On a crisp July morning, the fog over Mobile Bay hung like a curtain, just thin enough for silver sunlight to glimmer on waves. It was a perfect sort of day for a surprise, and that’s when Samantha made her entrance — as if the whole bay was simply waiting for her arrival.
Samantha, a female humpback of stately dignity, glided into view on July 12th, 2024. Her tail sent gentle ripples across Mobile Bay’s quiet surface, drawing admiring eyes from the shore. Folks whispered about the pleasure of seeing her that day, wondering where she’d come from and where she was heading next.
Fast forward almost two years: the morning air between Bay Bulls and Witless Bay was full of promise. On June 29th, 2026, Samantha reappeared, dancing through the currents and perhaps revelling in summer’s return to Newfoundland and Labrador. She didn’t linger alone—other whales were near, but Samantha’s trim flukes caught the sun just so, setting her apart.
A short hop down the coast, and Samantha was sighted again. Just eleven days later, on July 10th, 2026, she made a splash at Tors Cove. The cliffs echoed with seabirds, salt air, and the rhythmic drumbeat of giant flippers meeting the sea. Each sighting stitched another bright patch on the quilt of her known travels, revealing a fondness for these southwest waters.
Have you seen Samantha? Every sighting adds a line to her story and helps researchers learn more about whale wanderings around Newfoundland and Labrador. If you spot her, please share your photos and observations—your sharp eyes could fill in the next piece of this marvellous puzzle!
Did you know that humpback whales sometimes swim in groups called 'pods,' but can also travel solo for hundreds of kilometres along the rugged Newfoundland and Labrador coast?
Mobile Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 12, 2024
Between Bay Bulls and Witless Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
June 29, 2026
Tors Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 10, 2026
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 Samantha, 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.
Get a printable version of this story.
By submitting to Happywhale, your sighting can become part of Samantha'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.
