Witless Bay

Four islands off Witless Bay hold seabirds in numbers that are hard to take in: over half a million Atlantic puffins, the largest colony in North America, along with hundreds of thousands of Leach's storm-petrels, common murres and kittiwakes. They breed from May into August and the burrows cover the island slopes. At the same time capelin, a small fish, roll onto the beaches to spawn, and humpback whales follow them inshore in large numbers, so the same boat trip usually delivers both. Icebergs sometimes drift down at the start of the season. Landing on the islands is prohibited.

What you actually see

• The puffin colony - over half a million birds, the largest in North America.
• The humpbacks - whales following capelin close inshore in summer.
• The murres and kittiwakes - cliff-nesting seabirds in hundreds of thousands.
• The capelin roll - small fish spawning on the beaches, drawing everything else.

When to go

June and July for the overlap of puffins at their peak and whales arriving with the capelin; puffins leave through August. Icebergs are a late spring bonus. Fog cancels trips.

Honest expectations

Landing on the islands is prohibited, so viewing is from the boat. Fog and swell cancel a significant share of trips. Puffins have largely left by late August.

Nearby

Cape Spear lies north; Ferryland is south.