Whale Geeks Unite!
Whale watching in Trinity isn’t just about unforgettable moments on the water; it’s also about contributing to something much bigger. At Sea of Whales, every tour we run on the Bonavista peninsula supports ongoing whale research efforts that connect our local waters to a global scientific community. Through photo-identification and long-term partnerships with researchers around the world, the whales we see here help tell a much larger story about migration, behaviour, and conservation.
That connection became especially meaningful for us this fall, when we had the opportunity to travel beyond Trinity and join researchers, whale watchers, and conservationists from around the world at the Humpback Whale World Congress.
Humpback Whale World Congress
Early in the season, we were talking to one of our research partners when she asked if we were attending the Humpback Whale World Congress in Tadoussac. We hadn’t even heard about it — and it was being hosted in Canada for the first time! AND it was happening just after the end of our season. We decided to do it!
Kris and I flew to Quebec City and drove to Tadoussac. It was a beautiful drive, with fall colours through farmland and cute little villages. Tadoussac is a town nestled at the place where the Saguenay River and St Lawrence River meet. This area is a hot spot for whales and whale watchers and located within the Saguenay-Saint-Laurent Marine Park. We were heading straight to a whale watching excursion, with colleagues from Turks and Caicos, with a company called Tadoussac Autrement.
After working together for a few years and chatting multiple times a week, it was such fun to meet up with our friends from Turks and Caicos. We also got to meet up with friends that they had travelled with who are also whale watchers and researchers, who soon became our friends too.
We hopped aboard Tadoussac Autrement’s boat, which is a 24 passenger vessel that’s fully glassed in with comfy airplane seats. It was a cool and damp fall day. We were grateful to be able to get in out of the weather when we got cold, but spent much of our time on the back deck of the boat looking for whales and chatting with their naturalist. We saw a couple of well known fin whales on our tour. We finished the first day off with the welcome reception, and dinner with our whale crew.
Whale watching from shore
The next morning we were up early and headed to a hiking trail near our hotel where we had been told whales can be seen from shore. They were right! We saw minkes on that day! We decided that this would be our morning ritual and continued to meet early in the lobby to see what we could see. On one of those early morning hikes, we were even treated to a beluga whale and her calf.
At the local pub, we watched a screening of our friend Andrew Stevenson’s new film on Humpbacks of the Sargasso Sea. It’s beautiful! Stay tuned for our post about it, with details on where and how to watch, when it is released.
A highlight for us was when work that we have been able to contribute to was presented by both Cathy McClain Bacon and Andrew Stevenson. There didn’t seem to be enough time during the summer to pull together a presentation of our own but will work on that for next time!
At the end of a long afternoon of sessions a few days later, we headed out whale watching with a different company, Croisieres AML. This company offers a few different options and we opted for the smaller boat experience with just 60 passengers. (Their other boat takes hundreds!) This time we saw fin whales, minke whales, beluga whales, and seals. We also ventured into the Saugenay fjord – such fun!
Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre
One evening, we were hosted at the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre. This was such an amazing place with wonderful interpretation. So well done! We enjoyed learning more about anatomy and physiology of whales and seeing the skeletons that they had on display there.
The sessions were so great! We learned so much about humpback whales! Everything from anatomy, physiology, and genetics to new conservation measures and challenges. The connections that we made with people that we have known only by name through research papers and emails and others from around the world really enriched this experience.
Throughout the conference, we made new friends, new research connections, recharged, and learned so much. It was fun to see how other whale watching companies and areas operate. We have never done that before. Having the opportunity to hang out with so many like minded people was uplifting and inspiring. It was our first experience like this but it will most certainly not be our last! We cannot wait to share all that we have learned with you.
Support global whale research
When you join us whale watching in Trinity, you’re helping support research, conservation, and collaboration that protects whales worldwide. We’re excited to bring what we’ve learned back home and to share it with everyone who steps aboard our boat. The whales we meet here have stories that travel far — and we’re proud to help tell them!
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