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travel / great places / cg recommends / whales
| CG Recommends |
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Whale-Watching along the St. Lawrence River
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Three whales coming up for air. |
Although we usually spend our summer vacations close to our home in
Ottawa, my fiancé and I decided a few summers ago to pack up
and head to Quebec's Charlevoix region to go whale-watching during the
best whale-sighting period, in August. We arranged a package that included
two-night's stay in a local hotel and a three-hour whale-watching tour
in the St. Lawrence River.
The eight-hour trip from Ottawa was
long but the scenic route through the Laurentian Mountains was
quite beautiful, with lush farms stretching to the river, and
ear-popping climbs up steep mountain roads led to stunning valley
views on the other side.
The first night, when we went to bed,
the vision of the spectacular sunset reflecting in the river
was in my head. I was surprised when I awoke to a muddy, smelly
shoreline, but soon realized the river experiences tidal fluctuations
like any other seashore.
We had signed up with a popular tour
company in the region called the "Famille Dufour."
The boat left at 11 a.m. and it took about an hour to reach the
sightseeing area, where it looked like three different water
colours came together: aqua, purple and almost black. The guide
on board explained that whales often converged here, where the
salty waters of the Atlantic Ocean mixed with the freshwater
of the St. Lawrence, in an ecological zone called an estuary.
It is in this zone that whales come to gorge themselves and accumulate
fat stores before their long journey to warmer waters for the
winter. The guide also told us that when glaciers retreated from
the area thousands of years ago, it left a submerged rock wall
which traps the whales' shrimp-like food, called krill. The whales
have a ready-made meal!
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Zodiac boat circles whale
as it surfaces. |
We managed
to see a number of humpback whales, travelling in groups of three
or five come to the surface for air, then submerge to search
for food. A giant spray of water signalled that a whale was about
to emerge from the depths. They were so methodical, they almost
seemed to be performing for us. We also caught a glimpse of one
whale doing a dolphin dive through the water, and I really got
a sense of how huge a 70-tonne mammal really is! For a higher
price, you can board a Zodiac inflatable boat and zip out even
closer to the whales. (The whales are carefully protected and
all tour boats are regulated to keep quite a distance from the
animals, so as not to disturb them; inflatable boats can go closer.)
From a distance, we could see the Zodiac riders being sprayed
and jostled around by the waves generated by the mammoths.
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| Canyon Mont Ste-Anne |
Even in August, the strong winds and
cool water made for a chilly ride on the boat. If you go, be
prepared for fall-like temperatures. You will also want a wind-breaker
and maybe even rain gear. (Also: don't forget your camera!)
On the way home, we stopped to see the
Mont Ste-Anne canyon, where a towering waterfall spews from the
mountains. We spent some time walking around the paths that wind
through the area. We then stayed overnight in historic Quebec
City, where you feel as if you've been transported back hundreds
of years. The narrow roads are lined with quaint stone buildings,
and the restaurants are wonderful -- especially in the summer
months, when all the windows are opened and the streets are full
of outdoor diners.
I highly recommend the trip to anyone
who is interested in wildlife. It is truly awe-inspiring to see
the giants of the sea in action: it makes you appreciate them
and understand how important it is to help preserve them.
Céline Parisien, graphic designer
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