Every July and August, when the sun lingers just a bit longer above the green cliffs of Newfoundland and Labrador, the sea herself seems to twinkle with anticipation. That's when Ryan, a grand female of the humpback clan, tends to grace these chilly Atlantic waters, her sturdy back cutting through the waves like a slow-moving ship with a mind of its own.
Ryan was first spotted off Horsechops on one of those full-bellied August days in 2018, weaving between coastal capelin and cheeky gulls. She didn’t loiter in one place for long—by mid-August, she was seen in Catalina, and a few days later, Green Bay. Then, with the ease only a seasoned traveller possesses, she circled back to Horsechops to round off that month.
But Ryan isn’t just a local. Come springtime in 2019, she was picked up all the way over in Eyjafjörður, Iceland. Imagine that: crossing the North Atlantic like it was but a leisurely paddle to the neighbour’s wharf. Two sightings a week apart suggest she was making the most of the northern fjords before heading back west.
Years later, fresh as ever, she appeared again in Mobile Bay in 2022, heralding summer with her presence. Then, in 2024, Ryan delighted whale watchers in Witless Bay and Bay Bulls, all within July's embrace—proving that old friends never tire of familiar coves.
By 2025 and 2026, Lower Cove Head and Bay Bulls saw her return, tracing a well-loved route along the rugged coastline, each appearance a reminder that the rhythms of the ocean are both mysterious and a little bit comforting.
Have you seen Ryan? If you catch a glimpse of her mighty fluke or spot her in the rolling spray, submit your sighting and photos. Your contributions help fill in the gaps, expand her story, and shine a light on the secret migration trails of humpbacks around Newfoundland and Labrador.
The waters around Newfoundland and Labrador are a buffet for humpbacks, rich with capelin, herring, and krill—making the long trek to our shores well worth it.
Off Horsechops, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
August 9, 2018
Catalina, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
August 14, 2018
In Green Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
August 17, 2018
Off Horsechops, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
August 21, 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 Ryan, 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 Ryan'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.
