Quebec Whales and Trails: Part 4, Parc National des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie

On September 22, 2023, our NatHab group explored the Parc National des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie. The first stop, roughly an hour northwest from our hotel, was a hike to a viewpoint. We disembarked from our bus on the far side of the river Malbaie. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

The river appeared quite tannic at this time of year.

We're taking the red dots for an out-and-back.

The first section was a stroll along a gravel road.

After a while, we reached a true trailhead.

In English, "Maple Grove Trail"

We passed by some fascinating (reindeer) lichen, a token of clean air.

In closeup.

Pollution-sensitive bony-beard lichen dangled, flourishing, from some trees.

It wasn't long before we arrived at the viewpoint.

Our guides, Julia and Jackie encouraged us to spend a few minutes in quiet contemplation, with cliffs ahead and water below.

Then we retraced our steps and reunited with our bus and driver. It was only a short drive to the visitors center next to an old dam, originally built for logging, and picnic tables, canoe rentals, etc. Lunch was our first order of business!

An overview of the area. Click to enlarge.

The cliffs above the Malbaie are among the tallest rock faces east of the Rockies.

The watercraft zone is marked off above the dam.

Here is a zoom-in map showing the shorter hikes and the watercraft area.

Joan and I trod the shorter loops/climbs, which included an open-air viewing shelter (not much bird activity at this time of year) and some rough trail sections that we managed to navigate, but would have deterred casual walkers. In this photo, we're peering down towards the footbridge and dam.

Then we decided to hike upstream alongside the watercraft playground. After several bends in the river, we spotted the aquatic portion of our group, still happily paddling around, and decided to return to the visitor's center; we seemed to have enough time to explore the trail on the west bank below the dam. The dam itself hosted exhibits about the logging activity. The cut trees would be corralled (manhandled) into rafts that would float downstream to the mills. Today, those waters look like this.

We explored the trail on the west bank. The Malbaie supports many critters, including owls, as evidenced by the rain-washed pellets we took to Julia and Jackie for examination.

Photo of specimens in situ.

The foam patterns on the dark river were intriguing.

Joan and I then recrossed the bridge just in time to board the bus, and, well satisfied, our group returned to the Fairmont in La Malbaie.

Tomorrow, we'll explore the Grands-Jardins National Park, a core element of the Charlevoix Biosphere Reserve, and move to a new hotel.

Quebec Whales and Trails: Part 3, Whales, Seals, and the Fairmont

September 21st, 2023, was just as bright as the day before,

Hotel Tadoussac

but not as blustery. After breakfast and before departing for whale watching, Joan and I explored the nearby trail around Islet Point. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

Follow the red dots!

After being in the trees for a while, our view opened up.

Looking across.

Going and returning, we passed the docks.

Returning to Essipit Whale Watching Tours, we were more adept at donning suits and boarding the zodiacs. Our group was split among two z's.

Today's weather was more benign, and many boats were out.

Whale ahead!

Two humpback blows here. (The red arrow points to the bluff that will later be our lunch spot.)

Two boats, three whales in this image.

It's spectacular when the humpbacks dive.

A grey seal investigated what all the fuss was about.

After a full morning of whale watching, we drove to the park

Belvédère sur les dunes de sable, a sand-dunes formation that's the result of past glaciation and winds. Here, we spread out on the warm sand for a picnic lunch with a panoramic view of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Our guides, Julia and Jackie.

After lunch we headed south, quickly reaching the ferry across the Saguenay River, near where it empties into the St. Lawrence.

An interpretation center and viewpoint are on the far (south) side.

Here, we paused for some beluga watching.

They're headed upriver.

The belugas here are more genetically distinct than all other Canadian beluga populations; more info here.

The afternoon's remnant was spent driving down Highway 138 to Murray Bay and the village of Pointe-au-Pic, where we checked in to the Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, a fashionable hotel for the elite of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It burned down in 1928 but was rebuilt in 1929. In 1994, a casino was built in the Richelieu's former summer playhouse. Here's a photo of the "back," water-facing side of the hotel.

There are lots of rooms.

The entrance belies the depth of the place.

Tomorrow, the day will be full of hiking.

Quebec: Whales and Trails, Part 2

On September 20th, 2023, our NatHab group set out for our first whale-watching adventure with Essipit Whale Watching Tours. On arrival, we received briefings on getting in and out of the mandatory full-body suits, using colossal plastic bags to protect electronics, and other points before loading into two zodiacs and zooming out into the St. Lawrence.

 

The water remained a bit choppy after yesterday's crummy weather. It took me a while to puzzle out a system for both protecting my glasses and my camera from the spray while using both; this limited my photography (the next day's are better). My first pic, including other zodiacs (click on any image to enlarge).

It's chilly out on the water!

Here's a pair of humpback whales -- the tiny dorsal fin belies their true size.

Our other zodiac.

The broad channel (about 25 km / 15.5 mi. ) hosts ocean-going cargo and tour ships here and deeper into Quebec.

Sometimes the whales surfacebarely enough to exhale and get some air.

A dive begins with an arcing posture.

More whale pictures will arrive in the next blog post.

 

Our afternoon was spent at the Baie Sainte-Marguerite, part of the Saguenay Fjord National Park. The fjord feeds into the St. Lawrence:

This bay is well known as a place where female beluga whales and their calves spend time.

Admiring the wildlife at the visitor's center (closed).

The trail from the visitor's center crossed a river feeding into the bay.

The route wandered gently down towards the Saguenay, past old structures and campgrounds. We arrived at a point looking across the bay, joining other onlookers. However, it was late in the season for belugas.

A research vessel passed by.

After our tromp back to the visitor's center, it was time to return to our lodgings at the Hotel Tadoussac. (This photo is from the next morning, when the light was better.)

The view from the back.

Next, our final and best whale-watching day.