Watching icebergs floating by the eastern coast of Newfoundland is a time-honored tradition on one Canadian island in the North Atlantic. Tourists trek up to watch them drift past, kayak alongside, or even enjoy as part of their vodka. This year, there’s been a big uptick in icebergs traveling through what is knows as “iceberg alley.” Numbers already are near 600, which is typically what the area sees in an entire season, according to the Canadian Press.
It’s difficult to assign a single cause to the phenomenon, though the Associated Press noted earlier this month that rising Arctic temperatures and increased winds had pushed hundreds of icebergs from off coast of Greenland into North Atlantic shipping lanes months ahead of schedule. Many of those have headed towards the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.
The “bumper crop” of icebergs, including the one pictured that has run aground off the coast of the fishing village Ferryland, has led to an early surge in tourism to the area, according to local reports.
