Giant Glaciers Are Going To Start Gliding Into Canada Soon & Here’s Where You Can Spot Them

The warmer weather is starting to kick in within Canada, which means that icebergs will begin arriving in Newfoundland shortly as part of their journey from Greenland.

While it may seem strange to spot giant glaciers cruising through the Maritimes, it's actually an annual occurrence in Newfoundland.

"Every year about 40,000 medium to large-sized icebergs break off, or calve, from Greenland glaciers," explains the provincial website.

Of that, only about 400 to 800 make it all the way to St. John's, but this apparently can vary quite a bit from year to year.

The best place to spot the majestic, 10,000-year-old giants are in various parts of the northern and eastern coasts of the province, such as St. Lewis, Battle Harbour, Red Bay, Point Amour, St. Anthony, La Scie, Twillingate, Fogo Island, Change Islands, Bonavista, and St. John's.

April and May are when the icebergs are most plentiful, but the best time for viewing them is late May to early June.

Iceberg ice is completely safe to consume and are created naturally from pure, fresh water and snow. Almost 90% of the berg is below the water and sometimes hit the seabed and get stuck

"At times, icebergs 'scour' the ocean floor, creating irregular troughs that can be several kilometres long and up to half a metre deep," says the province. "The Grand Banks are criss-crossed with iceberg scour marks, both recent and decades old."

If you do plan on visiting the bergs up close, make sure you either consult with a professional or go on a guide with an established history, as they are very unstable and can tip, break, or roll at any moment. Eek!

If you can't make it out east, there's still a way you can get in on the fun!

There's an interactive map where people add pictures of icebergs that they spot and the time that they've seen them, so you can view the majestic works of nature from the comfort of your laptop.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.