Newfoundland Puffin and Whale Watch Cruise
Description
Best location. Best crew. Best tour boat. Cruise to the incredible Witless Bay Ecological Reserve for your chance to watch puffins, whales, and icebergs. Wildlife attractions vary with the time of year. Puffins nest May through to mid-September. Whale season peaks mid-June through mid-August. Whale sometimes sighted before and after peak period. Icebergs typically appear May to mid-June. Whales and or icebergs are not guaranteed on any given cruise. Enjoy entertaining and educational live commentary provided by on board naturalists and crew. Learn about Newfoundland's marine wildlife and heritage from your enthusiastic, knowledgeable, professional guides during this awesome adventure. Our catamaran offers the most space for your comfort. Our tour boat offers the greatest range to improve chance of encountering whales and other marine wildlife. Tours duration is a minimum of 90 minutes. Tour boat has indoor accommodations for all guests. Transport Canada Certified crew & boat.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Participants are advised to regard all instruction provided by the vessel crew
- Direction/guidance is provided to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all passengers
- Depending on vessel movement/sea conditions, passengers may be advised by the crew to refrain from standing or to remain seated during certain portions of the cruise
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Whales and or icebergs cannot be guaranteed on any given cruise.
- If in the event that the activity is cancelled on the part of Gatherall’s at any time prior to or during the scheduled activity, participants can elect to either reschedule at no additional charge or will receive a full refund.
- Transportation is available from select hotels - additional fees applicable - must be confirmed two hours in advance of tour. Contact Gatherall's
Reviews(1,053)
Perfect way to see the puffins! Didn’t expect the signing. Not exactly sure if the signing added or subtracted from the trip, but I’m not a singer.
Hi Steve, Thanks for joining us and for sharing your thoughts! We're glad you enjoyed getting out to see the puffins. Our tour is designed to appeal to a variety of interests, so we blend informative commentary and interpretation with songs, stories, and a healthy dose of Newfoundland humour. We know the singing won't be everyone's favourite part, but for many guests it's one of the things that makes the experience uniquely ours! Thanks again for sailing with us, Steve. We appreciate you joining us for a perfect day full of puffins on the water and hope you enjoyed the rest of your time in Newfoundland. Safe travels, Claire
Fantastic tour guides. Knowledgable about the area. Great fun and we were fortunate to have fabulous weather.
Although it was not the brightest day there was no shortage of sights including a minke whale and beautiful puffins.
Hey there! What a lovely way to spend a day on the water! Even with a little Newfoundland weather rolling in, there’s always plenty to see. We’re so glad you enjoyed the puffins and had a chance to spot a minke whale too. Thanks for joining us and sharing your experience! Safe travels, Claire
I wish I could rate my experience higher than 5 stars. The charisma and humour of the crew made this tour infinitely better and I was already going to see puffins, so I didn’t think the experience could even get any better. They sang, they filled us with knowledge, they made puffin noises, and the song they played as we approached the island is something that will stick with me forever. Even when I lose my memories, this one is sure to stay. 10/10, would fly out here just to take this tour again.
Hi Erica, Well, this might just be one of our favourite reviews ever. Thank you so much for such incredibly kind words! We're absolutely delighted that our crew's humour, singing, stories and, of course, puffin noises made such an impression on you. There really is something special about that moment approaching Gull Island, with millions of puffins and seabirds all around you and the music playing in the background. Knowing that particular moment will stick with you for years to come means more to us than you know. And saying you'd fly all the way back just to take the tour again? We'll happily hold you to that! 😉 We'd love to have you back aboard for another day of puffins, music, laughter and a little Newfoundland magic. Thank you for letting our crew be part of such a memorable day, Erica. Your review will definitely be one we'll be sharing around the Gatherall's kitchen table! Safe travels, Claire
Returned a few weeks later as it is a wonderful tour and crew were fantastic. Great Irish vibe musically and visibly.
Hi Chantal, What a wonderful compliment to come back for a second tour! Thank you so much for joining us again. We're delighted that you enjoyed the experience enough to return a few weeks later, and we're especially glad our crew made the second visit just as memorable. We love that you enjoyed the musical spirit and personality of our crew. A good song, a few stories and plenty of Newfoundland banter are all part of the fun when you're out on the water with us! Thank you for recommending us and for sailing with our family. We hope you'll come back for a third visit someday! Safe travels, Claire
Overall a very well-done tour. We were warned that in mid-August whale were not a guarantee, but we did manage to get a decent view of one early on. The bird viewing is very good and impressive. The staff and guides are quite engaging and make the whole trip interesting and fun. Highly recommend.
Hi Asterix, Thank you for such a thoughtful review and recommendation! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour and that you managed to get a good look at a whale early in the trip. By mid-August, the whales are definitely less predictable, so we're happy one decided to make an appearance for you! What a BONUS! I'm thrilled you enjoyed seeing the millions of seabirds. Seeing hundreds of thousands of puffins alongside all the other seabirds around Gull Island really is something special. Our guides will also be delighted to hear that their stories, knowledge and humour helped keep the trip interesting and fun. Thanks for coming aboard and for sharing your experience with us. We're so glad you enjoyed your time on the water! Safe travels, Claire
Should be called bird and fog viewing
Unfortunately fog is beyond our control as most people understand! We try our very best to provide a great experience in a natural environment including the weather which can be less than perfect on occasion. Fog is part of the maritime climate especially in coastal regions of the North Atlantic. Too bad you let the weather dampen your spirits -- it doesn't dampen our enthusiasm to share our passion for the marine world :)
Superb experience despite the fog and the absent whales. The whole crew is passionate, very interesting information about the region's wildlife, a touch of humor, and beautiful songs. I recommend it!
Bonjour! Merci for this wonderful review! We're delighted you enjoyed your experience with us, even with the fog and the whales deciding to keep their distance. Nature keeps its own schedule, but there is always plenty to discover out on the water! We're especially happy to hear you enjoyed the crew's passion, knowledge, humour and singing. Our guides love sharing the wildlife and stories of this special part of Newfoundland, and we're glad that came through during your visit. Thank you for choosing Gatherall's and for the recommendation! We hope to welcome you aboard again someday. Safe travels, Claire
Very simple to book online. The boat tour was great. Friendly staff. Gift shop was amazing and great prices. I wish I had bought more.
Hi Rhoan, Thank you for the lovely review! We're so glad you enjoyed your time on the water and found our crew friendly and welcoming. Mrs. G will be especially happy to hear the gift shop caught your eye! She has so many years of experience working with local artists and selecting the best pieces of art to create lasting memories of the area. We're delighted you had a great day with us, and we hope you went home with plenty of puffin memories, even if you left a few gift shop treasures behind! Safe travels, Claire
Excellent guides, answering questions and giving information on the birds, whales and area. It was foggy but we still saw Puffins, whales and a multitude of other birds. The crew navigated safely through the fog.
Hey there! Thank you very much for taking the time to leave such a kind review! We're so glad the puffins, whales and all those other seabirds made an appearance, even with a bit of Newfoundland fog rolling in. It sounds like Mother Nature gave you the full North Atlantic experience! Our crew will be thrilled to hear you appreciated their knowledge and the way they kept everyone informed throughout the trip. Fog can certainly make for some atmospheric scenery, and we're pleased you felt safe and well looked after as we navigated through it. There's something pretty special about seeing puffins appear out of the mist, and we're delighted you got to experience it. Thanks for coming aboard and sharing your day with us! Safe travels, Claire
