Iceberg Time is just around the Corner!

Well, the time is coming to start seeing icebergs around Newfoundland.  I can't wait to do so, either.  It is fascinating to see different icebergs that float down "Iceberg Alley", which is where Trinity is located.  The icebergs should be coming soon, as we started seeing them in April of last year.  It was really a bumper crop year last year for the icebergs.  Here are some of the more memorable ones:

April 7th 2012 is when we saw this magnificent iceberg is Elliston.  The iceberg was huge and reminded me of pictures that I have seen of the Sphinx in Egypt.  In April, the icebergs look like they are just freshly cut from the ice, as there is no sheen on them from sun melting them.  This iceberg was really interesting, as it could be seen as the backdrop in the town.  What a sight to see from your window!  Elliston got a huge amount of traffic last year because of the iceberg.  I think that it was there until at least the middle of May, because it was against rocks.

Here is Bob talking a bit about the iceberg.  We track the movements of the icebergs and like to tell visitors of their whereabouts.  Lots of people like to visit when the Icebergs are here, however, they also bring in the cool weather, so, if you are tracking them, dress warm!  It can be quite cool here anyways in April, about 2-5 degrees c, but it will drop to 0 degrees when they are here.

Here is the same iceberg in June, 2012.  Still interesting, but nothing like it first was in April.

This one is one that we saw from the boat.  This would be closer to Trinity Area, as we do not normally take the boat very far out. 

This is yet another on taken around Trinity.  They are from late May to early June.

Another huge on with the fog above it.  Last year we noticed many that came in that were totally flat on the top.  I think that this is the one where we saw the bald eagles on it too.

This one was very interesting as it was "jet" looking.  But the most interesting part of this one is that we were able to witness it breaking off, as shown in the pictures below

It is not often that you get to see them break apart, let alone capture it in a picture.

Nothing more than a "bergie bit" now I guess.  Here are some more pictures.

This one is another favorite of mine, the one that I like to call the "stegosaurus" iceberg.  Interestingly enough, I thought at first, that it was the one from Elliston that had moved.  It has many of the features of the original Elliston iceberg.  That was, until I went and saw the Elliston iceberg still locked.  So, this is yet a different iceberg.

Our Eagle friends looking at us.  Eagles will just start showing up around this time to start building or reorganizing their nests for the upcoming breeding season.  If you are interesting in Bald Eagles, there are lots of them around the Trinity area.  

As you can see, this iceberg is seen in the later part of the season.  It is more rounded and does have a sheen on it.  This one in particular is interesting as it had a blue vein in it.  It is part of the ice has melted to water, but the outside is still hard enough to be ice.  (At least, that is what I was told)  You can see these veins of ice on quite a few icebergs.  

Anyhow, that is just a sample of what was seen last year.  It was a bumper year for icebergs and I am hoping that it is going to be a good one again this year.  It has been shown, though, or from my knowledge, that we can have a good year, then a couple of not so good ones.  But that is just historically, of course.  You cannot control nature and this could be the biggest year yet!  I am hoping so!

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling, Get that Capelin Rolling!!

My sister and I had a great time this year in Trinity because we focused on watching nature in action, something which Trinity has in great abundance.  Fortunately, my partner has a boat tour operation, so we were able to go to the more deserted areas around Trinity to see wildlife from the water.  On one expedition, we saw something that really was amazing for me to watch...the capelin rolling.  Being a main lander, it is something that I nor my sister had ever saw before.  For those of you that have never heard of capelin rolling, capelin are small fish smaller than a smelt (actually I think they are from the smelt family) that come into the bay after being out in the ocean for most of the year.  Capelin come in by the millions to spawn on the beaches.  After that, they die.(or so i am told)

 That is a jelly fish shown with the capelin. You can see them in bunches sometimes around the bay.

I have heard of stories where people stand with nets to catch the capelin for dinner.  I don't know so much about today, but I am sure that years ago, there were plenty of people on the beach catching them.  I sometimes see dried and salted capelin in grocery stores around here as well as in the speciality food shops, so I know that some still enjoy it.  My Dad, who was from Nova Scotia ate smelts and once gave me one to try.  I was not impressed....

But to see the capelin coming into shore, well, that is a different storey.  They come in by the millions.  It is amazing to see.  You can literally scoop them up with your hand, if you wanted.  I did and it was amazing to do.  

The most amazing thing though, is watching them throw themselves on the beach to spawn.  They slap against the beach so forcefully, I can't imagine that they could do anything else but die. By the hundreds.  It is a wonder that the capelin are able to survive and continue on to do this again the following year.  This video shows what my sister and I saw that day.

Here are some other pics taken that day.

Capelin are food for other animals, such as whales and eagles in the area.  Where the capelin are, other animals abound, waiting to eat.

If you have never seen this before, it really is a sight to see.  This happens every year on many beaches in Newfoundland.  You don't need to be on a boat, either.  You can watch them from the shore.  This past year was not the greatest for rolling and many areas did not have any capelin rolling.  For the record, these pictures were taken outside of Trinity, Trinity Bay on July 31-August 1st, 2010.  It was one of the more remote areas and really only accessible by boat.

As for seeing the event, though, it really depends on Nature.  But look what else the capelin rolling brings!!

Same cove where the capelin were rolling, there was a humpback feeding on them as well as a group of American Bald Eagles perched on the rocks above.  My sister said that day was the highlight of her vacation here this year to Newfoundland. 

If you get a chance to see the capelin rolling, I highly suggest you go and see it!!