The Whales & Whale Research
The Whale Camp at The Fundy Marine Science Institute
Whales! Capture their majesty. Watch in anticipation as a North Atlantic right whale surfaces, raises its enormous body to look you in the eye, and then dives back into the deep. Hear the piercing blow of a finback whale surface feeding next to the boat. Feel the exhilaration as a humpback whale hurls its massive body out of the water and crashes back into the sea. Your mind reaches out to discover more about their world. Some experiences open new worlds.
Click here to learn more about: CETACEAN SPECIES OF THE BAY OF FUNDY
Climb aboard our research vessel. Chart the course into the Bay of Fundy. Scan the horizon for marine life. Along the coast, you see seals sleeping on the warm rocks, sliding into the sea, feeding, and playfully leaping. Bald eagles commonly patrol the skies and perch on trees. Schools of fifty or more white-sided dolphins occasionally follow the boat, riding the bow wave, leaping, and flipping in the air. Our team of marine science instructors answers your questions and directs the discussion of marine life, marine biology, and ocean systems.
Observation is exhilarating, but whale research and marine science are even more fun. At Whale Camp, you don’t just see the marine animals; you learn about them and their world. You will use professional marine biology and oceanography equipment to make hands-on discoveries about life in the ocean. You will gather and analyze data about your marine sightings to understand the science of whales and life in the sea. With each additional week at Whale Camp, you will penetrate the ocean world’s mysteries more deeply and gain a clearer understanding of the critical issues facing your future.
fluke identification
Learn to identify specific whales seen commonly in the bay by using photos of their tail (or fluke). For example, each humpback whale can be identified by their white patches and other markings like in the photo above!
Whale Behaviour
Observe behaviours of cetaceans in the wild and form hypotheses about what each one might mean. Researchers are still trying to figure out why exactly whales ‘breach’, or jump completely out of the water.
Count the Species
The Bay of Fundy is home to so many amazing cetacean, shark, and fish species. Learn to identify them before going out on the boat and then put your skills to the test while out on a whale watch.