On a day when sunlight glimmered like scattered coins across the South Arm, the sea played host to a remarkable sight. Among the kelp and rolling breakers, Marnie swept her tail with a nonchalance only a seasoned traveller could muster.
Back in May of 2020, folks standing a stone’s throw from the beach in Holyrood caught a breath-stealing sight. Marnie surfaced just metres from shore, her great back rising with all the calm assurance of a local. Salt in the air, capelin shoals darting below, and Marnie – sleek and silvery in the early summer. It was a reminder that in Newfoundland, the land and sea are never far apart.
By June two years later, Marnie made her way up Trinity Bay, drifting off Stone Island like a wandering thought. The sea birds circled overhead, and the water, cool but bright, was her companion. Whether she was following the feast or seeking quieter currents, only she knows. But with each ripple, Marnie stitched her own path along the coast.
As July of 2024 arrived, Marnie’s journey continued, sighted near Long Point Island, and not long after, she was seen brushing past Bonavista. Two sightings in quick succession—proof that Marnie’s summer was full of adventure. The coves and headlands of Newfoundland offered her secret shallows to explore, spray and sunlight ever at her side. Marnie’s knack for appearing at just the right moment stitched her into the stories of each spot she visited.
Have you seen Marnie? If you have a photo or a memory of her near the waves, add your story to hers. Every sighting helps us map Marnie’s route and fill in the mysterious gaps along her travels, adding richness to the tale of how these gentle giants move along our shores.
Humpback whales often migrate more than 5,000 kilometres between warm breeding waters and the cooler feeding grounds off Newfoundland and Labrador.
South Arm, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
May 24, 2020
Off Stone Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
June 7, 2022
Long Point Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 21, 2024
Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
August 2, 2024
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 Marnie, 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.
Get a printable version of this story.
By submitting to Happywhale, your sighting can become part of Marnie'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.