On a clear morning when the capelin were rolling and the sun tossed gold onto Witless Bay, a graceful visitor returned—Alyssa, known to leave a splash of excitement behind her.
Alyssa’s story first caught the wind one warm August in 2011, when she glided into Witless Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador. Her fluke brightened the scene, making folks crane their necks and shuffle for cameras. She must’ve taken a liking to those rugged shores, because by July of 2013 she was seen again—two days in a row—painting Wicklow’s waters with her shadow.
But as whales do, Alyssa vanished for a spell. For five years, her trail was as quiet as fog until suddenly, she popped up farther north in Green Bay, delighting those watchful enough to spot her. Then, in 2020, she sailed into Smith Sound, Trinity Bay—rolling in on the August tides. Sightings like those make a community’s heart skip, sparking stories in outports for seasons after.
By 2022, Alyssa made Petty Harbour her stage, but, true to her travelling spirit, she didn’t linger. Come 2025, she was back to her favourite haunt, Witless Bay—and, on a July day just north of Gull Island, was sighted accompanied by a calf. The beauty of seeing a mother and calf sweeping along familiar routes brings wonder to even the most salt-weathered mariner. Days later, she glided into Bay Bulls, solidifying her reputation as a well-travelled matriarch of these chilly Atlantic waters.
Have you seen Alyssa? If her mighty fluke or travelling calf caught your eye, submit your sighting and photo. Your contribution helps write her seafaring story, uncovering more about her journeys and the mysteries of migration.
Did you know humpback whales can be spotted off Newfoundland and Labrador in the summer, but travel thousands of kilometres to the Caribbean during winter to breed and give birth?
Witless Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
August 1, 2011
Witless Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 4, 2013
Witless Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 5, 2013
Green Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 28, 2018
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 Alyssa, 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 Alyssa'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.
