On a blustery June morning, just as the capelin started their shimmering tides, Ashton made his grand entrance off Gull Island. The sea was scattered with puffins, bobbing like tiny boats, and there was a salt-fresh snap in the air that could wake even the sleepiest cod.

Ashton, a robust male with a reputation for arriving right when the gannets begin their dive-bombing, was spotted first on June 16th, 2026. There he was, in the heart of Witless Bay, daring the choppy waves and putting on a show of whitewater that sent binoculars swivelling in every direction. Folks who know the coastline say he seems to favour those wild, bird-crowded islands, as if he enjoys the chaos and chorus above just as much as the slippery feast below.

A little over a month later, on July 19th, Ashton appeared again near Gull Island. Whether he lingered all season amongst the kelp forests and rocky shoals or vanished into deeper waters between visits—well, that’s the mystery the ocean guards close. The cliffs buzzed with laughter and seabird cries and, somewhere beneath the waves, Ashton glided, unseen but never unfelt by the fishermen and wanderers scanning the bay. His timing leaves you wondering what secrets he follows, how he navigates capelin runs and squally weather, choosing just the right moment to breach and send a spray of Newfoundland and Labrador sea into the sky.