Day 7, Harbor Seals, Saguenay Fjord, Tadoussac

Late tonight, I edited and posted 20 photos that were taken on a whaling trip that friends and I went on in the afternoon of 13 May 2018, the 7th day of our two-week holiday in Ontario and Quebec. We did see Belugas and Minke Whales, but they were far, far away, so no decent shots. However, I loved seeing the Prince Shoal Lighthouse, seen in a few of today's photos. This lighthouse has an interesting history and it is also a Recognized Federal Historic Building.

After searching for whales, our boat (a Zodiac) took us back to the coast and part way along the Saguenay Fjord. It was interesting to see the impressive, rugged cliffs, but the highlight was seeing three or four Harbor Seals who were lying on the rocks and sunning themselves.

We knew we had to dress very warmly, with a few layers of fleece, etc.. Over all this bulk, we then had to struggle to put on these bright orange waterproof jackets and pants with a bib. We then had to try and walk all the way along the pier to the Zodiac in this most unglamorous outfit, ha! Have to admit that I'm not sure how I would have felt if a whale had come up alongside us!

A short YouTube video by Sabrina Nemis, that gives an idea of a similar trip:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5854a-aKsG4

"The Haut-Fond Prince Light Tower is a modern pillar light of waisted caisson design. The caisson, anchored below the water’s surface, supports a low, round accommodation unit surrounded by a narrow gallery. The flat roof of the accommodation unit serves as a helicopter pad with a cylindrical tower set to one side. A simple gallery and flared lantern sit atop the tower. The light tower is painted in a red and white colour scheme. The caisson, iron pipe railings, and accents below the windows and at the top of the accommodation unit are all painted red. The tower itself features alternating red and white horizontal stripes. The light tower is situated in the lower St.Lawrence River, marking a shoal at the mouth of the Saguenay River.

The Haut-Fond Prince Light Tower is a significant hazard marker with a range of 18 nautical miles. It is a channel marker on the St. Lawrence River, a major navigable river serving as an international shipping route. As such, it serves as a very good illustration of the theme of aids to navigation. Designed to replace a previous, seasonal lightship, the light tower also illustrates the evolution of facilities to accommodate maritime shipping into the winter season. Construction of the light tower was started in 1961 in response to the year-round opening of the seaway the year before. During the Christmas storm of 1966, it was pounded by high waves, fierce winds and snow for two days. Despite sustaining major damage, it was able to withstand conditions far worse than those for which it was designed, protecting the keepers inside." From Parks Canada.

www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_fhbro_eng.aspx?id=11796

lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=1626

At the end of our 4-day stay at Point Pelee, we had to drive all the way back to Toronto, from where we flew to Quebec City airport. From there, we had a four-hour drive to Tadoussac on the coast of the St. Lawrence Seaway. This is such a delightful, small place and in a beautiful setting. One of our friends, Anne B, and her husband have a summer cabin further along the cliff from the few stores and port. She had invited the four of us to go with her from Pelee to spend a week at her beautiful home. What an absolute treat this was! We were able to meet some of her relatives, too, who also have built cabins out there. We were looked after so well, and we were able to see and photograph all sorts of birds and other things.

"Tadoussac is quite rightly listed as one of the 50 most beautiful bays in the world.

Tadoussac is also the oldest village in Canada. In fact, the village celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2000.

But above all, Tadoussac is an internationally-renowned whale-watching site." From the link below.

www.authentikcanada.com/holidays/tourist-office-tadoussac

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadoussac

Several trips were made to see different places along the coast, including the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, where we were able to see endless thousands of Snow Geese, in flight and also up close. Breathtaking!

We also had two boat trips from Tadoussac - one was a whaling trip in a Zodiac, where we saw very, very distant Beluga and Minke Whales. The Belugas looked almost like the white wave crests - but they were Belugas. The other boat trip was to the Brandy Pot Islands, inhabited by thousands of Razorbills and Common Murres, which were new birds for us, and Double-crested Cormorants that were nesting in tree tops. That long boat trip (in a tiny boat named Juno) started off in the rain and dark clouds and it was soooo cold! Thermal underwear, layers of fleece and toque and gloves were needed. This day was arranged through a contact of Anne's and it was so much enjoyed! Of course, we anchored a distance away from the island and sat there and ate our sandwiches and took endless photos - difficult when bobbing up and down on the rough water! It is forbidden to land on the island at nesting time.

Anne B, I can't thank you enough for organizing this holiday for us all and for inviting us to spend a week at your cabin. You worked so hard and it was so much appreciated by each and every one of us. Thank you for doing all the many hours of driving, too! Janet and Anne, thank you so much for compiling the lists of birds seen each day at various locations, and posted to ebird. These entries will be a huge help while I try and sort out where we were and when, and what species we saw. Miss your cookies and muffins, Janet, that you kindly made for us in Tadoussac, to go along with the wonderful meals that Anne planned and made for us : )

Link to my album (358 images) about Point Pelee and area, Ontario: www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/albums/72157667191771677