Boyd carries with him the kind of wanderlust only a few ever truly know. One year he’ll make a grand appearance in Trinity Bay, then the next—he’s halfway across the Atlantic. There’s no real pattern you can draw, just a sense that Boyd is always looking for what’s next.
His trail first surfaced at the end of August 2017, close to Trinity Harbour, right off the familiar shores of Trinity Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador. The feeding season was still in full swing, the sea thick with capelin and birds always overhead. The very next day, he was seen again, further down by Horse Chops—a rugged stretch of coastline where the ocean seems to meet the cliffs in a constant conversation.
But by March of 2018, Boyd had made a surprising leap—more than 2,400 kilometres over open ocean—arriving among the central islands of the Azores. Those temperate waters are a crossroads for many whales, a stopover rich in life before the journey south or north. Maybe Boyd paused there to rest, or maybe he just liked the cool Atlantic breezes.
By August 2020, he was right back in Trinity Bay, this time near Trinity Bight. No long absence for him; he seemed to know his way home. In July 2022, Boyd was spotted off Salvage Head—a headland rimmed by spruce and battered by summer winds. Most recently, he popped up in July 2023 near Point Leamington, up the coast—a reminder that Boyd’s story isn’t about staying put.
Boyd’s pattern isn’t predictable, but he’s never too far from these Newfoundland and Labrador waters. He’s a traveller with a good memory for home.
Have you seen Boyd—showing up in Trinity Bay or maybe somewhere unexpected? If you spot him, your sighting could help researchers learn more about these far-ranging whales.
Fun Fact
Humpbacks like Boyd migrate thousands of kilometres each year and have been known to remember their favourite feeding grounds for decades.
Boyd’s Sightings
off Trinity Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
August 29, 2017
off Horse Chops, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
August 30, 2017
Azores central group, Azores, Portugal
March 27, 2018
Trinity Bight, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
August 16, 2020
This is Happywhale's real data for this whale. The story above was generated based on these details, and a few creative assumptions.
Share Boyd's Story
Now that you've met Boyd, 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.
Add your chapter to Boyd's story.
Submit your photo to help advance ocean science.
By submitting to Happywhale, your sighting can become part of Boyd'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.