At the break of a fine summer’s day, with the light glinting just so off the sapphire Atlantic, a certain humpback whale named Literal steered his way northward, content among the swells. His name suits him, for each journey he makes seems to follow the straight and unfiltered currents of the sea, not unlike a wise old uncle determined to stick to the coast road, come fog or sunshine.
Literal’s tale begins in the brisk, briny waters off Maine, where he first showed himself one fresh June day in 2008. Maine’s jagged coastline must’ve been a familiar comfort, for two years later, in August 2010, he cut through Northern Gulf of Maine, no doubt stirring up a fuss among schools of sprightly herring.
When winter crept up in January 2012, Literal was spotted far to the south, near balmier Virginia Beach. Perhaps the cold chased him away or there were stories yet to be told in southern surf. It was a wanderer’s move, trading lobster boats for sandy shores and southern warmth.
For a full decade, nothing more was heard—until Literal burst forth from memory and into Newfoundland and Labrador’s cool embrace on an August day in 2022. First came a mysterious surfacing, then just days later, he flashed his tail in Northern Cove, delighting all who caught a glimpse. Literal lingered in these northern reaches, accepting the wild beauty before showing up again in July 2026 off Great Island, where seabirds and sheer cliffs met him like old friends.
Have you seen Literal? If you spot him, snap a photo and send it along—your sightings might just add another chapter to his wanderings and help chart out the grand puzzle of humpback migration. Every tale shared helps fill those intriguing gaps and unravels a bit more about these ocean travellers.
Humpback whales can travel over 8,000 kilometres between their feeding and breeding grounds each year—so Literal has likely seen more coastlines than most folks could dream!
Maine, United States
June 7, 2008
Northern Gulf of Maine, Maine, United States
August 21, 2010
Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States
January 8, 2012
Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
August 6, 2022
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 Literal, 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 Literal'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.
