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Grand Manan
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Grand Manan is an enigmatic Canadian island
located just 9 miles off the coast of Maine. For a century
or more, it has been a favorite destination for birding tours.
It's also where many of the world's last remaining North
Atlantic Right Whales come to feed in the Bay of Fundy. Seabirds share this
abundance, and so a 4-hour boat cruise to these waters is
sometimes astonishing. In fact, even the ferry ride to Grand
Manan is usually full of Great and Sooty Shearwaters, and if the
seas are relatively calm on the crossing, it's often possible to
spot Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills and Common Murres among them. Northern Gannets
and Black-legged Kittiwakes are also likely to fly alongside the
ferry. Hump-backed Whales and White-sided Dolphins are regularly
sighted. See 2011 Travelogue. The island is barely 17 miles long and 7.5 miles wide. It doesn't just sit in the ocean; it towers above it. Three quarters of the circumference is sheer cliff, rising hundreds of feet above the sea. The scenery is spectacular. Almost all of the 2400 year-round residents are confined to small fishing villages on the habitable east side of the island. The harbors, marshes, and beaches are great for shorebirds and waterfowl. The highest tides in the world are located farther up Fundy Bay, and the current of tidal water that flushes by the island every six hours churns up food for birds, whales, seals, and porpoises right close to shore. We'll sit next to several lighthouses and watch the show. We will also spend one day and night in the downeast Maine town of Lubec, prowling one of the best shorebirding flats in New England mere minutes away from boreal species such as Spruce Grouse. Then we'll cross the international bridge onto Campobello, another Canadian island where the Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Park is located, and we'll visit Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge. These tours will leave Bangor, Maine, on the mornings of August 16th and September 1st (Labor Day Weekend), and return on the evenings of August 21 and September 4. For those seeking a flexible schedule, ask about alternative arrangements. Grand Manan is a Canadian island, reached by ferry from Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick. Passports are required for border crossing. Tour includes two nights at the Marathon Inn, one night at the Eastland Motel, all meals, van transportation from Bangor, ferry passage, and a four hour whale-watch and pelagic birding sea cruise with Whales-n-Sails. In the event of bad weather, the cost of the whale cruise will be refunded. Price is $565/person double-occupancy; $170/single supplement. Tour guide is Bob Duchesne, founder of the Maine Birding Trail and author of the trail guidebook. For more information or to reserve, call Bob at 207-827-3782 or e-mail duchesne@midmaine.com. This tour features short hikes on level, sometimes uneven ground. Seasickness is an uncommon occurrence during the whales & pelagic cruise, but precautions are recommended. Cameras are encouraged; the scenery is world-class. Leaders will share spotting scope and field guides. Bring an appetite. We don't starve. Yes, we know the tour is less than half the cost of the international tour companies. That's one of the advantages of touring with local guides - low overhead. We don't have to rent a van (we own it), we don't have to fly with lots of stuff, and at the end of the trip, we just drive home. |
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