save the humans

Whale Camp is a place to be yourself, discover who you are, and to meet genuine and lasting friends. You’ll make connections with nature, other campers, and yourself while exploring the outdoors!

Experience the outdoors

Our playground is an island in the Bay of Fundy, home to the highest tides in the world, diverse ecosystems, and productive waters.

Welcome to Whale Camp!

We provide marine biology experiential educational programs and facilities for learning about the dynamic marine ecology of the Bay of Fundy as well as the coastal, terrestrial, and human ecologies of Grand Manan Island. Our goal is to use hands-on, discovery-oriented marine science activities to increase awareness and understanding of these living systems and, by extension, the living systems of our oceans and planet.

Whale Camp was founded on the philosophies of place-based experiential learning and human ecology. Campers construct their understanding of the complex ecology of the Bay of Fundy through scaffolded ecological investigations. Nearly all of their learning occurs in the field, guided by instructors but driven by camper curiosity and observation.

Get a feel for the whale camp spirit

At Whale Camp, we follow our bliss, explore nature, and of course search for whales and other sea creatures in the Bay of Fundy. Follow us on our social media accounts to see more photos and videos from past summers!

Our location

Whale Camp is located on Grand Manan Island in New Brunswick, Canada. Our campus hosts two dorms, a kitchen and dining area, a small snack bar, and 14 acres of forest, meadow, and coastline to explore.

A map of the US-Canada border and route to Grand Manan Island. From Bangor, Maine, we travel across the US-Canada border near Calais, down to Blacks Harbour in New Brunswick and board a ferry to the island. Also seen on the map is a tiny island off of Grand Manan called Machias Seal Island where we travel to see puffins and other seabirds at camp.

Grand Manan Island:

Our campus is located in Seal Cove on Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick, which is in the Bay of Fundy! We experience the highest tides in the world, productive waters full of life, and many coastal and terrestrial ecosystems to explore.

A view from one of the dorms at camp. The green fields and picnic table are in the foreground and the ocean can be seen in the distance.

Our home at Whale Camp:

We have two dorms, a kitchen, a canteen with snacks, and acres of land to explore while at camp. Can you spot the ocean in the distance? Our sandy beach is accessible at low tide where we play games, explore the intertidal algae, and do beach clean ups!

Four kayaks with campers can be seen on the water through a geological feature called Hole in the Wall on Grand Manan Island

The Island Ecosystem:

There is so much to explore on Grand Manan. When we aren’t out on the boat looking for whales, dolphins, seals, and sharks, we are checking out amazing geological formations, exploring bog and marsh ecosystems, and looking for tidepool creatures!

explore Our programs

All programs are available for adventurers ages 10 – 17. We offer one- and two-week hands-on programs at Whale Camp where we go on whale watches, visit the puffin nesting colony on Machias Seal Island, and offer experiential lessons in the field. Some lessons you might explore at camp include forest ecology, bog and marsh ecology, marine mammal physiology, geology, and tidepool ecology.

We operate on a two-week curriculum cycle, so after engaging in foundational activities in the first week, our two-week campers will explore new areas and learn new content. Please find our summer 2023 dates listed below!

Days until camp

Day(s)

:

Hour(s)

:

Minute(s)

:

Second(s)