Whale Watching In Tadoussac, Canada

My friends in England told me that if I was keen on watching whales in Canada, then I must head off to Tadoussac, a tiny town situated near  the Saguenay and St Laurence rivers. My friend Maxine with whom I stayed with in Quebec echoed this sentiment saying it’s a worthwhile visit. Maxine is a keen sea kayaker and her whale encounter tales kept me entertained for a whole evening.

Tourists flock to this small town in droves, and what draws them is the presence of whales or baleines as the locals say in French. The Zodiac boats zip along the sea in search of belugas, minkes and humpback whales, while passengers gasp in wonder at these magnificent sea creatures.

Whale watching from a Zodiac

There are other activities such as sea kayaking, surf biking, walking by the dunes and spending time in the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre or better known as the Whale Museum. The numbers of campers during the peak season pass the time in the evenings gathered round a camp fire swapping tales of whale sightings. I got invited to join some of them for an evening barbecue. The impromptu camaraderie made it an excellent way of passing the time while tucking into a smoky spare rib or two.

 I loved the small town feel of Tadoussac and the locals were very friendly. I tried to brush up on my school girl French before I went there which seemed to work some of the time, but it left quite a few people thoroughly confused. Nevertheless, I got my tickets and pulled on my wet-suit hoping to see the whales.

Remembering to wrap up really warmly when out on a boat or Zodiac is important as the temperature can drop several degrees out at sea.  After a while, we were rewarded with the sight of a humpback doing a roll. Another came quite close to the boat and dived. Perhaps it was the unexpectedness of the event that made me feel quite emotional and soon there were tears rolling down my cheeks and plopping down onto my jacket.  I had so longed to see whales in their natural habitat that the fulfillment of that dream made me experience an emotion I could not quite fathom.

The next morning tucking into a traditional Quebecois breakfast of crepes, I talked to a retired Dutch doctor and his family.  I will never forget his advice to me, “Follow your heart Sheona and choose your next career with care.” It was definitely something to ponder on as I waited for the ferry to take me to Trois Rivieres.

If you are interested in whale watching in Canada here is a list of the best places:

      

Whale watching boat Tadoussac

• Tadoussac, Quebec  
• Digby Neck, Nova Scotia
• Witless Bay, Newfoundland
• Crepe Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia
• Robson Bright, British Columbia
• Tofino, British Columbia
• Churchill, Manitoba