May 2017 Fogo Island Iceberg Report

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Shoal Bay, Fogo Island May 27, 2017

 

I can’t keep up to the blog and administrate the Newfoundland Iceberg Reports Facebook page so always defer to the Facebook page for the most up to date postings from members traveling all around the province. Diane

Here’s a little look back at some of what I’ve seen on Fogo Island in various communities the past two weekends and currently, as I post on May 31, 2017.

I also have a Fogo Island blog for things other than icebergs but they tend to sneak into that one too.

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Deep Bay, Fogo Island, May 27, 2017

On the May 20th weekend there was a lot of pack ice and icebergs were harder to see due to the distance and lack of contrast but they were everywhere. Tilting had them right in the harbour which was exciting!

The bergs above were in Little Harbour, near Barr’d Island on May 27 and changed greatly a day or two later.

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Little Harbour, Fogo Island May 29, I think.

Deep Bay has a huge berg grounded outside the bay the past couple of days. Initally it was surrounded by blue water but on May 30 the pack ice moved to surround it again.

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Fishing boat about to pass behind an iceberg outside of Deep Bay, Fogo Island, May 29, 2017
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Pack ice surrounds the iceberg again on May 30, 2017.

As I type and work at my friend’s gallery, Herring Cove Art Gallery in Shoal Bay, the pack ice is filling in what was clear blue water yesterday. Great for photographers, hard for fishers.

A few final shots from May 30, in various stops in Joe Batt’s Arm. The icebergs at sunset blend with the island when they are only a silhouette but from another angle, they can be distinguished.

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From the Fogo Island Coop wharf in Joe Batts Arm.
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From Ethridge Point Park in Joe Batt’s Arm, May 30, 2017
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A zoom by Godwin’s Road, Joe Batt’s Arm, May 30, 2017
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Joe Batt’s Arm, Fogo Island, May 30, 2017

Fogo Island is currently surrounded by icebergs. No sign of it stopping any time soon. There are several communities here. If you are really stuck for time, come on the early ferry and rush around, but to do it right, book at least a night and I prefer 3 if you have to lose a day getting from another location to the ferry.

There are many beautiful accommodations listed on the Town of Fogo Island web page and there is also Fogo Island Bus Tours if you want to pre-book and do a day trip, leaving your car behind. Pre-book accommodations. As I wrote this post over the past two days I’ve met folks from Australia to Vancouver Island, including several American states and lots of Canadian provinces. If you’re on the island before June 5, drop by and see me at Herring Cove Art Studio, in Shoal Bay. Thanks for the use of the Internet folks!

 

Round Da Bay July 10

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There’s a great Newfoundland song called “Excursion around the Bay”. We had one of those today inspired by couple of great posts from Kings Cove and from the Round Da Bay Inn in Plate Cove West.

Departure from Gander at  8 a.m. was foggy but it cleared 10 minutes outside of town.

We bee lined to Bonavista taking Route 230 so we could take our time coming back along 235, the Coves route. We reached the Cape around 11:30.

At the Cape, it was clear skies to the north and fog and cloud to the south. These photos were taken from the exact same location, looking in two different directions.

From Cape Bonavista we could see four very large icebergs at a very long distance. I have a habit of giving my maps away so was not sure where they were located. We asked a gentleman who was walking and most helpful but really, must have never gone far from Bonavista.  He suggested we were looking at Carmanville. Nope, not at all possible from Bonavista, but thanks. Always get a second opinion…..

In case we were going to actually do the Loop in chasing them, we hit the road!

It was, as my friend Paddy Barry says, Iceberg Palooza!

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I had to use my zoom and Leo had binoculars in hand for the first few communities, Newman’s Cove and Hodderville. P1050069P1050070

Knights Cove had some lovely, shapely little bergs tucked nicely in the cove for easy viewing.

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These pictures were taken out of the window of the car. He did manage to stop…

Stock Cove was also well stocked with small, shapely icebergs as well has a couple of flat, tabular types. Again, shot from the side of the road.

Then we got to Kings Cove and took the road to Keels and Duntara. Always go to Keels. It’s a beautiful spot every time.

Keels

Duntara

Tickle Cove

(We had a great visit with a couple from Alberta who are spending another couple of months here and doing it right! They’d heard about Newfoundland Iceberg Reports at the Whale Pavilion in Triton)

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Red Cliff

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We didn’t stop in Open Hall to see Paul Dolk but we did check to see Diane’s garden. Looking good! We’ll stop back in August for a visit.

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That was a pretty full and exciting day but Plate Cove delivered on two counts. Plate Cove East had this great iceberg past the breakwater.

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And although the boss seemed to be away, we had outstanding service at Round Da Bay Inn. Lunch was delicious and both of the tables that were there at 2:30 were local and we both made reservations to book a room later this season.

See you in August for a few nights, Round Da Bay!

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Twillingate Isles June 26/16

We were once again, caught in my own trap! Lured by pictures posted on my Newfoundland Iceberg Reports page.

Several people were sharing amazing shots of the arch in Twillingate. Captain Cecil Stockley saw it coming and shared pictures from his Iceberg Man Tours.

Here are his pictures from June 15 to June 26.Each morning I was holding my breath to see the next post.

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Our Twillingate run was planned for Saturday but a call from a carpenter meant we did it as a detour on our way back from Fogo Island on Sunday.

At breakfast on Fogo Island,  I was showing off our Newfoundland Iceberg Reports Facebook page, I got a private message saying the arch had just collapsed. Oh no!

We still had to go to see what might be left so took the early afternoon boat from Fogo Island.

Initially as we crossed the causeway to Twillingate Island there was no sign of ice. As we approached the Prime Berth end of the causeway, all was revealed as our angle showed icebergs behind the point and the islands.

As driver, Leo opted to leave Purcell’s Harbour for the return drive and we headed right for Durrell.

Icebergs are so big they can not only be seen from many vantage points, but sometimes from different, neighbouring communities.

We’d met up with Eric Abbott, visiting from Bonavista to his wife’s home of Virgin Arm. He gave us three great tips. Ice cream at the snack shop at Dildo Run, take Ochre Pit Road to see the iceberg above and try the food at the snack shop across from the school. The boy knows his stuff!

With breakfast at 9  at Chesters on Fogo Island and ice cream as lunch, supper was a need before we went much further. With a great recommendation from friends at the next table, I opted for the lobster burger. Soooooo good. A new favorite spot! Don’t let the empty chairs fool you, I was shooting strategically to avoid people.

The meal and service was great and thank you to the William’s family for treating us for my retirement! Some sweet!

This is what was left of the arch when we got to the Wild Cove area. Two lovely pinnacles!

From there we went to Crow Head.

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We were starting to fade and started working our way back towards home. Fine folks at Crow Head suggested Little Harbour so we checked that out too and met a travel writer camped out looking at this majestic view.

They had just kayaked all around the berg and had driven from Quebec via the Labrador highway on an iceberg assignment. How do I get a job like that?

Our last stop was the beautiful Purcell’s Harbour. Note, we didn’t make it to Long Point lighthouse In Twillingate as, often, we don’t catch anything there and Sleepy Cove and Back Harbour were empty too.

 

With thanks again to Captain Stockley and his daughter Cecily who got these great shots of the arch foundering on Sunday, June 26, 2016. It happened so suddenly, we haven’t found anyone with a video yet. Thanks for allowing us to share Iceberg Man Tours.

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Deep Bay, Fogo Island June 25-26/16

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We bought a view last year with a house on it. It’s a little spot that’s going to need some time and money thrown at it. Folks might say “As long as you have a roof over your head”. They haven’t seen our roof….

Roofer phoned at 8:30 the morning after my retirement party and wondered if we could meet him at the house in Deep Bay.

Um, sure?

We made it to the house around 4 pm and it was hard to focus on the task at hand with this on the horizon.

We saw some of the same icebergs from Fogo too.

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We stopped at The Old Salt Box Houses and the rock park next to them and saw this view.

The same berg could be seen from the RV park at the Lion’s Club next to Brimstone Head. Campers said they went to bed with a beautiful view and work up with an iceberg in the middle of their  beautiful view!

An early rise still had 3 icebergs visible from the kitchen window this morning. I need to get this view protected with a roof!

 

Deep Bay has lots of great angles! Just need a good zoom if you don’t have a speed boat.

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Triton Trifecta-Nicole, Michael, Wanda and Icebergs

Brighton

It all started with a Facebook post from Karen Pinsent.  This amazing iceberg in Brighton.  Brighton? We’ve never been to Brighton!

Leo got home Friday night and was willing to not only do a Saturday drive but thought an overnight might be a good idea. Woohoo! Brighton, here we come.

I made a request for tips on my Newfoundland Iceberg Reports fb page and Fudge’s Restaurant and Motel were recommended as well as the Blue Water Inn.

Breakfast at the Gander Breadbox had us on the road by 9:30 with a bit more than a half tank of gas. We try, when possible, to do our gassing up “out around” to help the smaller dealers in communities we visit. One tank of gas won’t make or break them but if 6 people from my iceberg page happened to gas up at the same station on a Saturday or Sunday, I’m sure it would be noticeable at the end of the day.

Our gas stop was fortunate because we met Nicole at the Causeway Express and she knows how to answers a question or two. We filled up with gas and used the (very clean) facilities. I gave her some business cards with the Facebook page and my blog address and she told us about their iceberg ice cream treat they make. Of course, we needed one!

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She was very eager to tell us about the area and when I told her our mission was icebergs she directed us to Spencer’s Dock, a road we certainly would not have found without her help. As a result, this is what we saw.

From there, we headed to Fudge’s Restaurant in Triton for lunch. Although it was almost 1 pm,  it was very busy and very good. Fish Combo was delicious as was Leo’s soup and grilled cheese. Wifi check in was a nice feature too.

When we finishing lunch I had a message from my buddy Michael Roberts who posts on our group.

Would I like to go out in his speedboat and see and iceberg? Um, yeah!

There aren’t words so I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

Mike is a fisherman and runs a small tour company using his open speed boat. His plan is to eventually use his longliner for tours but it’s a long and very expensive process to get the boat approved although it is approved for crab and other fishing purposes. Badger Bay Boat Tours is another growing business in Triton.

After a couple of hours on the water, we were decided that we’d be spending the night in Brighton. We called Wanda Bridger and she had one room left in her Parker’s Blue Water Inn property but the room wasn’t ready to rent. She offered to meet us there to show us the room. We waited at the property and admired the view of the neighbour’s swing across the road.

 

Wanda is a dynamo! She quickly arrived and showed us a lovely room but told us she wouldn’t let us have it unless she could have an hour to do the cleaning. Then, after a great visit she took us sight seeing!

From Freddy’s LookOut we saw a gorgeous iceberg that we surely would have missed without her guidance (and SUV). P1030805

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She even took us to her house and showed us the view and we had a great visit. In addition to the Parker’s property, she rents the downstairs floor of her beautiful house! the view from her windows and the guest deck is spectacular!

She dropped us back to the Inn after because she “had people coming and needed to make up a room”!

We finally found out way to Brighton and it was all we had hoped for.

We stopped at Crystal’s for dinner with the local coffee boys and picked up a few baked treats for a snack later. Again, the food and service were outstanding and the local men and Leo found lots of common connections in people they knew from either Fogo Island or Gander.

At Bayside, we picked up some beverages and the selection of ready to go was excellent. We picked up some dinner rolls and breakfast snacks and found the most beautiful place to relax and enjoy them when we got back to room number 4.

Just a taste of our adventure! We revisited all of the bergs again on Sunday before leaving and have plans for at least two nights the next time we come to Triton and area because we missed so many communities by being rushed.

Thank you again to Nichole, Mike and Wanda and the amazing hospitality of Triton. We’ve never experienced anything quite like the welcome and hospitality. Sincerely, Diane

 

 

PS. As I was getting ready to post, this popped up from Karen Pinsent. That Brighton berg foundered!

Today brighton

May 15, 2016 and the Gander Loop

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First day of trouting season so we saw lots of boats and ATVs and even one man fishing with a bamboo rod.

Greenspond bergs were very far off but there were 5 of them. Binoculars worked well here.

 

Back on Route 320 we saw icebergs from the road and thought we’d see them in Newtown. Not a lot of luck there but a great spot for some dashboard dining and a walk around the Barbour Heritage properties.

Again, on the highway, we could see icebergs from the main road between Newtown and Lumsden.

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So near and yet so far!

We started in Lumsden at the government wharf area. There were 13  or 14 bergs. I’ve actually lost count! More pictures on the Newfoundland Iceberg Reports facebook page.

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From the wharf we down past the campgrounds on Atlantic Drive. From here we could see 18 icebergs of all shapes and sizes. We didn’t count a couple of little ones. Where there are 18, the little ones don’t even matter.

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Mid May is Full Blown!

Maberly by Donna Stagg
One of many shot this week by Donna Stagg in Maberly
Spaniards Cove Trinity Eco Tours
Trinity Eco Tours seem to be the only boat in the water so far but the rest will be doing tours soon. Spaniard’s Cove, near Port Rexton May 11, 2016
Lower Island Cove by Chelsey Lawrence Photography
From professional photographer Chelsey Lawrence. Taken in Lower Island Cove on Wednesday, May 11,2016
Twillingate by Norma Hamlyn
Dozens of massive bergs off Twillingate by Norma Hamlyn. Cropped to compensate for distances.
Elliston by Eric Abbott
Ironic that his brother’s B and B is called Puffin’s Landing in Bonavista. By Eric Abbott May 12, 2016
numbered by Trace
See Trace’s great series of pictures of the 7 icebergs she saw off Lumsden on Thursday. By the evening, they’d been joined by that many more.

Visit our Newfoundland Iceberg Reports page on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @NLIcebergReport for current iceberg reports with locations and dated photos.

and finally, from Trace again. Beautiful Lumsden, on the Straight Shore Route 320.

Lumsden by Trace

The Loop:May 1, 2016

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We were on the road before 10 a.m. this morning to drive The Loop from Gander, to Carmenville and then east along the Straight Shore.

Straight Shore between Musgrave Harbour and Lumsden from the main road.

From the rough (unpaved road) that goes into Deadman’s Bay.

These are the same three icebergs from different vantage points. They are huge and can be scene for miles.

In Deadman’s Bay there were a few bergy bits and even some chunks washed up on the sandy beach.

Lumsden had icebergs (some of the same, some fresh ones)

We could get a different view from the Lumsden wharf.

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There were 5 bergs visible from the road to Cape Freels but at a long distance.

And finally, Greenspond! Two new icebergs in the lovely shapes we love. Much smaller than the tabular bergs we saw all day, these were grounded, practically in people’s back yards.

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May 1, 2016 We’re live!

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Back to ‘in season’ rules starting May 1 where we will only post current icebergs with locations on our Newfoundland Iceberg Reports Facebook page.

As I write on April 30 we have photographs of icebergs in Goose Cove, Tilting, Lumsden, Greenspond, Grates Cove and of course, the beauties featured in this post in Elliston.

Trinity Eco Tours has already started touring to bergs in the Elliston area.

Please follow us on Facebook or Twitter and share your current pictures with dates and locations to help us all get out best iceberg experience ever.

@NLIcebergReport

Diane

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