Dolphin, harbour porpoise or…fish ?

When a large blow is seen offshore, it is certain that it is a cetacean! In Gaspé Bay, between 7 and 8 humpback whales delight visitors, not to mention the two fin whales, minke whales and harbour porpoises in abundance, while blue whales are still to be seen. They have not yet been observed since the beginning of the season in the area.

On the North Shore, in Franquelin, minke whales, harbour porpoises and grey seals were observed. However, other species caught the attention of observers. Through the fog, a sound breath is heard, probably a large whale. “Two pods of dolphins were moving at high speed, said an enthusiastic observer. It was beautiful, it made a big swirl in the water. They seemed to be heading towards Baie-Comeau, but they probably continued towards the estuary. ”

At Pointe-des-Monts, Friday August 26 was a great day of observation for marine mammals’ enthusiasts, who had the chance to cross paths with several humpback whales, including a mother-calf pair and several adults.

At the Mingan Island Cetacean Research Station (MICS), the presence of fog reduces the possibilities of observation. However, the team was able to spot 4 fin whales, 3-4 minke whales, between 20 and 25 white-sided dolphins as well as hundreds, if not thousands, of harbour porpoises.

Near Havre-Saint-Pierre, boaters have the chance to see humpback whales. “All of a sudden, I hear a blow in the distance. It’s certain, it’s that of a large whale. I can’t see where it’s coming from. We hear it again and we see a blow and a whale jump out of the water. Finally, I see them with binoculars. There are two of them: one makes another jump, the other hits the water with its pectoral fin. Wow! Then they dive one after the other, raising their tails.” The presence of orcas also allows a few lucky observers to capture some great shots.

Going eastward, in Essipit, an observer had the opportunity to admire groups of belugas. She also saw humpback whales for the first time: “They were very numerous. They were diving and showing their tails. It turned me upside down for hours, it was so beautiful. I was on the rock, on the shore, and you could hear the blows very well. It was an enchantment.

The humpback whale H858, alias Queen, was also observed in the fjord last week. Photographer and naturalist Renaud Pintiaux says: “Wonderful caudal fin. Wonderful white border on the trailing edge of the external caudal. We spotted it this morning near Pointe Rouge in Tadoussac. He then made an appearance… in the bay of Tadoussac before entering the Saguenay Fjord and staying for most of the day!” The photographer also had the chance to observe “a few beluga whales, a large herd of grey seals and a minke whale under the sun.” The humpback whale H858, alias Queen, can be distinguished by its predominantly white caudal fin with a black line on the right lobe.