'Only in Newfoundland': Dildo, N.L., man captures phallic iceberg in Conception Bay

An iceberg handout photo provided by Ken Pretty is shown off the coast of Harbour Grace, Newfoundland. Pretty, of Dildo, N.L., posted this picture of an iceberg with particularly anatomical qualities to his Facebook page on Thursday evening. It's since been shared more than 5,300 times. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Ken Pretty

A Dildo, N.L., man's photo of a phallic iceberg in Newfoundland's Conception Bay was getting laughs across the globe on Saturday.

Ken Pretty says he could tell from the shore that the stately iceberg drifting off the coast of Harbour Grace, N.L., on Thursday had a distinctive anatomical quality. But it wasn't until he flew his drone out for a closer look that he realized just how lifelike the ice formation's features really were.

"The resemblance is -- you know, it's good, right?" he said in an interview, choosing his words carefully. "It's unreal how much it looked like part of the male anatomy."

He posted the pictures to social media on Thursday evening, figuring they'd draw a few wisecracks. By Saturday morning, the iceberg had been nicknamed the "dickie berg" and Pretty's photos had attracted news coverage from Quebec to Australia.

He admitted the iceberg's location in Conception Bay, along with his hometown's name, made the situation even more amusing.

"Only in Newfoundland," Pretty said, laughing.

Icebergs float into Newfoundland and Labrador waters in the spring, carried by ocean currents from the north. Residents and tourists alike eagerly await their arrival; the Newfoundland and Labrador government even set up an Iceberg Finder website, allowing people to upload photos and location data about any ice giants they see.

As of Saturday afternoon, Pretty's photos have not been posted to the site, though there was a picture of the same berg after it had collapsed somewhat.

Some icebergs, like Pretty's, make a lasting impression. In 2017, another phallic iceberg off the coast of Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula made headlines after it interrupted a horticultural tour.

An entirely different form drew onlookers in 1905, when a ghostly berg resembling the Virgin Mary appeared off the coast of St. John's. The picture taken of the mysterious iceberg is said to be the oldest known photograph believed to show a supernatural Christian presence.

Pretty is not sure his pictures will carry such historical weight.

"We'll see," he said, laughing again.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 29, 2023.