Day 7 (August 21, 2020): Ferries and Whales

On the road again... PEI - check! NB - check! NS - here we come! Up before sunrise again today, a necessary evil, as Covid screenings required us to be at the ferry terminal 75 minutes before our 8AM departure from Saint John to Digby.

With few passengers for today's crossing, we were all boarded by 7:20, and the ferry actually pulled away five minutes early. We got a light breakfast onboard, Pam slept much of the journey, and before we knew it, we were passing through the entrance of the Annapolis Basin and into Digby, arriving 15 minutes early. What a smooth crossing it was. And it sure beat the alternative: a seven-hour drive.

We were headed to a part of Nova Scotia we had never visited: Brier Island. It is perhaps the most isolated part of the province, as you have to take not one, but two ferries to get there. Brier is located at the end of a long finger of land jutting into the Bay of Fundy. The elongated St. Mary's Bay separates this geographic finger from the rest of the Nova Scotia. The first part of the finger is a peninsula referred to as Digby Neck. A seven-minute ferry ride takes you to the next part of the finger, called Long Island. And then another seven-minute ferry takes you to Brier Island - the last part of the finger.

The ferry connections worked like clockwork. Having driven off the MV Fundy Rose at 10:30, we drove onto Brier Island at noon. A quick check-in at the Brier Island Whale & Seabird Tours desk, followed by a light lunch, and we were off to the pier to board the Mega Nova lobster boat just after 1:00. The next 3½ hours comprised the highlight of the summer: we followed eight different humpback whales and delighted in all their antics. The highlight was a calf (closely monitored by its mother), who breached close to 30 times for us, and slapped its flippers on the water countless times. It was a remarkable and surreal experience that we will carry with us forever.

Upon returning to the port, we checked into the Brier Island Lodge, sat in a couple of Adirondack chairs sipping coffee and taking in the views, and then enjoyed a wonderful seafood dinner at the Lodge's restaurant.

This was the last full day of our vacation. Two sights are left on the list for tomorrow: The Balancing Rock and Burntcoat Head Park.

The MV Fundy Rose is a beautiful and huge ship. But as you can see, it was almost empty.

Heading out from the port of Saint John on the MV Fundy Rose at 8AM.

Back in Nova Scotia – almost! Just passing through the entrance of the Annapolis Basin, minutes from docking in Digby.

A great welcome sign. And the sign's scene is not exaggerated at all - as this afternoon’s adventure proved.

So where exactly is Brier Island? Nova Scotia has a very peculiar and long peninsula in the Southwest. Brier Island is at the very end.

Looking out from East Ferry to Tiverton on Long Island.

The tiny but very efficient fairy between Long Island and Brier Island. This was ferry number three for us today.

Our whale watching tour was on the Mega Nova, which is a lobster boat for much of the year.

Heading out of Westport’s Harbor, we spotted a bald eagle.

It didn’t take long before the fun began! It started with a mama Humpback and her playful calf, who did close to 30 breaches for us. We then spent time with two adult humpbacks who were traveling together, and then another pod of three adult humpbacks.We are so so a number of porpoises who seem to be playing with the humpbacks