Whale Watching in Newfoundland is different than anywhere else. Maybe you’ve had a chance to whale watch in other famous Canadian provinces like New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia or maybe you’ve even visited international whale watching hot spots like Alaska, Húsavík, and Stubbs Island. Regardless if this is your first-time whale watching or if you’ve had a chance to see whales all over the world, whale watching in Newfoundland will be a unique and special experience.
So what makes whale watching in Newfoundland so different?
1: Five Thousand Miles of Coastline
When it comes to Whale Watching, being close to the water helps. If you come from a land-locked nation the ocean may feel like a faraway distant place, but in Newfoundland, there’s no shortage of access to the water. The province has over 5000 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline and the island portion is farther away from mainland Canada than any other province.
2: Furthest East Point in North America
Newfoundland is so far east, it’s actually home to the furthest east point in North America, Cape Spear. This makes Newfoundland this first logical stop for anyone crossing the Atlantic and a top destination for migrating whales, seabirds, and marine mammals. See puffins, petrels, falcons, sandpipers, and rare birds you won’t find anywhere else, making you feel like you’re in an episode of National Geographic.
3: Whales Come Here to Eat
The rich marine ecosystem is what attracts whales to Newfoundland. Each year the planet’s largest population of Humpback Whales comes to Newfoundland to feast on the abundance of capelin, squid, and krill. This means whales are closer to shore and are more active at and around the surface of the water, making them easy to spot. Sometimes you can count hundreds from shore. This type of whale population density can only be experienced in Newfoundland.
4: Newfoundland is home to over 20 whale species
Yep, it’s not just Humpback Whales that come to Newfoundland to feed each summer. With 21 distinct whale species making Newfoundland a destination each year, it’s possible to also see Fin Whales, Minke Whales, Long Finned Pilot Whales, Sperm Whales, Blue Whales, Right Whales, Orca Whales, Harbour Porpoise, Hourglass Dolphins, White Beaked Dolphins, Narwhal, and more. Newfoundland is popular with whales all summer long, making it hard not to spot one.