At the glacier's terminus or end, huge slabs of ice are weakened and then broken by the action of the rising and falling tides. This process is called calving and results in an iceberg's birth. By the time these mountains of ice enter Baffin Bay they have seen nearly 3,000 years pass. In order for an iceberg to reach the North Atlantic the currents typically take it from Baffin Bay through the Davis Strait and Labrador Sea. This is a long trip and most icebergs never make it.
Most icebergs melt well before entering the Atlantic Ocean.
When an iceberg does happen to reach the Atlantic its long and traveled life quickly comes to an end melting rapidly in the warm waters. Very Large Over 240 Over 75 Over 670 Over 213 Iceberg shape classification Shape category Description Tabular Steep sides with flat top. This category covers all icebergs that are not tabular-shaped as described above. This includes bergs that are dome-shaped, sloping, blocky, and pinnacle. Most show horizontal banding.