There’s a certain shimmer on the water that marks the return of summer to Witless Bay, and with it comes Ana Maria, a steadfast traveler who always manages to bring delight with her presence. Her visits have become a quiet tradition, like a favourite tune heard on the salt breeze.
As far back as July 1993, Ana Maria was already gliding through the deep blue off Witless Bay, parting the waves with effortless grace. Every few years, just when you might think she’d slipped away with some secret tide, sharp eyes would spot her flukes flashing in the sun: 1999, 2005, and 2013, all in the familiar haunts of Witless Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador. No matter where her travels took her, she seemed drawn back to these storied waters.
In July of 2013, Ana Maria was seen with her calf, the two of them sharing these northern feeding grounds—proof that tales of family ties are written in waves as much as in whispers. But she’s an adventurer, too. Come February 2018, sightings placed her far south among the warm, rolling swells of Silver Bank, Dominican Republic—a long journey that speaks to her unflagging stamina and the vastness of the ocean world whales call home.
Her path meandered again in October 2017, this time near St. Pierre et Miquelon, and then she popped up in Bay Bulls and Witless Bay in July 2019, trailing stories like bubbles behind her. Her name surfaced once again in 2026, still shimmering in the same summer waters.
Have you seen Ana Maria gliding through the bay, or perhaps with a new calf in tow? If so, your sightings and photos could help fill out the story, shedding light on her epic journeys and the mysteries stitched into the coastline of Newfoundland and Labrador. Sharing what you spot adds to our understanding and the ever-growing tale of where, and why, these whales roam.
Humpback whales undertake one of the longest migrations of any mammal—some make annual journeys of up to 8,000 kilometres between warm southern breeding grounds and chilly northern feeding areas.
Witless Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 1, 1993
Witless Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 15, 1999
Witless Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 30, 2005
Witless Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 14, 2013
This is Happywhale's real data for this whale. The story above was generated based on these details, and a few creative assumptions.
Now that you've met Ana Maria, introduce them to your friends! Share this page directly below or to post as a social media story. Use #HelloHumpbackNL in your post to stay connected to all the other whale stories from Newfoundland and Labrador's coasts.
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By submitting to Happywhale, your sighting can become part of Ana Maria's data. Not only will it make their story richer for the next time they're spotted, but you'll become part of a global citizen science effort to better understand our oceans and the humpback whales that call them home.
