Capturing the Moment

Cute BnB's are the way to stay in Tadoussac    Tadoussac is a small town about three hours drive north from Quebec City deep in the heart of French Canada. Nestled in the hills where the St Lawrence waterway meets the only fjord on the east coast of North America, the Saguenay. Because of this ideal location Tadoussac was the first trading outpost set up by French explorers in New France. Nowadays tourists flock to the rugged village for its quaint beauty, easy hiking trails, and its facilities for whale watching. The main draw for me of course is the whales. Even though I get to see whales all the time in Alaska and Hawaii through my work I love experiences different whales in different parts of the world. Here in Tadoussac you can see not just humpbacks, but also blue, fin, minke, and beluga whales. Most are here in the height of summer for feeding on the upwelling just offshore, although the belugas live here year round. You can see the whales from shore but the best

Bridge at Low Tide Shubenackadie River Bridge High Tide    Having a background in marine biology and understanding the movements of the ocean better than most, I have always been drawn to the place where the biggest tides on Earth occur. That place is called the Bay of Fundy. It is located in between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick provinces of Canada. Here the tidal shift has been recorded at a whopping 50ft difference between high and low in a single day. High Tide Low Tide   Because of this phenomenon there are several places set up for viewing the tidal shift as well as a tidal wave, also called a tidal bore which rolls up the rivers and changes the direction they appear to be flowing. Rafter and Kayakers on the Tidal Bore Mom looking out Adventurous Kayaker heading out to the tidal bore    Adventurous kayakers and rafters on small dinghys line up, awaiting the tidal bore so they can ride the wave. Large standing waves are created as the river outflow

13km Confederation Bridge Ferry with bow up Ferry w/bow down     There are two ways to drive to Canada's Prince Edward Island, the 13 km Confederation Bridge, or the Confederation Ferry. My mother and I decided to try both. Driving in from Nova Scotia we watched as the bow of the ferry rose up allowing us and many other cars and trucks drive deep into the multi level bowels of the ship. It was about 70 minutes ride to the island. A few days later we headed off the island in very different fashion. The 13km Confederation bridge was hidden from view by fog until the last second but then the modern marvel of engineering was visible in all of its glory. It was like all the fog dissapated in the blink of an eye. The island that both of these choices leads to is one not to miss. Houses of bright colors, rolling farmlands, and famous local mussels are all in a days work here on Prince Edward Island.  The smallest of Canada's 13 provinces, Prince Edward Island, or P