Category: General blog

Book and comments

When I was at sea or after my whale-watching cruise, I would offer customers the chance to buy my book.

Season 2025 and 301 cruises

I was able to complete 301 whale-watching cruises during the 2025 season in Canada's Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park.

Season 2025 in Canada

We saw blue whales every day in the last weeks of the 2025 season.

Identification of different whale species in the marine park during the summer of 2024

Here is the identification of all the whale species photographed for GREMM (Groupe de Recherche et d'Éducation sur les Mammifères Marins) in the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park (QC, Canada) during the summer of 2024.

Fourth winter as helmsman between the Magdalen Islands and Montreal, Canada.

This winter, I'm continuing my work as a helmsman or deckhand on a CTMA (Coopérative de Transport Maritime et Aérien) ship between the Magdalen Islands and Montreal, Canada.

Marine mammal acoustics system operator and observer

I did a contract as an observer and operator of a marine mammal acoustic system during dredging for a ferry in Canada.

Season 2024 in Canada

As far as beautiful sightings at sea are concerned, I'd like to single out several. First of all, the two humpback whales, Gaspar and Irisept/Cocotte, surface-feeding for several days below Baie des Escoumins. They pushed the fish in front of each other, swallowing it in sync. A whale's dance.

Acoustics on marine mammals

During the month of October 2023, I carried out a contract as a Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) and Passive Acoustic System Operator (PAM), available to a consulting engineering firm during dredging for the ferry.

Season 2023 in Canada

I spent four months on the water during the 2023 season, totalling 279 cruises. We had a difficult June without many whales, then got better and better until the end of September 2023.

Acoustic sound of a humpback whale

Hello to all,

Humpback whales are the real stars of scientific research, probably the most studied cetaceans for their songs.

The song of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a long, complex vocal display produced only by males. They use the acoustic conductivity of water and their gigantic body volume to communicate at depths of thousands of meters on high or low notes. Some even compose real songs. 

Sincerely.

Terrebonne, Quebec/Canada, March 2023

Julien Marchal

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