Sunday, May 15, 2011

A Great Way to Start 2011!




Whale watching in the Bay of Fundy has begun and off to a great start. Our first cruise was on May 14, 2011. Captain Jamie headed out towards the ledges just off Brier Island in search of cetaceans. About 6 miles out, he spotted a large back roll in the water and as he approached he determined that it was a fin whale, the largest baleen whale that we see here in the Bay of Fundy. This species can reach lengths of 25 metres! As they watched this lone whale, it would roll on its side and rush at its prey of krill and herring with its huge mouth agape, capturing its prey. What an awesome sight!



The Bay of Fundy is a summer feeding ground for many species of cetaceans (Whales, dolphins and porpoises) and seabirds. The Bay's strong tides drives nutrients to the surface, which feed the plankton, whcih then attracts small schooling fish on which the cetaceans and birds feed upon.