Tuque, mittens, binoculars, one field guide for birds and another for whales: a couple is gearing up for a road trip to the Gasp\u00e9 for the long weekend. They are encouraged by the observations that have been reported in recent days. Whales have begun to return to their summer quarters in the St. Lawrence, from the Estuary to the Gulf.<\/p>\n
On April 14, a hiker visits the Grande-Grave<\/b> sector in Forillon National Park<\/b>. Other visitors report three whales in the bay. \u201cTheir spouts were wide and low. I could see their back and tail, but not the colour pattern under the tail,\u201d she mentions. It is likely that she observed humpback whales. About 10 kilometres from Grande-Grave, at Cap-aux-Os<\/b>, a humpback whale swims close to shore. The following day, a third observer mentions three humpback whales in Gasp\u00e9 Bay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Where are these animals coming from? In winter, humpbacks migrate to the Caribbean to breed. During this period, they feed very little or not at all. In spring, they return to their feeding grounds to recharge their batteries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In both Penouille<\/b> and Sandy Beach<\/b>, on either sides of Gasp\u00e9 Bay, numerous seals are basking on the last remnants of ice. Seals come out of the water to rest, moult or just to warm up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n East of \u00cele Grosse Boule, off Sept-\u00celes<\/b>, a tall spout erupts. A large whale is swimming slowly near the surface. Its size suggests that it\u2019s a blue whale. This species is also migratory, but we\u2019ve been receiving reports of blue whales almost all winter long. Which just goes to show that there\u2019s a lot we still don\u2019t fully understand when it comes to whale movements.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n