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.