Minkes, fins, eagles and a basking shark - August 2, 2017

Good evening all, it’s Danielle with Quoddy Link Marine bringing you another update from the water thanks to Jolinne.

August 2nd, 2017
The morning departure we made our way straight offshore to the Wolves Bank. Once we slowed down we quickly got a look at a huge, at least 20ft, basking shark! This would be the first real sighting of a basking shark this season. The shark didn’t come too close to the surface before it sank and disappeared out of sight. We then continued to the two fin whales that were traveling slowly together. After some great looks at these whales we made our way into the islands and quickly got a look to a minke whale before we continued back to Saint Andrews.

The afternoon’s departure we stayed in the islands and got some amazing looks at two minke whales. The first minke kept surfacing near the catamaran. Every time we would turn around, it would once again surface near us! That’s not a problem we complain about, not being able to leave a whale. We eventually were able to make our way towards Slice, another minke whale. While doing so we quickly noticed that behind this minke whale we had at least 13 bald eagles on a rock ledge! There was a mixture of both adult and juvenile eagles.

On the evening departure we once again made our way to the Wolves Bank and watched the same two fin whales, which have been in that area for the past few days. There were also lots of seals and harbour porpoises nearby. With the departures that have been going offshore we are seeing lots of bird species also. There’s been more and more greater shearwaters, few sooty shearwaters, storm petrels, phalaropes and today we had a good group of diving northern gannets!