There are some days along the Newfoundland coast when the fog sits low, and the ocean hides all her secrets—except for the sudden, wild arc of a whale breaching against a backdrop of blue. It’s in moments like these that Joe, a mighty male humpback, has painted the waters with his presence, never in a rush and never quite where you expect him.
Joe first turned up outside Witless Bay in August of 2013—a splash here, a spout there, all to the delight of anyone lucky enough to be scanning the horizon. Six years slipped by, and then, just like a well-loved tune returning to the radio, Joe surfaced in Trinity Bay. It’s the sort of reappearance that reminds you the sea’s clock runs at its own pace.
The year 2020 was a real tour for Joe. He made a circuit of Newfoundland’s charming coves and rugged headlands: Spaniards Cove in July, then right on through to English Harbour and Bonaventure Head. For a few days, he seemed to fall in love with Trinity Bight, as if the area’s rolling green cliffs and kelp-filled coves were too serene to leave behind so quickly.
Joe was spotted more than once on single days—he’s got a real knack for leaving folks guessing where he’ll pop up next. By 2023 and into the sunny summer of 2024, he was back again in Trinity Bay, off Tinker’s Point, and even near bustling St. John’s. Clearly, Joe keeps his options open, never tracing the same route for too long but always favouring these sheltered Newfoundland waters.
Have you seen Joe lately? If you have, why not share your sighting and help fill in the winding map of his adventures? Every note and photo grows the story of Joe’s migrations and helps researchers understand more about humpback comings and goings.
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Fun Fact
During their summer feeding season, a humpback whale can eat over one tonne of fish and krill every day. No wonder they have the energy for such epic journeys.
Joe’s Sightings
Witless Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
August 7, 2013
Trinity Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
August 17, 2019
Off Spaniards Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 23, 2020
Area off Trinity, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 24, 2020
This is Happywhale's real data for this whale. The story above was generated based on these details, and a few creative assumptions.