Spring in Newfoundland

Welcome to Spring in Newfoundland! From the coast of Labrador to the southeast coast of the island of Newfoundland is known as Iceberg Alley. Each year icebergs drift past our shores. Currents, winds, and a whole lot of luck dictate whether they will grace a community with their presence.

Icebergs

If icebergs are your main focus, coming to Newfoundland early in the season is best. In some areas of the province, attractions and activities will remain closed until late in June. In the Trinity Bight area of the Bonavista peninsula, this is not the case — almost everything is open by early May.

The weather in May and early June can be cool, foggy, and rainy here on the Bonavista peninsula. Remember to pack lots of layers, even mitts and a warm hat! If you plan on hiking, waterproof hikers are a must!

Following Facebook pages like Newfoundland and Labrador Iceberg Reports and websites like Iceberg Finder are a great way to determine where icebergs are in real time. Here at Sea of Whales, we make daily posts each evening about what we are seeing with pictures from trips that happened on that day. If you are following us on Facebook, Instagram, X or on our Google Business page, you’ll see these daily updates and be able to track what is happening in our area before arriving for your trip.

Whales

Besides icebergs, what can you see early in the season? It’s always possible to see whales here. While it’s true that we see the highest numbers of whales in July and early August, there is almost always something feeding in our bay. Even as I write this, on a snowy January day, there are reports of humpbacks being seen in our area. At Sea of Whales Adventures, we move our boat around to wherever the best whale watching and weather conditions are. Doing this significantly increases your chances of seeing sea life on your tour. In the spring, we often see “scouts” which are humpback whales that come into bays to scout out what is available to eat. If there is bait of any kind in the bay, they will stay to feed for a few days before moving on. Among the other early arrivals are sperm whales and minke whales.

Seabirds

In the Spring, seabirds start to move back onto the nesting colonies. Puffins, murres, guillemots, arctic terns, and kittiwakes will begin to get nests ready for eggs. Bald eagles will also head back to nests used in previous years and ready them for this year’s brood. Exactly when this occurs will depend largely on how warm the spring is.

All seabirds aim to time the hatching of their chicks with the arrival of the capelin. Capelin are the little fish that drive the entire ecosystem here. They move in close to shore in the summer months to feed and lay their eggs on the beaches. The sheer number of capelin close to shore makes finding food much easier for nesting birds, which in turn leads to increased success in rearing chicks.

Many Spring visitors to the province choose to visit later in the Spring and very early Summer. This is the magic time when whale and iceberg season are most likely to intersect. At this time, most of the birds are already sitting on nests or are feeding their nesting mates so photographing them is easier.

Whenever you choose to visit Newfoundland, rest assured, it will be a visit that you will
cherish forever!

Book a tour with Sea of Whales Adventures!