5 meters at the waterline get their name from the sound they make when they plunge down into the water when oscillating in sea swells.
. . . the Hibernia platform is designed to withstand the impact of an iceberg in excess of 5 million tonnes. The massive reinforced concrete structure has vertical wedge shaped elements on the surface intended to reduce iceberg impact loads.
. . . in June 1875 the schooner "Caledonia" was lost 9 miles off Cape Fogo, Newfoundland, but her crew of 82 were saved when they managed to clamber onto an iceberg from which they were later rescued.
. . . the term "iceberg" probably originates from the clutch term "ijsberg", which means ice hill.
Courtesy of Dr. Stephen Bruneau
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Links of Interest
SeaKnife Kayaks
The SK-17 and SK-19-2 are the ultimate vessels to witness icebergs up close and personal.
C. Falk Foto
Nobody captures an iceberg like award-winning photographer Charlie Falk. View his gallery here.
Kittiwake Cottages &
Sunset Bed and Breakfast
Charming accommodations for visitors looking for a centralized location to begin their iceberg adventure.
Weil Winery Ltd.
Weil Winery winery is located in the Islands Training Centre in the historic town of Twillingate, the recognized iceberg capital of world. While in town, drop by the winery for a tour.
Kittiwake Coast Tourism Association
See the bounteous offering of things to do and see while on the Kittiwake Coast.
www.kittiwakecoast.com
Caribou Adventure Tours
Wild Iceberg Package includes a suggested itinerary of things to see, an iceberg boat tour, one night lodging in a comfortable Bed and Breakfast in Twillingate, and an inland Caribou tour in the wilds of Central Newfoundland.
MV Daybreak Tours
Located in the heart of ice berg alley, MV Daybreak Tours will introduce you to Icebergs, Whales, Sunsets and many other spectacular views that the beautiful island of Twillingate has to offer.
www.daybreaktours.com
Planning a vacation to the Kittiwake Coast?
To receive a free Kittiwake Coast Visitors Guide or learn more, visit www.kittiwakecoast.com
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