HUMPBACKS EVERYWHERE! It has been a great couple of weeks for whale watching as many humpbacks are feeding and frolicking off of Brier Island. The sightings include mother and calf pairs and other species seen have been minke and fin whales, dolphins and even a school of tuna. The birds have been actively feeding as well and some days the water has been dancing with feed. Hurricane Bill fortunately did not impact the islands with damaging winds, although coupled with a surge and high tides, the seas were rough. The ocean rolled and crashed onto the shores and waves drew onlookers and made for awesome photographs and salty faces. Whale watching was of course cancelled for a couple of days. The weather now feels rather fall like but the whales don't mind, as evidenced by their continuing activity in the bay.

Sunset over the village of Westport, Brier Island, late August 2009.

The "Chad & Sisters II" in Westport's harbour.

Playful humpback!

Humpbacks lunge feeding not far from shore.

The Bay of Fundy Inn

Northern Point at sunset, as seen from the "Chad & Sisters II"

Brier Island was a windy place to be when a small hurricane traveled up along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia. It was a wonderful wave watching day!

The waterfront building where Capt. Joshua Slocum worked as a youth helping his father make fishermens boots.

The lighthouse at Northern Point emerges from the Bay of Fundy fog.

The Mariner Cruises vessel "Chad & Sisters II"

Although July is one of the months of summer, its weather this year was decidedly not summerlike. Foggy, cool and wet days for most of the month didn't keep the whales away, however, and humpback, minke, and fin whales were present in the bay and a large variety of seabirds, including dovekies and a skua. An ocean sunfish was seen on one of the tours in mid July and more recently we had a porbeagle shark sighted on a tour. August has been sunny and warm so far, with the odd fog day, and the waters around Brier Island are now busy with a number of humpback whales sticking around the area. A sunset cruise earlier in the week was the best trip of the season so far and one of the whales, a humpback named Bungee, was especially friendly and active. Passengers got a great trip that evening and surely some fantastic photos, as well as the "delightful" spray of whale breath, will provide them with memories for years to come.

Graceful greeting... a humpback extends its flipper skyward.

Summer sunset, photographed by Penny during a sunset tour in early August.

A whale brings its tail out of the water close to the Mariner Cruises vessel "Chad & Sisters II", while in the background people on a fishing boat also view the grand ocean mammal.

It looks like a waterfall is cascading down over this whale's tail.

Humpback at play, waving its flippers about.

Backstroke!

Close approach!

Humpback Pair