As we launch into 2010 I thought I’d share this great overview from our partners in Newfoundland regarding some of their incredible wildlife sightings over the past 12 months: “Last year started with over two thousand beluga whales being reported off northern Newfoundland. Over the summer our Newfoundland Adventure guests were able to view and photograph a solitary beluga that made the tiny coastal communities of Bonavista Bay its home.
Sperm whales also contributed some sighting surprises as we reported single juvenile males ranging from St. Anthony to St. John’s. The Trinity Bay excursions on our Newfoundland Adventures gave our guests the best chance to see and hear these deep diving marvels. We often used a hydrophone to listen in on the deep water chatter of the sperm whales as they hunted fish and squid in the oceanic trenches.
Our third Whale Study Week featured orcas, humpbacks, minkes, fin whales, and white-sided dolphins. In late August a group of seven or more orcas including three calves were photographed off St. John’s harbour while our Southern Labrador Adventure witnessed a coming together of three orca groups.
Humpbacks remained the star of the show for most of our guests as everyone was able to view and photograph humpbacks. One female humpback we have been following since the 1990s returned to the Witless Bay area with a calf maintaining a perfect local visitation record. In 2009 white-sided dolphins joined the humpbacks as regular sightings on our Newfoundland Adventures and Whale Study Weeks.
Never before have these delightful and playful animals been seen so reliably off St. John’s and Witless Bay. It will be interesting to see if they continue occupying the area in 2010. Stand by...”
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