Plentiful seals and extensive ice… But where are all the cetaceans?

“A beautiful sheet of ice, but not a single creature!” exclaims one woman from Charlevoix. In the Gaspé Peninsula, another resident makes a similar observation: “The bay is covered in snow and ice, but there haven’t been any sightings of marine mammals.” “It’s been very quiet at sea […]. Not even harbour seals. They must prefer to stay in the water, because it’s just too cold outside!” adds a resident of Gallix.

Nevertheless, nature offers other rewards for these avid observers, including Barrow’s goldeneye, evening grosbeaks, and the Northern Lights! Not far from Baie-Comeau, a fin whale was spotted offshore earlier this week by a marine mammal enthusiast.

“On Saturday, January 10, at dusk at the Natakam condos, I was looking for my first harp seals, but it was a big, beautiful harbour seal that was just chilling on a rocky point in the small cove right in front of the condos,” enthusiastically shares a resident of the Côte-Nord region. Not far from there, another dedicated observer also reports her seal sightings: “Harbour seals have been everywhere between Les Escoumins and Tadoussac, generally resting on the rocks or huddled together.”

As the sun begins to set, I head out for a walk near the ferry terminal in Les Escoumins, where in summer ferries provide service to Trois-Pistoles. At dusk, one can make out the sea ice in the distance and hear it crack now and again as one chunk collides with another. Occasional calls of birds can be heard as they dart across the sky.

“Near the drifting ice floes, a dark mass suddenly emerges from the water. A seal head! The animal—whose identity will remain a mystery due to the fading light—struggles to haul itself onto a chunk of ice. After a few attempts, it finally manages to get into a comfortable position… only to slip back into the water just seconds later. Perhaps it had other plans for the end of the evening. Then, with flocks of American black ducks flying overhead, I hear a strange cry that I don’t immediately recognize. What was going on?

Turning around, I spot a small, dark figure scurrying along the shore. It’s a fox! Nature is definitely full of surprises when you take the time to pause and appreciate them.