Jul 20, 2025 – Ancient Travelers to Newfoundland

As soon as we arrived at Twillingate, we wasted no time to begin our search along the peninsula’s coastline. Vivian drove so I could keep my eyes peeled. Not long after leaving the campground, we came upon a street entrance that continued a quarter mile before meeting the water. As we slowly passed by, I looked in its direction, and within a fleeting second spotted a very large ghostly figure the shape of a wizard’s hat at the end of the street. it was unusually tall, framed by smaller 1-story modest homes, power poles and vehicles.

Dozens of people, most in selfie-taking mode and lucky enough to have found precious parking space along the street were milling about among the dilapidated maritime buildings, remnants of a long history when Newfoundlanders thrived from the cod fishery. The cod, a “noble fish that gives so much and takes so little” is held in high esteem on the island – in cod we trust. But by the 1990s, the northern cod population was 1% of its historical levels. With the use of trawlers and sonar technology in the 1960s, the volume of caught fish increased 200-300%.

When the fishing industry collapsed abruptly in 1993, the Canadian government imposed a cod fishing moratorium. What defined and shaped Newfoundland for 500 years all of a sudden disappeared. Fishing communities along its 6000-mile coastline became destitute. This is not an uncommon problem – the collapse of industries has left many regions destitute. But for some, there is a solution and Newfoundland has discovered it.

Tourism, plain and simple. You got something unique and beautiful to show people? Do it! What does Newfoundland have to offer a tourist? Where do I begin? We spent several weeks exploring it and dedicated several blogs to it, so we can vouch that Newfoundland has much to attract you. But the places we visited and experiences we had all led up to one single attraction:

Icebergs.

Yes, large floating masses of frozen fresh water that break away from Greenland and migrate south on the current to Newfoundland and Labrador’s coast. Hundreds of icebergs travel through iceberg alley where they often meander into a cove and get stuck. This year, the most active iceberg sitings were coming out of Twillingate, a coastal town that has embraced its tourism appeal. Its rugged coastline is carved out severely into several unevenly outlined coves making icebergs fair game.

The iceberg’s brilliant pale blue sheen and glistening carved edges stood apart from the dingy vinyl siding of houses and basic structures of a residential street. It could have been the work of a sculptor inspired by the natural world, purposely juxtaposed with everyday life in the most grandiose way. An aberration of such beauty and magnificence as to stop anyone in their tracks and stir their imaginations.

Within a short distance we spotted a second one, also close to shore. For the next 90 minutes, I dwelled on these two icebergs that came to Twillingate for a short visit.

As the summer wears on, the icebergs will pass on, break apart, slowly melt away. Tourists will come and go.  But there will be plenty more to see in Newfoundland. But for now, the icebergs will remain frozen in my mind. Pun intended of course.

Catch up with our Newfoundland travels if you are new here by checking out these previous blogs. And thank you for visiting us!

Getting to Newfoundland

L’anse aux Meadows & the northern peninsula

Labrador

Gros Morne National Park