Hello to all,
This 2024 season was different from last year. First of all, in terms of large whale sightings (humpbacks, fin whales and blue whales), we had almost none opposite the marina (Les Bergeronnes) or near Tadoussac in the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park (QC, Canada). They were often in the bay of Les Escoumins or even further away from this village. Most of the boat trips required us to go at least thirty-five minutes from our dock, and the same for the return trip, given that a cruise lasts two hours. So a lot of sailing time for a little happiness. We could only go if the sea was fine, with little wind and no fog, otherwise it was impossible. In that case, we'd go looking for minke whales close to home or in the Saguenay fjord.
The weather was difficult, with a south-westerly wind most of the summer and a lot of morning fog in September. In the last weeks of September and those of early October, we hoped that the cold north-easterly wind would change the direction of the whales, but it didn't - they stayed in the same place. Clearly, there was food in a sea trench a hundred meters below the surface, and the whales were enjoying it.
Why are there fewer animals, and have there been for several summers? In recent years, we've seen fewer whales, as water temperature rises and oxygen and PH levels fall. So the fish and krill go elsewhere. Opposite Bergeronnes, there was no food, according to the biologists who scan the seabed from their scientific boat. There were fish upstream towards Saint-Siméon and downstream at Les Escoumins. Almost nothing in the middle.
This summer, we were closely monitored by the park rangers to ensure compliance with regulations and the code of conduct regarding cetaceans. As proof of this, I have an anecdote to tell at sea on July 20, 2024 for the two o'clock outing. We'd had the worst morning with a strong south-westerly wind bringing three-meter waves, but it calmed down around noon. I was with a humpback whale in the afternoon, waiting for a ship from Tadoussac so as not to lose it. I received a radio call from a work colleague indicating the presence of a fin whale close to shore. As soon as the boat arrived at my site, I quickly left to join her. I was warned by radio that a park warden was leaving the observation site too fast (2 to 3 knots, i.e. 3.70 km/h to 5.55 km/h). I realized I'd made a mistake, because I wasn't looking at my navigation instruments. I was concentrating on the waves so that my customers wouldn't get too wet. The park rangers were waiting for me at the marina. I had to pay a fine of around 600 $ and they had to check my history on the water concerning my fast speeds. I had a very bad day and didn't sleep much at night. My pride had taken a hit because I love marine mammals and I've made it my life's work to work with them. On the water, all the captains know my love for these animals and I respect the laws in force in the marine park to the utmost. The next morning at work, I met a colleague before my cruise, and cried with frustration and rage. I wanted to quit this job for the first time in my life. I hadn't hurt an animal like a former captain who never recovered. When I saw the park rangers coming into the captaincy with their bulletproof vests and pistols, I felt like a criminal. I thank Nancy for standing by me that morning. After that, the cruise director, co-workers, managers, friends and family gave me unwavering support. I was recognized for my efforts and fighting spirit in this professional field. Rarely had an employer given me so much praise in the past. I would never leave Essipit for another company because I'm true to my values and to theirs. I try to be a role model for the other captains and am always correcting myself to improve. If I don't have this job, I don't live my life well, because I've made a lot of sacrifices to get here. My family are the first to know. These animals give me indescribable pleasure. Too many people around me don't enjoy their work, wait until retirement and then have burnouts. That's not the case with me. I don't do this job to be on a boat, but to be at sea and meet a magnificent animal. Unfortunately, my manager is leaving us to take on new challenges. I'm disappointed, because I liked her a lot and the feeling was mutual. Her last audio message was touching and memorable. I never heard from the park rangers the rest of the season about my almond.
On my two hundred and eighty-four outings, I've met some wonderful customers. Of the three thousand or more visitors to my boat, I have two fantastic encounters from the same country. That's just by chance. The first is a young woman who lives in Montreal, but is the daughter of the manager of the "Kia Ora" hotel in Rangiroa, French Polynesia! I know this hotel very well, as I was a dolphin-watching guide or snorkeler for their guests in the Tiputa pass. We were probably five boats out from the Bergeronnes marina, and this customer had to be on mine. The second coincidence, a lady informed me that she was Polynesian and also lived in Rangiroa, on the Tiputa side, and often encounters humpback whales. The Polynesian archipelago is made up of a hundred islands, and this tourist came from the island where I lived for a year and a half! Amazing. It's a small world. My stay there is an unforgettable memory of living with the locals and swimming with dolphins, turtles, rays, sharks and whales.
As far as beautiful sightings at sea are concerned, I'd like to highlight several. First of all, the two humpback whales, Gaspar and Irisept/Cocotte, surface-feeding for two days (July 10 and 11, 2024) below the Baie des Escoumins. They pushed the fish in front of each other, swallowing it in sync. A whale dance. I'd never seen such behavior in cetaceans. You can see the videos on my YouTube channel and the photos at the end of this article. I'll also remember the visit of the humpback whale, Chewbacca, who came under my boat (on September 02, 2024), stayed there for a good minute, then went to my starboard side, looked up for a few minutes beside us, went back under my hull, came out on my port side then dived. Those minutes seemed like an eternity. You can see the photos. Again, something new for me, seen only in television reports. There are also many memories of humpback whale breaching, pectoral and caudal tapping. I was able to complete the Grand Slam several times, i.e. observe all the whales (on July 18, 2024 or August 23, 2024) on a single outing: blue whale, humpback whale, minke whale, beluga whale and fin whale. Porpoises and seals are not included in this challenge. It was easy when different whales were at the same feeding site. And we were often far from Les Escoumins. Seeing blue whales again is always a pleasure, especially if one of them shows its tail before diving. Minke whales feeding on the surface are a magnificent sight. I've met some famous fin whales, such as Zipper and Troue separately. It's not the big group of fin whales as it was in the old days, led by the famous Captain Crochet at the head of some fifteen other whales. His memory lives on through his descendants, with the frequent appearance of - Ti-Croche - present throughout the season. Unknown humpback whales such as H1003, H943, H757 and H939, as well as famous ones like Siam, Pixel, Gaspar, Cocotte, Éline, Souffleur, etc., were also present. The female Tic Tac Toe was only observed in May, and showed significant weight loss, raising fears for her survival. I didn't see any tuna or dolphins this year.
My target for 2025 is three hundred outings with twelve passengers. A rather crazy goal, but personal and possible. No captain has been able to do it since the ceiling of three or four trips a day. Physically, it's hard and demanding on this type of boat, but I work every day to be at my best mentally and athletically. I'll be 49 next year and I don't know how long my body will last. Tourism is going to be there, I have no doubt about that. I need my boat (Aventure 7) to be ready by the beginning of the season in June, so that I can go out during my vacations. We didn't have all the boats, including mine, because of a delay in delivery of the computer console on my new engines. I don't want to miss a thing on the water in 2025.
I'd like to thank all these customers for providing me with photos and videos free of charge, as it's difficult to do so while flying. I ask anyone reading this article not to copy or sell them without my permission. Thank you very much.
My track record in terms of the number of outings with Essipit since 2008, with a break between 2017 and 2021:
Season 2024: 284 cruises
Season 2023: 279 cruises
Season 2022: 104 cruises
Season 2016: ? cruises (notes not found)
Season 2015: 180 cruises
2014 season: 174 cruises
Season 2013: 185 cruises
Season 2012: 174 cruises
2011 season: 169 cruises
Season 2010 : 129 cruises
2008 season: ? cruises (notes not found and June 2008 only)
I'm ending 2024 with my eleventh season!
You can see videos on my youtubemy
My diary of the 2024 season:
Sincerely.
Rivière-du-Loup, Québec/Canada, October 2024
Julien Marchal