Encounter stunning whales in New Brunswick

You’ll meet a lot of friendly characters on any visit to New Brunswick. This includes the locals who wave good morning to you on the road, the tour guides who share their pride in the beautiful province, and it will also include the 12 species of whales that live off the coast in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence.

These marine mammals are gentle giants, more than willing to share the waters with boats and the eager visitors who want to say hello. It’s hard to describe the feeling of seeing a 12m (40ft) whale surface next to you and blow a misty spout of water over your head. Seeing that split tail rise out of the bay, hearing it slap against the water, there’s just nothing else in the world quite like it.

There are a number of ways to experience whale-watching, all of which will take you on an unforgettable first date with these massive animals.

Adventurers might encounter whales while in a speedy Tide Runner, a 24-foot rigid hulled Zodiac Hurricane™, which takes you into the whale feeding grounds. But the real excitement hits when a 20-metre finback whale sends a 10-metre-high spout of salty water into the air and the wind tosses it right back into the boat. That’s what the old salts call a ‘Fundy facial!’

Maybe you’d rather travel back in time, and experience the same wonder at seeing whales as some of the first European explorers. Hop on a replica tall ship from the 19th century, the Jolly Breeze. Set your sails and see if you can’t spot a marine wonder from the deck.

No matter how you choose to experience New Brunswick’s whales, make sure you bring your camera for that Facebook-perfect shot. But even if you forget, don’t worry, these are memories which will last a lifetime.