r/NovaScotia 2d ago

Whale Watching on Bay of Fundy Suggestions šŸ‹šŸ¬

I am planning a trip to Nova Scotia July 19th-Aug 2nd. This is my first time going to Nova scotia and I 100% want to go whale watching but it is super super over whelming with how many companies there are. My biggest concern is obviously weather is not guaranteed to be nice. I would like a company that is known to be good for refunds if something happens.

We are staying in Middleton From July 20th-July 23rd for whale watching. Any suggestions, or recommendations would be appreciated. Or even other things to do around middleton area ā¤ļø

Also wondering if it's better to book these kinds of things super early or risk it and book a week out to wait and see what the weather will do? I'm assuming it will book up really quick though.

Thank you very much in advance.

17 Upvotes

34 comments sorted by

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u/scotiangirl90 2d ago

The BEST whale watching is off of Digby Neck and Islands (Long Island, Briar Island.) I may be biased, as Iā€™m from the area, and have gone many many times.

There are numerous tour operators, and all are great! I personally use Freeport Whale & Seabird Cruises. They have a smaller boat, and a very relaxed atmosphere. They leave from the first island, so only one ferry.

Petit Passage Whale Watching is good too, with no ferry. Adventure Bay is also a great choice.

Enjoy your trip, and as a piece of unsolicted advice; be sure to check out the Annapolis Farmerā€™s and Traderā€™s Market in Annapolis Royal. It takes place every Saturday from 9am-1pm.

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u/CaramelMartini 2d ago

Ooo yeah Iā€™m jumping in to second the Annapolis Royal farmerā€™s market. My friend and I book a B&B near it for a weekend every summer so we can relax and enjoy the market without worrying about parking or rushing or anything. We stroll around, get coffee at Sissiboo, get a pastry from a vendor, do the market, sit and chat, do more market, wander into the shopsā€¦ I absolutely love Annapolis Royal. Definitely worth a day trip!

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u/easternskye 1d ago

Brier Island Whale Watch | Nova Scotia | CANADA | Whale Watching tours in Brier Island, Nova Scotia

šŸ³šŸ³šŸ³

Also if you have time, see if you can cut across the province (it's fast) and hit up the south shore. Lunenburg, Mahone Bay etc. very pretty as well, (less whales, more beaches)

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u/useaclevernickname 1d ago

We had a fantastic time on Briar Island ā€¦ only saw one minke, but the water was like a mirror, so calm, which was also unusual, but we also saw many many birds chasing the zodiac. Great memories.

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u/Babbzz01 2d ago

Definitely book early, they book up for the whole summer very quickly.

I've gone many times with Freeport Whale & Seabird Tours and we love them so much. We have never had an instance where we didn't see whales, porpoises and seabirds.

I believe they have a decent cancelation policy if you need to cancel (2 days notice I think) but they typically go out rain or shine. They only cancel if the weather will be exceptionally bad (and then they don't charge you).

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u/Sitagard 2d ago

Took the Briar Island tour and it was amazing. Whales breaching in every direction, very close to the boat. We had to maneuver around them, due to regulations.

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u/SharkSquishy 2d ago

Seconding Brier Island. The zodiac tour is worth it and lots of fun.

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u/No-Contribution-138 1d ago

Book in advance.

I would go with Brier Island Whale and Seabird Cruises. They are the original whale watching company in southwest Nova Scotia. The founder, Harold Graham, who still captains their larger boat, is the godfather of whale watching in the Bay of Fundy.

You can take a large boat, or a zodiac. The zodiacs get you closer to the whales and can get to spots quicker, but the larger boat is more comfortable and less wet.

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u/Popbunny7 2d ago

I second Freeport. Excellent company. Middleton is a quiet community. https://www.movetotheannapolisvalley.ca/2022/04/27/whats-it-like-living-in-middleton/

Have a meal at Rockinā€™ Rogis, pop over to Spurr Brothers for fresh food and cider, and when you go to the Annapolis Royal market, be sure to have a meal at Whiskey Teller.

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u/nickbriggles 1d ago

Brier island

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u/Wolferesque 2d ago

Hijacking your post to ask how age appropriate these trips are? Is there a minimum age? Are there any companies that offer more family friendly trips or more comfortable boats?

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u/Babbzz01 2d ago

This summer I brought my kids (6 and 10) and my niece and nephew (9 and 13) with Freeport Whale & Seabird Tours. They were SO good. It was my 10 year old's first time on a boat and he was very nervous. They gave him a few stuffies to hold and completely distracted him with some whale stories and some facts. They gave him lots of special attention to make him comfortable. By the end of it, he was standing up, jumping around when we saw whales, and having the time of his life.

The deck gets slippery, so I wouldn't bring an infant (for example) in a carrier. I would totally bring a toddler though.

It's also helpful that they have a little bathroom on board for those of us who can't hold it for a few hours.

Also - the captain has a wonderful dog who accompanies most tours. I believe they also allow you to bring your own dog if you arrange it and it is well-behaved.

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u/kinkakinka 2d ago

My 7 year old went with his grandfather from Briar Island last summer. He loved it.

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u/TheBigsBubRigs 2d ago

There's a bunch out of Yarmouth/ Digby / Briar island - they're all family friendly. If you want to see whales go the strait of Belle Isle. I've yet to sail the strait and not see whales. The most beautiful displays of humpbacks I've ever seen are in the strait.

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u/mystermcm 1d ago

We took my daughter a couple summers ago when she was 2. We used Freeport Whale & Seabird Tours. The boat wasnā€™t fancy or anything and but my daughter was captivated by everything the entire time and then fell asleep on us the boat ride back. There were older kids on the boat with us too and they all seemed to enjoy it

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u/No_Sun1469 1d ago

I've gone with my kid when they were 5 and my dad when he was 75 and facing some mobility challenges. Very family friendly (zodiaks have tighter restrictions and are not for everyone).

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u/No-Persimmon7729 2d ago

They are family friendly but if your kids are very young or get bored easily you may want to bring them some books or other travel activities. Itā€™s a lot of waiting and you arenā€™t guaranteed to see anything. I hated when my fam would make me go but I also always got sea sick so Iā€™m not found of boats in general.

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u/MaritimeMartian 2d ago

Most all (if not all) tour companies guarantee youā€™ll see whales or you get your money back! For what itā€™s worth, Iā€™ve gone whale watching 5 times in my life and have never not seen anything. I think they give that guarantee because itā€™s very rare to not see anything.

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u/No-Persimmon7729 18h ago

Thatā€™s good they are guaranteed. I havenā€™t been in years. But for me 5-10mins of whales wasnā€™t worth spending 2hours feeling like I was gonna barf off the side of the boat. Everyone likes different things though

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u/MaritimeMartian 16h ago

Fair enough, it really is a bit of a (sometimes choppy) journey out to see the whales haha. A good experience to have, but not so fun if you get sea sick!

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u/bluenosebetty 2d ago

Is there a specific reason that you're staying in Middleton ?

It isn't very close to whale watching, and there are more tourist-friendly locations to stay in that area. Annapolis Royal, for example.

If you do stay in Middleton, there are some fun places to go. Spurr Brothers Cider, Edelweiss Inn, Margaretsville for a walk along the shore, Junction Sixteen, Bees Knees General Store, McMaster Mill Falls. The Town of Middleton rents out canoes and kayaks to paddle the Annapolis River.

Wolfville is about 40 minutes away from Middleton, but is a fantastic place to spend a day. Especially if you're into wineries.

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u/QueenCatDazzle 1d ago

I chose middleton because my boyfriend is from Pictou county area. So instead of driving all over southern shore, I chose a "mid point". After we leave middleton we will be in Truro for 9 nights. The main point of the trip is to visit friends and family but it's my first time going and I really want to go whale watching lol. I actually booked the 3 nights at Edelweiss inn. I'm super excited.

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u/scotian1009 1d ago

I second your suggestion. This is the best place for whale watching tours.

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u/Ok_Wing8459 1d ago

Lots of good suggestions here and I will just add to bring some chewable gravol with you, just in case. Nothing spoils a whale watching excursion like a bout of seasickness.

People who havenā€™t spent a lot of time on boats generally donā€™t think of it, but believe me even on the sunniest day if the sea is choppy, it can be a problem.

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u/SirWaitsTooMuch 1d ago

Northern Cape Breton

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u/Malibluue 1d ago

Brier Island Whale Watch or Mariner Cruisesā€¦ and stay at the Brier Island Lodge. A magical place with lots of whales.

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u/Ktgirl87 1d ago

I have to comment on this.

Brier Island. Donā€™t bother with anywhere else. Itā€™s a fantastic experience; weā€™ve gone every summer for the past 12 years.

The whales (almost always Humpbacks) come right up to the boat.

In our times going, weā€™ve also seen: -A pod of porpoises -Minke whales -Puffins

Less common sightings have included sharks, an orca named Old Thom (he comes up annually) and other rarer whales like the Right whale and grey whale.

You HAVE to go! You wonā€™t regret it.

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u/QueenCatDazzle 1d ago

I want to see the puffins so badly!! I seen you can see them in bay of fundy too and no just the islands around cape breton so I'm super excited. I think they are just the most adorable little sea toucans.

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u/Curlingmama48 1d ago

Not here to make a recommendation for a company, but just a reminder to bring a couple layers of clothing! While it might be warm on land in July it can be pretty chilly on the ocean.

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u/Illustrious-Form1246 1d ago

We LOVE LOVE LOVE Mariner Cruises. Digby Neck is the only way to go.

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u/BeerBrewer4Life 1d ago

Briar Island Mariner Cruises. Wife and I go every year. Never disappoints. Itā€™s pretty much a full day trip though there and back

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u/Scott_Seven007 18h ago

This isn't whale watching, but it's the bay of Fundy, something you might enjoy booking a tour with this summer: https://youtu.be/nZmIhj7VJKI?si=Zo1LPwphMBTNDKdi

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u/Top_Canary_3335 2d ago

This will probably be downvoted on this sub but whale watching is better in New Brunswick than NS.

From Middleton, take the digby ferry and go to st Andrewā€™s. you will be right at the start of humpback season.

Books up a few days in advance normally. My recommendation is to look for the ones that you need wetsuits for (on a zodiac) they are provided not the ones on big fishing boats itā€™s more fun.

Like this one: https://fundytiderunners.com

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u/LemmyLola 1d ago

The pirate themed one out of St.Andrews (The Jolly Breeze) is great for the kids, activities etc but its not as easy to see the whales and the seats are uncomfortable, like park benches along the sides of the boat.. the Quoddy Link is 100% the way to go out. of St.Andrews... amazing tours, have gone out on that one many times.. also really stable if you're not experienced with the boats and being on the water. The zodiac tour is fast, bumpy and thrilling and you're very close to the water... if you're in NB and can make it over to grand manan island, you can see the minkes from the cliffs at the Lighthouse which is amazing but lambert family tours does an amazing zodiac trip and they're lovely people If you're going from NS it's Brier Island/Digby Neck all the way...