Gaspar, Guadeloupe and Aramis Put on a Show!

From the shores of Cap de Bon-Désir in Les Bergeronnes, both residents and tourists passing through were able to admire marine mammals. Their checklists included harbour seals, grey seals, belugas, harbour porpoises and minke whales. Not far from Les Escoumins, one resident reports having observed two humpback whales, three fin whales, three minke whales, a dozen or so harbour porpoises and a few grey and harbour seals over the past few days.

It was a quiet evening characterized by a calm river and late day heat when a group of residents was able to track a passing minke whale from the Cap-à-l’Aigle marina in La Malbaie. Although this vantage point offers a good field of view, the animal was only seen once breathing on the surface before it disappeared. A harbour seal was also swimming in the vicinity. In the cove known as Anse de Roche in Sacré-Coeur, a small harbour seal was spotted.

A little farther down the St. Lawrence, about four humpbacks were seen off the coast of Ragueneau. In Franquelin, cetaceans and pinnipeds have also been present! One marine mammal enthusiast was lucky enough to see a large rorqual foraging: “A fin whale seemed to be feeding by diving in one direction, then in the other direction in a series of laps, back and forth. I was elated!” Beyond that, other marine fauna was also very active: “a grey seal was diving along the shore, apparently also in feeding mode. Also, a minke whale made a quick appearance 20 metres from shore, I saw it just once thereafter toward the end of the bay where I am. Then a harbour seal poked its head out 5 metres from the water’s edge, staring straight at me and sniffing my scent that it was able to pick up in the light breeze.” Another observer reports the presence of a humpback whale, two fin whales, grey seals and harbour porpoises in the area.

At Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan, staff from the Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) was able to spot eight fin whales and one humpback. Harbour seals and harbour porpoises were also sighted in Havre-Saint-Pierre.

On the south shore, belugas were spotted in both Kamouraska and Matane. Out in Gaspé Bay, harbour seals have been swimming in the area, but it was a basking shark that stole the show! Measuring approximately 10 metres long, the basking shark is the second largest shark in the world. It is also a filter feeder, feeding on plankton in much the same way as certain rorquals. The basking shark is one of seven species of sharks found in the St. Lawrence. Learn more about the species on the St. Lawrence Shark Observatory website. Humpback whales and a few seals were also reported. In short, we feel that the season is finally well underway!