So Many Puffins And Whales In Newfoundland
We were excited when we had several opportunities for puffins and whales in Newfoundland. Our excursion with O’Briens Whale & Bird Tours and Gatherall’s Boat Tours provided a feast for the eyes. But we had whale sightings in other spots when we explored around St. John’s and then did a day trip to Trinity and Bonavista.
On our visit to Newfoundland, we never tired of finding new spots for sightings!
Booking An Excursion To See Puffins And Whales
We did whale watching in many places – California, British Columbia and the Azores in Portugal. On this road trip around Eastern Canada, our first whale watching trip from Tadoussac in Quebec got us beluga whales. That excursion was ok. But we knew we did not want to miss the whale watching season in Newfoundland.
When we looked at options for tours, we first decided to do an excursion on our day trip to Trinity and Bonavista. There were several options available. But the day trip to Bonavista from St. John’s was more than 8 hours with scenic stops. And that was without a whale watching tour in the middle of the day.
When we looked for alternatives, it was quickly evident that the Witless Bay area was another great option for tours. On our stay in St. John’s, the fog stayed around until about 3pm. So when we found a tour at 5pm, we quickly booked two spots. We hoped this also meant a less crowded boat tour for puffins and whales in Newfoundland.
Coastal Route To Bay Bulls Through Petty Harbour
We left St. John’s and headed off along the coastal route. We looked for small fishing villages that might show us iconic Newfoundland scenes. We stopped in Petty Harbour and saw the colourful houses that headed up the hills. There were colourful fishing boats in the harbour. And boat murals on the walls.
When we pulled into Bay Bulls, we first went down to the harbour. The Mishell mermaid statue welcomed us.
We booked our tour with Gatherall’s Boat Tours but we knew that the boat for the day was an O’Briens tour boat. When we stopped in the O’Briens shop in the harbour, they directed us up the hill to the Gatherall’s shop. In discussion with the boat captain Joe O’Brien we learned that Gatherall’s and O’Briens worked together for the last two years and marketed as O’Briens Whale & Bird Tours and as Gatherall’s Boat Tours. So book with either and get a great team effort!
We checked in and got our tickets for the short wait for the boat to depart. As we hoped, the boat was not crowded at all. Although it did not always appear that way when something was spotted off a certain part of the boat!
Rugged Newfoundland Shore
The boat pulled out and moved slowly up through Bay Bulls. As we moved along, we got a great glimpse at the rocky and rugged shoreline. It was not hard to see why Newfoundland was often called “The Rock”.
The rocks sheared at 45 degrees in layers. Caverns and deep crevices went back into the rocks. We knew that scuba diving along this shore would be amazing. If downright frigid!
It was great to see the rocky shores of Newfoundland from the water on our excursion for puffins and whales in Newfoundland.
Puffins And More On Gull Island
Gull Island was at the mouth of the bay between Bay Bull and Witless Bay. We slowly approached the shoreline and immediately heard the dull roar of birds. The bird poop made much of the island white.
The tour guide Noah talked to us about the birds on this island. High on the rocks we saw the puffins. As we looked down lower, we saw the common murres. They looked a bit like small penguins to us. And swooping around the shores were petrols that looked like grey gulls.
I must admit that without binoculars or a zoom lens, I really could not see the puffins. The zoom on my iPhone only got me so much detail! But David had his good zoom lens and was determined to fulfill my desire to see puffins. He shot non-stop and hoped that some of the hundreds of shots got me my puffin pics. And I was not disappointed.
We circled Gull Island. From that perspective, the birds seemed to swarm in the air. It was a little bit like the Hitchcock movie “The Birds”. The first stop on our tour for puffins and whales in Newfoundland left us excited to see more.
The Whales Came To Us
After Gull Island, we headed offshore. On an earlier tour, Captain Joe found whales. So he headed back to that area. Soon we saw whale spouts in the distance and knew we were headed in the right direction.
When we were close the boat slowed to a crawl and moved towards the spouts and then the captain shut down the engine. Captain Joe moved up on the fly bridge as the whale spotter and proceeded to do a running commentary throughout. The water was flat and he easily spotted when the whales came close to the surface. We all scrambled in that direction.
We were not sure who was more curious – us or them. They lazily swam past one by one or in a group. Several bopped up and showed us their noses, spy hopping. We never saw whale features so close up – noses, nostrils, mouths and their barnacled surfaces. When it was time to dive, they flipped us a tail and went down.
In no time at all, we had one, then two and then four whales coming up to the boat.
We were amazed at how close the whales were to our boat. At times the spray from their spouts was so close, my sunglasses got wet.
A Great Time Out On The Water
Most of the time, we did not even have to move. The whales came right back up where the boat was. Captain Joe enticed us to call to the whales. A few times we moved a little when they drifted off. But the whales were content to give us a show until the sun started to sink.
Even Captain Joe seemed excited by how many whales we found on our trip. He even posed with April for a pic with the whales he chased for decades.
The boat finally headed back in. We saw whales spouting as we went but we did not chase any more. At the shop we posed for our final tour pic.
Extending Our Stay In Bay Bulls
When we left the tour shop, we wandered along the shore for more great views of the coastline.
We were happy to miss dinner for our amazing tour for whales and puffins in Newfoundland. But we did not pass on another Bull Bays treat. Saphire Scoops Ice Cream Shop provided a great selection of ice creams. The best ice cream sundaes we had in a long while – caramel for me and chocolate for David!
We found lots of treats when we chased puffins and whales in Newfoundland.
Other Puffin And Whale Sightings In Newfoundland
We were spoiled with our whale sightings on our tour. But that was not the only time we saw whales close to shore. Although even with a zoom lens we did not get the same kind of view. On our visit to the lighthouse at Cape Spear, we heard the whales first as they spouted water. And sure enough, when we looked out the were feeding just off the shore.
When we did a day trip to Trinity and Bonavista, we enjoyed the lighthouse and the stunning rocks. But we soon discovered that the rocks were the launching point for puffins to sail out over the sea. On our tour, we learned that puffins did not really fly well and needed to launch themselves. They beat their wings at 300 beats per minute to keep in the air. It was fun to watch them fly by.
But puffins weren’t the only thing we found at Bonavista. Off the shore, we first saw the whale watching boats we originally planned to join. And close to them we saw whale spouts. It looked like the whales were playing out at sea. We were sure the whale watching tour got a great show.
When we left Newfoundland, we took the ferry from Argentia. We stayed on deck when we were still within sight of land, We hoped to see whales and found none. But we think we saw a group of puffins on the sea and were not sure how they would ever get launched!
It was fun to look for puffins and whales in Newfoundland. While our great tour spoiled us, we were still excited when we knew there were puffins and whales nearby as we toured around the island.
Such Great Views Of Puffins And Whales In Newfoundland
We had a couple of things we did not want to miss on our visit to Newfoundland. Puffins and whales in Newfoundland was top of the list. So we were happy we got some great experiences on our trip to Eastern Canada.
Did you see puffins and whales in Newfoundland? Where was your best spot for viewings?
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Omg your pictures of newfoundland are stunning! I love all of the cute puffins and can’t believe how many whales you were able to see!
We too were amazed at all we saw on our Newfoundland tour for puffins and whales. So glad we had the perfect trip!
So remarkable that the whales came so close to the boat. Magical.
It was quite a show the whales put on!
This is absolutely gorgeous. The older I get, the more I appreciate seeing wildlife in its natural habitat. Therefore, I’d love to see those cute puffins. Also, I haven’t seen whales yet. I always missed the right season.
We were so glad we booked this trip. It was a fun day.
That really sounds like an out of the world experience. It also reminds me of Enid Blyton’s adventure series and one was on a puffin island. It’s so pleasurable to see the birds and animals in their own habitat.
It was truly a lovely experience. I would have liked to be closer to the puffins. But David did a great job and got me pics!
I love that the title starts with “So Many,” haha. Petty Harbour looks incredible, too. I can understand why you stopped there, and the whales were happy you did too :).
We were amazed at how many whales just drifted around. Were not sure who was more amused!
Those puffins are adorable! A good zoom lens seems to be a worthy investment. I’m surprised how close the whales got to the boat! I’ve always been hesitant to try a whale watching tour because what if you don’t see any whales? I guess the captain knows where to go if they’ve been doing this for decades. Thanks for sharing!
We have been on whale watching trips where we only saw whales at a distance and were quite disappointed. But this trip we got a real treat.
Puffins are adorable. I would love to see them and I think the excursions you picked are a great way to do that. And the whale sitings are a bonus.
It was a nice mix of birds and whales. And we got so many of each!
This is making me so excited for my big move to Canada and the road trip we are planning. I love whale watching, you got some fantastic pictures there. Love the one of the whale fluking.
We were so glad we booked our excursion for puffins and whales. It was an exciting few hours. Just one of the treats then you get to Canada.
We are planing a visit to New Foundland for next summer! Hopefully we will see puffins and whales. We just spent three weeks in Iceland and went on a whale watching tour, but did not see any whales. Well, some dolphins. And the puffins were already done with breeding and had left….Your pictures made me hopeful for next summer!
I am glad to have provided a great tease for your visit to Newfoundland. We too have done many whale watching trips and been disappointed. This trip gave us both puffins and whales in abundance.
What a fantastic whale and puffin spotting adventure you had! Your photos are fabulous, especially the closeups of all the cute puffins. I’ll have to remember this tour if we take a Maritimes cruise that stops in St. John’s.
I hope you do get to visit Newfoundland one day. This tour was a great experience.
A very exciting post on Puffins and whales across Newfoundland.The waterspout from the whale’s back and the barnacles sticking to it is the sight I’m waiting to see in my lifetime. And the yummy ice cream adds fun to the sight. Thank you for sharing?
Everything about our adventure for puffins and whales in Newfoundland was great. One of our better day trips for sure.
Thank you for sharing ?
So envious of your trip. Would love to see puffins (which I’ve loved since childhood) and whales up close. Thank you so much for the photos. Had to laugh at your mention of everyone running to that side of the boat, On a cruise to Hawaii on the last day before heading back across the Pacific, someone finally spotted a whale in the distance. It was very funny to see us all running to that side of the boat. Of course, on a huge ship, that imbalance barely made an impression. But we had a good laugh at ourselves taking part in that frantic process, even for such a fleeting glimpse.
I am glad to share our great puffin and whale adventure in Newfoundland. We have been on many such whale watching trips and this was one of the better ones. When I did the videos, I muted the captain’s commentary for most of it. But he was hilarious egging us on during the trip.
This looks sooo amazing. I would really love to see whales in the wild
It was a great day trip in Newfoundland.
This looks like a lot of fun! Before COVID hit I was planning on visiting this area, but sadly was not able to. I love the images of the whales and puffins. I went on a puffin cruise in Maine and we were not as fortunate with finding them. We caught a glimpse of only one or two. But it looks like you had a great time and got to see lots! I will have to add this to my list!
I do hope you get to put Newfoundland back on your travel list soon. We were so glad we got there this year.
Whales, Puffins and treats! What more can you ask for? So cool how the whales came to you. Fantastic trip!
We were delighted with how much wild life we saw on this day trip. Well worth it!
Wow it’s such a wonderful journey. The Puffins all together looks such a great sight. And whales approaching the boats is so exciting a thought. The view at Bay Bulls harbour near the Mishell Mermaid statueis so pleasing.
Every part of our day trip to Bay Bulls was a fun discovery indeed. One we highly recommend.
Wow firstly what beautiful shots of the whales. It looks like they came really close to the boat. I usually go on whale watching trips every year to see them as I love them a lot. Also, seeing puffins must have been amazing. I have never seen them till date, something I will definitely look for when I visit Newfoundland.
Puffins and whales were a great treat on our visit to Newfoundland.
Newfoundland is the only province we missed in Eastern Canada. These photos and account make me feel more regret having skipped it. And the whales even came to you! So many of them!
I hope you do get back and get to visit Newfoundland. Some great adventures on the water.
What an incredible experience! The puffins look adorable! I’d love to see puffins and whales in Newfoundland, I’ll add it to the bucket list for when we visit! Thanks for the great guide!
We were so excited that we got to see so many puffins and whales on this visit to Newfoundland. A great excursion to book if you visit.
You have inspired me to add Newfoundland to my list! Puffins and whales? Yes, please! Great pics!
Thank you so very much ? It was a great day for puffins and whales.
What a fantastic day getting to see both puffins and whales! I’ve never seen a puffin in person but I’d love to see these pretty birds with their colorful beaks. I think missing dinner to see them and those stunning cliffs was worth it especially as you got those ice creams!
It was the perfect time for weather and views on this trip to see puffins and whales. A great excursion for sure.
I think puffins may actually be the cutest animals I’ve ever seen! What a treat to see!
We had several opportunities to see puffins from afar on this visit to Newfoundland. Just made me want to find a spot where we can get closer. Need to go back and find that spot!
What an amazing adventure! I just love seeing animals in their natural environment. It is such a treat to watch them! The puffins are just so cute, too!
This was a great excursion and one we will remember for sure from out trip to Newfoundland.
This post brought out the giggly and giddy child in me. I will never get tired of trips with whale watching in the itinerary. And those puffins are the cutest!
We all were truly smiling from ear to ear throughout this great adventure. It was great to see so many puffins and whales in Newfoundland. Definitely one we were looking for.
What an excellent adventure! There is nothing like being with whales on the water and you got some amazing photos! I love the puffin pictures too. The most I have ever seen were on Skellig Michael in Ireland. Sailing here in Puget Sound I have only ever seen one. They are the cutest birds. Thanks for more inspiration to go to Newfoundland!
We looked for puffins in Ireland and up through the Nordic Sea and never saw them. So we were happy to find them on our visit to Newfoundland.
I have never seen puffins and whales in wild nature. I am a true nature lover, and your experience in Newfoundland looks so fascinating to me!
We too were fascinated with our adventures in Newfoundland to see puffins and whales. So glad we planned our excursions.
Wow! Looks like a Newfoundland looks like a great place for whale watching! And puffins! And snacks 🙂
So many reasons for sure to visit Newfoundland. And this day trip was perfect.
So jealous of all the whales you got to see. We went on a whale watching trip off the Washington coast and barely saw the tip of the whale’s fin.
Our experience with whale watching too has been hit or miss. But this trip was awesome.
I’d love to go puffin watching! They are so adorable. My husband and I were going to go puffin watching while we were in Maine this fall, but it’s not the right time of year. Thanks for sharing your expereince!
We too have looked for puffins on other trips but this was the first time we were successful. A fun experience.
Oh my goodness the Puffins are absolutely adorable. I went whale watching a few summers ago up in Canada and it was such a great experience to witness them so close to the boat! I am sure this was such a fun thing for you to see so up close!
We were amazed at how close the whales came. We just sat there and they came to us again and again. A fun trip for sure.
Amazing photos! So glad your husband had a good zoom lense. Trips like this are always the highlight of my traveling. I LOVE seeing and interacting with wildlife. And while I have been on whale watching tours in San Diego, the whales don’t come to the boat. Plus you got to see puffins — oh my gosh, they are so cute!!
It was indeed an amazing trip for both puffins and whales in Newfoundland. One of our better wildlife experiences.
You are so fortunate to see puffins and whales that closed in their habitat. I wonder if the air around the Gull Island is a bit smell because of the puffins. I will do this tour when we visit Newfoundland.
Gull Island was indeed noisy and smelly with so many birds. But fascinating to see. A great tour in Newfoundland.
Just got back from a long trip around Newfoundland, which included this boat tour…it was a highlight of my trip, and the specific trip described could have been written word for word for the one I took. Can’t recommend it highly enough.
I am so delighted that you had a great trip to see puffins and whales in Newfoundland. We loved our experience and it was a highlight of our trip too. We sure loved Newfoundland.