We departed St. John’s, Newfoundland last night, and by sunrise we were southwest of the Avalon Peninsula. In this region of frequent fog, we had clear weather and gentle seas–ideal conditions for spotting marine mammals. And indeed, naturalists spotted a blow–a large baleen whale! As our expedition leader Sue made morning announcements, she shared the exciting news–a blue whale was swimming near the ship. First we saw the tall blow, then the long, slender gray-blue back. After four breaths, the whale would disappear beneath the waves for ten minutes. About half a mile away, another whale surfaced–darker coloring and taller dorsal fin identified it as a fin whale. They likely were feeding; they were in a patch of water that was slightly brownish. Could there be a dense patch of krill is in this area where the sea floor drops off? Before coffee…before tea…we were privileged to observe the two largest species on the planet.
We met featured speakers and naturalists for our week’s voyage, and had briefings about life aboard the ship. Photo instructor Steve Morello gave a helpful presentation on enjoying the process of capturing better images during the expedition.
Our afternoon was devoted to exploring St. Pierre, the only bit of France left in North America. The islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon are located just 16 miles from Newfoundland, but they fly the French flag, speak French, and use the Euro as currency. Approximately 6,000 residents call St. Pierre home. They have changed from British to French control many times over the years, and this year, special events mark 200 years as a territory of France.
Some of us visited the nearby Ile aux Marins, a former fishing community. Another small group went hiking on St. Pierre and were rewarded with beautiful views of the harbor and islands. Many of us saw the highlights of St. Pierre by motor coach–the landscape of gentle hills, glacially smoothed rock, low-growing vegetation, and brightly painted houses was very pretty. Most of the trees were small and lopsided, sculpted by wind. In the town center we walked on narrow streets lined by colorful wooden homes with white lace curtains. Shops carried delicacies from France: wines, specialty foods, and delicious pastries. At the harbor’s edge, small fishing boats hauled up on by large, old-fashioned wooden winches were lined up in front of little work sheds.
After dinner, Rick Foucheux’s one-man performance as Alexander Graham Bell was a perfect introduction for tomorrow’s visit to Baddeck, Cape Breton.
