Exceptionally Large Icebergs and Ice Islands in Eastern Canadian Waters: A Review of Sightings from 1900 to Present

Abstract

A review of post-1900 sightings of ice islands and exceptionally large icebergs in eastern Canadian waters between Baffin Bay and the Grand Banks demonstrates that current estimates of the maximum expected iceberg lengths are below many of the reported values. Analysis of these sightings reveals that for the area south of 55 N the frequency of sightings and the maximum reported lengths were greater during the first half of this century than during the period 1950-90. However, recent sightings in 1991 demonstrate that exceptionally large icebergs should still be considered when designing fixed offshore structures for the Grand Banks or Labrador Shelf.Key words: icebergs, ice islands, Labrador Sea, Grand Banks, offshore oil