We had been waiting for this day for a long time, we were going to see puffins, other sea birds and hopefully some whales. We had decided against going out on the ocean in Twillingate after we saw the boat that looked more like a lifeboat, totally open, than what we were headed for in Bay's Bull. Bay's Bull is about 30 minutes south of St. John's a nice drive and an opportunity to not only see puffins (100% certain on that) but to drive just a small piece of the Irish Loop , we had planned more time for the Irish Loop before our port of arrival and departure had changed, but today we were getting a little piece of remembering the Irish heritage of present and the past. Newfoundland may not have many (no) rest stops but they do have lovely signage and so many trails, short, long, hard, easy everywhere great trails, so many coves, and bays, and capes and good for us little benches. We stopped briefly at an Irish Loop Cafe and I ran in to see if they had some baked goodies, they did! I took a picture for Mary Francis and started our way back to Bay's Bull and O'Brien's Whale and Bird Tour. We watched as the big double decker boat came into the dock, we could hear the guide and the laughter and applause. The day was just right not too very sunny, and not too very cold or hot. It was a quick process getting all the people off, and getting us on. We got a "front row" stand at the bow and did not have to climb up to the top deck. We could stand and there was also a way to rest our backs, we both felt about 8 years old, so very excited, the day was great, we had the best viewing place possible and we were off to see whales (hopefully) and Murres and of course a puffin or maybe many many thousands of puffins. Puffins spend their summer months on islands off the coast in Maine, but I have never gone out to see them their. I have seen puffins in zoos and aquariums but have never seen a puffin in their real habitat, now I was going to see thousands, but first we were off to see if we might see a whale or two! Our guide, who was from a family who had for generations been in Newfoundland, lived and worked on the water, had great stories, sang a few traditional Newfoundland songs, and got as excited as we did when it was clear that we were going to see some whale action. Full disclosure, I did not take one picture, my phone was firmly in my zipped up pocket, and I decided that I was just going to be in the moment. As we got further out into the ocean, the water birds were everywhere, I laughed and laughed and felt a delight that can only come when one is completely taken by surprise, these Murres and Puffins and who knows what were dancing, skipping, bicycling across the water, on top of the water, diving into the water, hundreds and hundreds of birds everywhere, one funnier than the one that I had just watched before. I did not expect to be so very very entertained, nature, the the entertainment. I could hardly pay attention the our guide until he excitedly made it clear that there were several sightings of whales ahead. We were all given a lesson on how to use the face of a clock to let others know where we have spotted a whale. Then within seconds emerging from water a humpback whale. I had by then felt and said out-loud so many WOWS and there were lots more to come. The boat slowed down, we were in whale watching mode, and all of a sudden there were humpback whales swimming along side of us, there were whales doing a magnificent tail flip show, they just kept showing up, showing off, playing to the crowd who were all excited and delighted. After what seemed like a very very long time of huge exclamations of joy, we headed to our next stop, the puffin island, where thousands and thousands of puffins were ready to give us another kind of show. Do take a moment to click on the links, these seabirds are so very fascinating, and I had fun watching and learning more about them....oh those puffins, those Murres, the humpback whales.
We drove back to St. John's happy, full of the day. Ready to begin our journey back to the west coast and once again returning to Nova Scotia from Port Aux Basques.
Here are few pics of the day, thank you Marcia!
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