On a day tailor-made for sea shanties, the sun tiptoed across the choppy Atlantic, lighting up the coastlines of Newfoundland and Labrador. Out there—where the mist hangs like a net and capelin bubble in the surf—Joe emerges time and again, carving his own kind of legend into our cold northern seas.
Back in August of 2013, folks near Witless Bay caught a mighty sight: Joe, a hefty fellow, arced his gleaming back through the rolling blue, as puffins gossiped overhead. For a while, he was only a memory, drifting just out of reach like so many tales swapped by folks over a hot mug of tea.
It wasn’t until six summers later, in 2019, that Joe was seen again, this time gliding through bonny Trinity Bay. Could be he fancied a new patch of herring, or maybe he just likes to keep us guessing. Come 2020, Joe made quite a wave, showing up off Spaniards Cove, then leaping between Trinity Bight, English Harbour, and Bonaventure Head—all within one tide-turning week. Seems like he had places to be and no time to dawdle.
The years rolled on. More recently, Joe’s been living up to his nickname for ‘roamin’—there’s a 2023 sighting in Duntara, then back to his old stomping grounds in Trinity Bay. By 2024, he’d made headlines among those watching the water: showing off at St. John’s and Bay Bulls, ducking behind Tinker’s Point, and popping up near Green Island as the seabirds cheered him along.
Have you seen Joe? Each sighting and photo adds a brushstroke to his story and helps fill the gaps in what we know about humpback routes. Your contribution could teach us more about their travels and the mysteries of the cold Atlantic.
Fun Fact
During their summer feeding season, a humpback whale can eat over one tonne of fish and krill every day. No wonder they have the energy for such epic journeys.
Joe’s Sightings
Witless Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
August 7, 2013
Trinity Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
August 17, 2019
Off Spaniards Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 23, 2020
Area off Trinity, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 24, 2020
This is Happywhale's real data for this whale. The story above was generated based on these details, and a few creative assumptions.
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By submitting to Happywhale, your sighting can become part of Joe'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.