Capturing the Moment

Near miss in the fog Minke whale sighted!   I was pretty skeptical about our chances when we arrived at the harbor and we couldn't even see the boats on the dock. The fog was so intense that we could have played a game of hide-n-seek and the seeker would have had no chance. In reality the visibility was about 50 yards, and with the approach regulations inside the marine park being no closer than 200 yards I figured our chances were pretty much nil. But the crew surprised me and with a little help found us some whales! Horror Movie villain? The gang ready to go   Tadoussac is a tiny town in French Quebec, Canada where the Saguenay Fjord empties into the St Lawrence Sea Way. Its hard to understand how whales are here unless you zoom way out on the globe and see that the whales have an easy opening to the sea. They come here in the summer months for good feeding. 13 different species have been seen here, but I feel pretty lucky to have even seen one of those spe...

Motel de l'Anse a l'eau After all my stories of visiting Tadoussac for whale watching in the past, it was about time I take some family up that way. So this past week my mother, sister, and brother in law all made the trip up to Vermont where we piled into a rental car and hit the road for the 7+ hour road trip up into Canada. It was a beautiful drive through French Quebec past rolling farm lands and sparkling water of the St Lawrence. We finally made it to the ferry which took us across the Saguenay River into the quaint little town of Tadoussac. This town is filled with cute, French style eateries and small boutiques. Old wrought iron lamppost dot the streets and walkways while the impressive Hotel Tadoussac dominates the waterfront.  We stayed at the quaint Motel de l'Anse a l'eau, which I think means 'from the cove to the water.'   Most visitors to Tadoussac come for the whale watching in the Parc Marin du Saguenay-Saint-Laurent. Beluga whales...

Aboard the Safari Quest Safari Quest running the Malibu narrows Taking it all in from the top deck Cruising through the yachters paradise of British Columbia can be a addictive calling. Smooth waters, deep fjords, dense forest, and tumbling waterfalls await those willing to head out from the dock. You leave civilization behind and retrace the routes of ancient explorers like Juan de Fuca, Captain Cook, and Admirable Vancouver. The islands are crisscrossed with trails that can take you through old growth forest that was standing when those same explorers came through. The sunsets bathe the sky in a multitude of colors and wildlife abounds, even for the untrained eye. Follow this link to check out another post about this area called Into the Mist .    The area does not come without its dangers. The weather can turn in a matter of minutes, so keeping a rain jacket handy is never a bad idea. It is easy to want to walk quietly by yourself in the woods but yo...

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 ...

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 creat...