Early in the morning just off the village of Saint-Augustin, we know we have arrived in an area full of whales. Even with our eyes closed, it is not hard to guess this because we can hear the whales breathing close by with their noisy wet blows into the air. The coastal countryside at this hour is fresh and wonderful, and the sea is smooth like oil. The calm sea helps us to see the whales very well, and to observe their behavior. Far away on our tribord, we can distinguish the mountainous coast of Newfoundland, Canada’s tenth province.

The weather is very clear. Everybody on board is branle-bas de combat with cameras and video cameras to catch the exciting moments. On this morning, we see mainly humpback whales, and identify some cows with their calves. Our naturalist tells us that they have been in the area for the last three months, and the calves are about five months old. They are usually born in the tropical waters off the Atlantic coast near the Dominican Republic before accompanying their mothers north to the summer feeding grounds.

Suddenly, the whales begin breaching, and we count 40 times that they jump in this way to break the surface of the water. We are mesmerized for two hours by these beautiful giants of the sea, and then continue on our trip to Blanc-Sablon, counting 30 more humpback whales on our way.

Wildlife is Guaranteed!

The lower St. Lawrence River and its island-dotted extension into the Gulf of St. Lawrence is a rich ecosystem of marine life, especially the highly visible marine mammals and the colorful, noisy sea birds that accompany every venture. Small towns and villages along the coasts of this historic piece of Canada also add a strong cultural interest to every itinerary. In 1998 Écomertours Nord-Sud’s co-owner, Linda Jones, refitted a former Canadian coast guard vessel into a vacation vessel. She launched a series of multi-day eco-cruises from her home city of Rimouski to reveal the essence of this region to ecotourists. Visitors from around the world come to experience nature and the distinctive Quebec culture in a comfortable and pleasant way.

Two days after our departure at the Rimouski-Est harbor, our ship, Écho des Mers, sails around the rocky Saint-Mary’s Islands to observe nest sites that are home to about 10 species of seabirds. The 170-foot long ship maneuvers easily as Canadian bird expert, Jacques Larivée, comes aboard armed with his binoculars to help guests understand everything about the birds now flying around and above the ship.

We land at one of the Mingan Archipelago where impressive limestone monoliths, sea-carved over many centuries, now guard rocky beaches along the shore. And we sail close, but not too close, to bird nesting cliffs near Riviere-aux-Saumons on Anticosti Island and around the Île aux Perroquets (Parrots Island) in the Mingan Islands Reserve. Sea parrot is the local name for puffin.

When we sail into the more arctic waters of the Strait of Belle-Isle near Newfoundland, we encounter many more polar birds, such as jaegers and petrels, as well as our old friends, the gannets, which have stayed with the ship.

Coastal Villages

One of the many distinctive coastal villages is Harrington Harbour, population 290 and almost all Anglophone or of English-speaking heritage. Protected from the wind by several small islands, this uniquely beautiful port’s well-kept pastel and white buildings are linked by long wooden sidewalks in place of roads, and tiny bridges across gullies and coves.

But of course the marine mammals must be the highlight for me on this cruise, with hundreds of them “porpoising” around our ship: minke whales, fin whales (the second largest animals in the world), and harbor porpoises. Two species of dolphins also thrive in the St. Lawrence’s chilly waters: the Atlantic white-sided dolphin and the white beaked dolphin. Other species to be seen - sadly extinct today in this area – once included the bowhead whales and right whales. It is a good thing that whales are now protected in Canadian waters.

Since I observe and write about marine mammals all over the world, I can say very truthfully that the Gulf of St. Lawrence is one of the best places to observe them without disturbance.

Jean-Pierre Sylvestre is one of France’s and Canada’s most renowned marine mammal photojournalists.