Jim Byers,  the  Travel Editor for the Toronto Star was onboard the M.V. Cetacean Quest this past Monday, and it’s safe to say, his memories will last a lifetime. This is what Byers had to say about his boat tour with Iceberg Quest:

ST. JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND - You’d think icebergs are a regular occurrence in and around St. John’s. But apparently not.

I took a boat tour with Iceberg Quest the other day and found out there was a pretty solid period of several years not long ago when the winds weren’t right and the bergs didn’t make an appearance. But just as the oil business has given this town a shot in the arm – and how – so has the return of the icebergs.

For a mere $60 ($28 for kids 12 and under), they’ll take you out on a reasonably-sized, very steady boat to check out the icebergs. When the season’s right, and it’s approaching fast, you’ll also (or instead) see puffins and friendly humpback whales.

They also do tours from Twillingate, the iceberg capital of Newfoundland, where you’re more likely to spot bergs. But, this year anyway, it’s pretty good in and around St. John’s. We did a two-hour tour and spotted three reasonably-sized icebergs, all within a few miles of the city.

The first part of the tour is through the harbour and you get great views of downtown and the brightly painted homes called Jellies or Jelly-bean houses. Then you get even better views of the equally colourful homes on the Battery (see photo above right), that stretch of land that reaches from downtown out towards Signal Hill, just above the entrance to the harbour.

The day I went I was accompanied by some tourists, including roadies and members of music star Chris De Burgh’s band, De Burgh having played St. John’s the night before. We had a great time, although it was pretty chilly out on the boat. Luckily there’s a glassed-in portion with a heater, as well as a small bar dispensing beer and rum and other spirits.

The cliffs along Signal Hill are massively impressive; huge chunks of brown stone slashed and broken through eons of wind and water and towering up over the ocean. After cruising along outside the harbour for maybe ten minutes we spotted a couple of bergs that have been partially blocking the entrance to Quidi Vidi harbour for some time.

A few minutes later we spotted a flat top iceberg and a small, spiky one nestled up against some cliffs.

The big one (well, by my standards, not a Newfoundlander’s) was a few minutes after that. We approached it through a trail of small chunks of ice that had broken off and were floating about in the water. Then we came up to the main attraction of the day; a flat-top berg that I’m guessing was 100 metres long and perhaps six or ten metres high; depending on where you measured.

It was pale green-blue and dozens of gulls were stretched out on top and nesting, which I’m told means it’s a relatively stable chunk of ice – birds preferring not to make their homes on pieces of ice that are about to break off and send their eggs off towards Nova Scotia and all.

The colours in the water were beautiful, and it was incredibly serene to navigate around the iceberg, said to be thousands of years old and not long ago part of some distant glacier. The patterns and markings on the berg also are something you don’t expect; all roughly chiseled with sharp angles and smooth surfaces and wavy bits.

It’s hard for photos to do it justice but it was a terrific couple hours. And these were relatively small bergs compared to the big boys you can often find…

The guys working my boat told me puffin season is perhaps two weeks away, while the time for whale watching is also getting close; depending on the weather.

“The humpback whales are awesome,” they told me. “They’re really smart and they even seem to recognize our boats. They come to us year after year and we’ve named some of the ones we recognize.

“There are two we call Mutt and Jeff, because whatever one does the other does the same thing. It’s really cool.”

Yes, it would be.

View the full article here.

By Jim Byers
The Toronto Star’s Travel Editor

We all knew the bergs were coming but it was a matter of when and where. On a Saturday excursion along Marine Drive, tiny white silhouettes spotted the horizon. With a blue sky, steady hand, and a zoom lens on my side, I was able to pick out the familiar shape of a Greenland iceberg. As you can see here, the fishing vessel on the horizon had a much better vantage point than I.

**Note: to view images full sized, right click the picture and select “View image in new tab”

The next obvious stop in my search was Signal Hill. Reaching the crest of the hill, iceberg enthusiasts were few and far between. With a harsh North Atlantic wind that bit uncovered fingers and robbed lips of their dexterity, most onlookers chose to huddle closely with their car heater. Looking east over the Signal Hill walking trail, there were definite signs of icebergs on route. In plain view, there was a massive iceberg lingering its way to shore with pack ice lining the entire horizon. The few who dared face the cold winds could catch a glimpse of  this magnificent display of mother nature.

The following day, Sunday March 25th, one could feel the commotion in the air. I knew, as did the rest of St. John’s, that the pack ice had made its way inland toward Signal Hill. Not only did the ice find its way to shore, it made its presence known in a boisterous manner. Passing Signal Hill, the iceberg lumbered in front of The Narrows, blocking all access in or out of the harbour. What a better way to let people know you’re in town! Walking along the road towards Fort Amherst, I glanced up the cliffs toward Signal Hill and could see droves of people lined up in awe.

I knew that just around the corner was a colossal iceberg. Turning the corner toward the lighthouse and looking towards Blackhead,a giant piece of glacial ice lay dormant for all to see.

This iceberg was simply amazing! Not only does the camera not do it justice, but the sheer number of people standing in awe made this an experience to remember.

Looking back, I figure this area of water between Fort Amherst and Cape Spear must be somewhat of a rest area for icebergs during their travels. Twenty-six years ago, a large iceberg nestled in the same waters and created a stir in the city just as it did this weekend. Thanks to a photo from Brian Carey this iceberg can now be shared and enjoyed for years to come.

The early icebergs are a sign of good news for Iceberg Quest. With an early season already filled with great icebergs, we are counting the days before we can get on the water to visit these bergs up close and personal. Tentatively, we are hoping to embark on our first tour in mid May. If the weather continues along its current path, we are expecting great sightings of icebergs and whales come tour season. The icebergs this weekend being just a taste of what is to come, we are looking forward to sharing our 2012 experiences with visitors from across the globe.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Like our Facebook page. We have daily updates to keep you up to date with the latest iceberg and whale news.

Iceberg Quest has been received an abundance of recognitions and nominations over the past twelve months. It’s been a busy year but the hard work has paid off. During the Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador 2012 Annual Conference, Iceberg Quest was awarded the Tourism Business of the Year.

As dedicated attendees to the event, the crew at Iceberg Quest are tremendously privileged to have been recognized for this award. The Tourism Business of the Year award “recognizes businesses that have built a reputation for excelling and continuously improving upon all areas of operations.” In a state of continual improvement and devotion to accommodate our customers, this award is clear indication that we are setting a standard for tourism operators in the province. Through  our marketing, partnerships, and technological  tools, we intend to position Iceberg Quest as the premier boat tour in Atlantic Canada.

On March 6th Iceberg Quest Ocean Tours received the Canadian eTourism Award for Best User Generated Content at the Online Revealed Canada awards gala in Toronto.

Iceberg Quest was recognized by the dedication and engagement of our online community during our 25 Day Christmas Countdown campaign. Thousands of followers took part in this social media campaign, leaving comments, personal stories of childhood memories, and expressed longing to return home for the Christmas season. The campaign was shared and spread among the community, achieving a global online reach. It was through the sharing of your photos, videos, and stories that Iceberg Quest was recognized for this award.

In addition, Iceberg Quest placed second runner up in the category of Best Website. The website , developed by John Atkins & Co., positioned Iceberg Quest between two heavyweights in the industry, Tourism and Parks New Brunswick, and Tourism Vancouver. Our strategy of following in the shadow of Newfoundland Tourism is clear indication that individual operators can set and meet the high standards of the tourism industry.

The online platforms recognized by these awards were built and implemented for the benefit of the public. The crew of Iceberg Quest would like to extend a warm thank you to all those who participated and shared their voice in our campaign and other online forums.

Twillingate & St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
A local tour company recently received a thumbs-up for their website.

The whale and iceberg-spotting Iceberg Quest Ocean Tours of Twillingate and St. John’s has won the Canadian e-Tourism award for Best User-Generated Content.

The Canadian e-Tourism Awards present awards for excellence in travel and tourism industries. The awards recognize the evolution and marketing power of digital media, including social media and traditional consumer websites.

Entries are eligible from all over the world, but every entry has to market, sell, or portray Canadian destinations, products, attractions or experiences.

The website, designed by Mount Pearl’s John Atkins and Co., (www.icebergquest.com) has encouraged tour passengers to upload any and all photos, videos or stories of their adventures while on board one of their tour boats.

In the category of best-user generated content, Iceberg Quest beat two Canadian leaders, The Canadian Tourism Commission and Newfoundland and Labrador’s very own Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism.

The company also placed second in the broader category of Best Website, between Tourism and Parks New Brunswick and Tourism Vancouver.

According to the company’s own press release regarding the win, Iceberg Quest believes the awards will “further elevate the reputation of Iceberg Quest among tourism professionals” as the Newfoundland and Labrador tourism industry prepared for the annual Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador Summit tourism conference in Gander from Feb. 23-25.

Great marketing

“This eTourism award brings national recognition for the dedication, hard work, and deployment of resources toward our multi faceted marketing and promotions strategy,” said co-owner Carol Anne Hayes.

Ms. Hayes and co-owner Barry Rogers said the company was flattered to have been chosen among huge industry contenders.

“Iceberg Quest Ocean Tours is sitting in the company of such large organizations as the Canadian Tourism Commission and Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism (Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation) after following a vision to become a role model for the technological change in the tourism industry of Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Ms. Hayes.

The company has become increasingly aware of user generated content and the impact it has on the global online environment.

“The face of promotion within the tourism industry is changing with the adoption and evolution of new, innovative technologies,” said Ms. Hayes. “We saw this change and began to strategize and follow in the footsteps of Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism.”

Presentation

The awards presentation will take place at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto on March 6 with a special awards luncheon as part of the Online Revealed Canada Conference.

“This award is proof that we have succeeded in our mission of becoming a progressive, adaptive company by creating a medium for the public to generate meaningful interactions across our social platforms,” said Ms. Hayes. “We are well on our way to reaching our goal of positioning Iceberg Quest as the premium adventure tourism destination in Newfoundland and Labrador and Atlantic Canada.”

View the full story from The Pilot.

By Pam Snow
Reporter/Photographer

The Signature Experience Collection is a list of 115 nation wide tourism attractions which offer experiences that reflect what Canada’s brand is all about. Of the 67 new experiences added to the collection this year, Iceberg Quest now has a foothold to demonstrate to the rest of the world what Newfoundland and Canada has to offer.

The management and staff of Iceberg Quest Ocean Tours would like to extend a warm thank you to everyone across the globe who we have had the pleasure of sharing the majestic sights and sounds of Iceberg Quest tours with.

Click HERE to read the full article.

Step Aboard…Experience the Wonder…Your Memories Will Last a Lifetime!