Many of these birds spend the winter at sea and come to the shores of the Irish Loop only to breed and raise their young. The Whales visit here awhile on their annual migration from warm southern waters to their summer homes in the high arctic. Off Newfoundland's south and east coasts are the grand banks, one of the world's richest fishing grounds. Warm water from the Gulf Stream mixes with the cold flow of the Labrador Current on the shallow Banks to create an ideal nursery for all types of ocean life. When the caplin move inshore, cod and other fish follow them.
Whales come near shore in late spring and early summer on their way to the Arctic.
Over a dozen species of whales visit Newfoundland waters but the humpback and the minke are the most commonly seen is this reserve. Humpbacks can weigh 30 tonnes yet are very graceful. They'll go below the waves for a while, then may surface with a whoosh from the blowhole. Sometimes they will come close to the boat and look up at all onboard. Sometimes one may jump out of the water and land with a big splash.