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Home to over eight species of whales and a whale population that can exceed 300 at any one time, the Bay of Fundy is a fantastic destination for whale watchers. Bay of Fundy whale watching tours are run out of St. Andrews, Grand Manan and Campobello Island in New Brunswick and out of various harbours near Digby, Nova Scotia. The whale watching season extends from the middle of June to the end of September and depending on weather, tours can still operate into October. The best month to see whales and other wildlife is August.
Even in the summer heat the waters of the Bay of Fundy can be as cold as 2 degrees Celsius (36 degrees Fahrenheit) which can result in cool ocean breezes. Warm clothing layers are highly recommended. How cold the whale watching experience can be varies on what type of vessel is used for the tour.
The Vessels
A whale watching tour experience can differ depending on the type of vessel used. There are four main types of vessels used: converted fishing boats, catamarans, sailing vessels and zodiacs. Converted fishing boats and catamarans are the best vessels to provide shelter from the cool Bay breezes and other weather elements.
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However, the sailing and zodiac vessels offer a more unique whale watching experience. The Zodiac can travel faster and cover more area and can offer a more intimate interaction with whales and other wildlife encountered during a tour. |
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The Whales
A whale watcher in the Bay of Fundy has the opportunity to see not only more whales than in other destinations, but more variety. Whale watching tours have the opportunity to encounter the following whales:
- Humpback whales
- Blue whales
- Fin whales
- Northern Right whales
- Minke whales
- Beluga whales
- Long Finned Pilot Whales
- Atlantic White-Sided Dolphins
The most commonly seen in the Bay of Fundy are Fin, Minke, Humpback and Northern Right whales.
The Wildlife
Each whale watching tour will not only provide the opportunity to view whales, but will point out other wildlife along the way. Tours will often travel past small islands occupied by rare migrating birds such as phalarops, storm petrels, shearwaters, puffins and more. The Bay of Fundy is also the best place in the world to see harbour porpoises.
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