A small berg is still a berg

I knew there was an iceberg by Kellys Island because I could see it riding my bike long the coastal trail; finding the time was the issue.  Today I found it so I went to the harbour at Long Pond.

It didn't take long to get underway passing the "industrial complex" as a ship was unloading something I know not what.

About to exit the harbor I caught sight of the berg across at the island.

A short 30 minute crossing had me at the island with a couple of berg bits.  There were a few boats out too so I had to be careful because a kayak does not have high visibility.

Arrived at the island I paddled along the cliffs towards the berg under increasingly ominous skies.

And so, I reached the berg scoping it out from a distance for stability.

I took my time going around the berg cock wise for every side looks different.

Another side sparkling under a sun sneaking through broken cloud.

I hung out for about 30 minutes and took a parting look before ...

... heading back across the bay after a fantastic day on the water.

An iceberg goes poof with a bang

On May 27 some drone footage of an iceberg off of Bacon Cove Head was reported in the media.  Today Hazen and I decided it was time to go check it out.

We drove to Conception Harbour where we put in to paddle North to Bacon Cove.  But first we ...

... we checked out the sunken wreck of a ship.  Its the signature attraction in Conception Harbour for us.

After hanging out at the wreck for a while we headed north toward Bacon Cove and the reported iceberg.

As we came around Bacon Cove Point the iceberg came into view but it was a long way off.

We kept paddling and the berg got bigger.  Well, closer.  When we got to about a kilometer away we heard a loud bang and a piece broke off and crashed into the water.  A few seconds passed and another piece broke off; and another and the thing just kept breaking apart.  I was dismayed because I wasn't going to be able to see it in its huge, majestic state.

This is a screen shot of it (please note the lagoon in the center) before it collapsed and ...

... this is what was left after the crashing and banging was over.  I figured I was between about 100 meters from the remnant when I took this shot.  It looked like it was surrounded on all sides by a similar amount of broken ice.

Here's a link to a video posted on Facebook from a boat in the vicinity that captured the collapse.

A lot of the ice that was shed was small but several larger chunks floated in the debris field.

Hazen and I paddled to the north side where some of the floating ice began to disperse.  The berg had rolled and the underside smoothed by the water had come to the surface on the left.

We continued to circle the berg.  On the NW side there was no floating ice.

The extent of the roll was evident from the NW side as we got a little closer but still at a safe distance.  We were forewarned!  The area occupied by the lagoon in a previous picture was now tilted down almost vertical (left of center, semi-circle). 

My signature cap that I've had forever was no longer fit to wear.  I bought a new one which I wore today on its inaugural paddle.  Still supporting Oranje!

Back on the south side the ice surrounding the berg had not dispersed  Some of the ice was just slivers that was refreshing as it melted in my mouth.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take a piece home to drop in a glass of rum as it would have melted before I could get it there.

We took one last look before heading back to the takeout.

I believe we act safely near icebergs.  I can't speculate how close we would have approached had the berg not broken up.  But I will say that once the berg did begin to collapse we would have urgently had to paddle away.  When it started I could see pieces of ice flying a considerable distance.  Hazen and I discussed it.  We felt in this case a distance of 5 times the perceived height would have been appropriate.

It was only one berg but due to its collapse, it provided a fun and awe inspiring day showcasing the power in icebergs.  Stay safe near icebergs; discretion is the best part of valour!

Cape Broyle surprise

Friday there were two mixed forecasts for Saturday.  One was for drizzle and rain showers; the other for cloudy skies.  I suggested making a decision Saturday morning.  In the morning Brian suggested Cape Broyle as we had not been there in a while.

Brian, Cathy, Clyde, Dean, Roy, Sue, Terry and I drove to Cape Broyle and as we arrived our eyes just popped out our heads with the size of icebergs at the head of the bay.

The paddle in Cape Broyle followed the usual recipe when we paddle there.  The first stop was to check out the falls where Horsechops River tumbles into the sea.

Then it was east until we reached the Narrows, the narrowest point in the harbour where we crossed to the south side.

We paddled between seastacks and the shore and ...

... under dominating cliffs with waterfalls and ...

... the signature seastack in Lance Cove where we stopped for a bite to eat as it was 12:30, all the while with the icebergs on our minds.

Back in the boats we paddled further east out the harbour where several bergs floated on the water, here framed between a rock and the cliff.

Dean and I paddled closer to shore and checked out this smaller berg first before I ..

... paddled out to the main attraction.  This berg was huge with four towers (three visible in this shot) all joined to a base underwater.

I was joined by Cathy, Clyde, Roy and Terry.

I paddled around the iceberg which showed a different face and on the right, the shorter fourth tower.

We hung out for a while before Cathy, Clyde and I were the last to head back to the takeout.  With the boats loaded on the cars and the wet gear stowed, the eight of us had a bite to eat at the restaurant before leaving for home..

I did not expect to see an iceberg when I left town.  I knew there were many, many off of our shores and with the recent northerly winds there will be dozens to to visit this year as can be seen on this ...

... Environment Canada chart of icebergs in iceberg alley.

More than an icecube

Last Friday five of us paddled out to three icebergs off of Topsail Beach.  Looking north we saw a gigantic iceberg some unknown distance away.  Kind tides, current and wind over two days brought it within reach.  To get there on Sunday we did an open crossing of approximately 6 kms.  The berg is just in front of the blue kayak but difficult to see without enlarging.

Bobbie, Cathy, Dean, Gary, Ron, Terry and I homed in on the berg steadily and as we paddled it got bigger until we were ...

... right on it filling the field of view.

There's not much of a story at this stage as we paddled back and forth and around the berg commenting how big it was.  I got a shot of each of the group with the iceberg.  Here is Terry.

Hazen, arriving late, invited Bobbie for what I think was her first encounter with an iceberg.  At least in her new blue kayak.

Gary in the red boat and Cathy add perspective to the size of the thing.

Ron on the south side of the iceberg.

Dean.

Here's Hazen at the north side in front of what was a small cove in the berg.  Hazen organized the paddle to meet at 1:00 to get ready to put in.  Twenty minutes later and still no Hazen we set off not knowing if he would show.  He was late and paddled down by himself to join the rest of us.

As most people will know 90% of an iceberg is below the water line.  Its not hard to imagine the true size of the thing and even at that size it was not grounded.  Using the distant Bell Island I could see it was rifting north on the ebb tide.

So, that's four bergs for me so far this year, in two days in fact.  Often times the prevailing southwesterly winds keep the icebergs offshore.  When they do come close we try to take advantage and get out to see them thankful we live in iceberg alley.

Iceberg on the doorstep

Last Wednesday evening we spotted a large iceberg in the distance near Long Pond.  Thursday I mailed some of the guys who are also retired to gauge interest in going to check it out.  Clyde, Hazen, Pete and Ron were interested.  We met at Topsail Beach for the paddle to Long Pond but my surprise the berg had drifted north to just off of Topsail Beach.

It didn't look like much from the beach but ...

... a we paddled toward it, it got bigger and ...

... bigger until it ...

... took up the entire field of view.

Behind the huge face that greeted us it sloped away and revealed a darker blue streak of refrozen water.  Somewhere on the glacier of Greenland a crack opened up, water poured in during warmer weather and froze solid when winter temperatures returned.

We mostly floated for a long time admiring the berg from all angles.  Here two bands of refrozen water marks an "X" on the berg.

After some 30 minutes we set off to a smaller, lower iceberg a short distance away.

It wasn't much above head height with lumps of ice scattered on its surface.

Paddling around it I caught the larger berg in the distance which looked further away than it really was.

Ron in what looks to be an iceberg hug.

There was one more iceberg to visit on the way back to Topsail Beach but we stopped to check out this odd shaped bergy bit on the way.  In a posed picture, I caught Hazen on the other side.

The berg nearer to the beach was also a low laying one that extended out under the water.  The colour of the ice underwater was so close to the colour of Ron's Makkovik made in Newfoundland by Eastern Island Kayaks that I talked him into posing over the ice shelf.

Satisfied with our short paddle but our savouring of the three bergs were headed back to the beach for to end the day.  Thanks guys!