Stand on the rocks below the old chapel at Tadoussac in July and you will see it within the hour: a slow, grey back rolling out of the water, a puff of breath that hangs in the air, and the small dorsal fin of a minke whale working the tide line where the Saguenay River pours into the St. Lawrence. This is one of the few places on Earth where you can watch large whales from shore, on foot, without a ticket. The reason is geography, and understanding it makes the whole trip better.
Why the whales come here
Tadoussac sits 215 kilometres northeast of Quebec City, at the mouth of a fjord that runs more than 100 kilometres inland. The Saguenay’s dark, fresh water is lighter than the cold salt water of the St. Lawrence estuary, and where the two meet, deep water is forced to the surface. Along with it come krill and small fish, capelin and sand lance in particular, in enormous quantities. The whales follow the food. Every summer, minke whales, fin whales, humpbacks and a handful of blue whales work this stretch of the estuary from the Saguenay to Les Escoumins, and a resident population of belugas lives here all year.
The blue whale is the one everyone hopes for. At up to 30 metres and more than 100 tonnes, it is the largest animal that has ever lived, and the St. Lawrence is one of the few places where it feeds close to a coast. Sightings are never guaranteed, but August and September are the months with the best odds.
The belugas of the St. Lawrence
The belugas are different. They do not migrate. Around 900 of them live in the estuary, a population isolated from the Arctic since the last ice age and listed as endangered. White as adults, grey as calves, they travel in pods and have a habit of surfacing in the Saguenay fjord itself, often close to the ferry crossing at Baie-Sainte-Catherine. Because their numbers are fragile, they are the most protected animals in the region. Boats must keep well clear, and tour boats are not allowed to seek them out. If a pod surfaces near your boat, the captain will cut the engine and wait for them to pass. Seeing them from shore, particularly from the dunes east of the village or from the lookout at Pointe-Noire, is both allowed and, in our experience, more rewarding.
The marine park and its rules
The Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, created in 1998, covers about 1,245 square kilometres of water and is managed jointly by federal and provincial authorities. Its regulations govern every vessel on the water, including kayaks. In general terms, boats must keep at least 200 metres from most whales and at least 400 metres from belugas and from any whale of a species listed as endangered, which includes the blue whale. Boats may not chase, encircle or cut off an animal, there is a cap on the number of vessels around a single whale at once, and speed is limited in the most sensitive zones. Permitted tour boats carry a park licence and a naturalist on board. If you rent a kayak or bring your own boat, the same distances apply to you.
The rules exist because the whales here are watched intensely, from May to October, by a great many people. They work. The animals keep coming back.
Zodiac, big boat, or just the shore
There are three ways to do this. The first is a Zodiac, an open inflatable seating a dozen people that gets you low to the water and moves quickly to wherever the blows are. It is the most exciting option and the coldest. The second is a larger boat with an enclosed cabin, slower and steadier, better for children and for anyone who gets seasick, with a naturalist commentary and a place to warm up. Trips of either kind last two to three hours and leave from the Tadoussac wharf and from Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Les Bergeronnes and Les Escoumins.
The third way costs nothing. The shoreline between Tadoussac and Les Escoumins is dotted with rocky points where the deep channel runs close to land. The interpretation site at Cap-de-Bon-Desir, about 25 kilometres northeast of the village, has naturalists on the rocks in summer and regular minke and fin whale sightings. In Tadoussac itself, the rocks below the marina and the trail around the Pointe de l’Islet are reliable spots at high tide. Bring binoculars and patience, and sit for an hour. We have seen more whales from the rocks on a calm evening than from some boat trips.
Season, timing and the tide
The whale-watching season runs from May to October, with boats operating daily from June. Early summer brings the minkes and the first fin whales; July and August are the busiest months for both whales and visitors; September and early October combine the best chance of a blue whale with thinning crowds and the colour of the maples on the fjord walls. Morning departures usually have calmer water. Check the tide as well: many shore sightings happen on a rising tide, when the current pushes food against the points.
Getting there is part of it. From Quebec City follow the north shore of the river through Baie-Saint-Paul and La Malbaie, and at Baie-Sainte-Catherine board the free ferry across the mouth of the Saguenay. The crossing takes about ten minutes and runs around the clock. Keep your eyes on the water; belugas and minkes are often seen from the ferry deck.
Dress for the water, not the village
The surface temperature of the estuary rarely rises above 5 or 6 degrees even in August, and the air on an open boat is often ten degrees colder than it is on the wharf. A sunny 24-degree afternoon in the village is a shivering 12 degrees at speed on a Zodiac, with spray. Operators supply flotation suits for Zodiac trips, but wear a wool layer, a windproof shell, a hat and gloves underneath, and put your camera in a dry bag. On the larger boats, bring the same layers and go outside anyway; the whales will not come to the cabin window.
For shore watching, the rocks are exposed and the wind off the water is constant. A thermos, a folding pad to sit on and something warm to wear are the only equipment you need. Then wait. The first blow you hear before you see it is a sound you will not forget.