Whales

As they force their way through submarine canyons, the bay’s enormous currents create cold-water upwellings which give rise to an abundance of food for marine life – and an all-you-can-eat plankton buffet. The result is one of the world’s greatest and most accessible concentrations of whales, dolphins and porpoises.

Humpback, fin, minke, and the extremely rare North Atlantic right whale - of which only 400 are thought to remain on the planet - all congregate here between late May and December to feed, nurse their young,  and socialize. Whales apart, rich Atlantic herring resources attract one of the highest concentrations of harbour porpoises in the world to the Bay of Fundy.  

A whale-watching boat tour to see the cetaceans – whether by inflatable Zodiac, tall ship, catamaran, yacht or converted fishing boat – is likely to be the highlight of your visit to New Brunswick, and an experience that will leave a lasting impression. As experienced captains navigate a course through nutrient-rich waters, naturalist guides or marine biologists will tell you who’s who in the world of marine mammals. However, you won’t need their help to enjoy the awesome spectacle of a 15m humpback whale breaching (leaping out of the water) off the starboard bow, or seeing immense, black tail flukes disappearing beneath the water’s surface.  As your vessel heads back for port, you may be in for another treat - white-beaked or Atlantic white-sided dolphins may accompany you back, riding on the boat's bow wave.

In addition to humpback, fin, minke, and North Atlantic right whales, harbour porpoises, and white-beaked and Atlantic white-sided dolphins, sei, sperm, pilot, orca, blue, beaked and beluga whales may be seen (although some more frequently than others). The mighty blue whale is, of course, the largest leviathan of all, and is the world’s largest sentient creature.

Boat tours leave from Grand Manan Island, Campobello Island and St Andrews By-The-Sea between mid June and late September. In New Brunswick, we go to great lengths to ensure the preservation of wilderness, whales and other wildlife, and in order to ensure the safety and preservation of our precious wildlife, all whale tour vessels adhere to a strict Code of Ethics.