Trinity, Newfoundland/Labrador
Our small group of travel agents has arrived, on a warm, bright sky blue day, in the small town of Trinity, Newfoundland/Labrador to venture out to the open cold waters of the North Atlantic Ocean to observe migrant whales that are returning northward from the warmer waters of the Caribbean.
Nestled on the stunning Bonavista Peninsula, Trinity is a charming historic town that captivates visitors with its colourful houses and rich maritime heritage. Founded in the early 16th century, Trinity was once a bustling fishing and trading hub, playing a vital role in the region’s economy. Today, following the demise of the fishing industry, the town has now become a destination for world travellers to view its beautifully preserved architecture, and a starting point to explore the rugged coastline, charming bays and numerous quaint villages. A stroll along the narrow streets of the town offers picturesque views of Trinity Harbour and landmarks such as the Trinity Museum, Rising Tide Theatre and the oldest standing wooden church in Newfoundland, Church of the Most Trinity, built in 1833.
After enjoying a delightful dinner of freshly caught seafood at the renowned Twine Loft, we savoured an incredible dessert: Newfoundland ginger cake topped with caramel Screech sauce and lemon whipped cream. This dessert alone makes a visit to Trinity worthwhile! Our group were then introduced to Skipper Bob, the owner of Trinity Eco-Tours and our personal guide for the next day’s whaling adventure.
Tall, fit with a tanned face that shows the years of sea journeys and a welcoming Newfoundland accent that highlights the rich emigrant heritage of the Island’s past generations, our Jeff Goldblum look-alike begins to amuse us with the stories of the creatures that lie offshore.
He begins by describing what an unforgettable adventure we will have as we venture out to sea at first light. We will begin our journey over the sparkling waters of Trinity Bay out to the open ocean where we should spot migratory cetaceans within a few kilometres of the shore: Majestic humpbacks, minke and sperm whales will playfully breach and pass within safe distance. We are filled with anticipation and excitement with a faint feeling of trepidation as Skipper Bob eloquently shares his wealth of knowledge about the gentle giants and the area’s vibrant ecosystem.
He spins a Technicolour vision of colourful puffins flying by, gannets diving with Olympian precision, and kittiwakes and shearwaters gracefully skimming across the ocean’s surface. He apologies that there are no towering icebergs to view as they are to be found along the western shores this season.
I will be spending the next few nights at the beautifully renovated Artisan Inn, part of Trinity Vacations. The historic charm of the home, featuring wide-planked floors, a fireplace, and the most comfortable bed, makes it difficult to wake up from my deep slumber when my cell phone alarm goes off at 6:30 a.m. After a quick shower, I’ll enjoy a hearty breakfast at the Twine Loft before heading down to the nearby dock.
All right, says Skipper Bob, “let’s put on our flotation suits!” Putting on these survival suits is comical, and we laugh loudly at each other’s gyrationing actions. As one person stated, ‘This is like a wrestling match with a very stubborn, rubbery octopus!” First, you lay out the suit, eyeing it suspiciously, planning how to put this protective layer on and look like you have done this before in front of your contemporaries.
As I slide one leg into the wetsuit, it fights back, and I catch my foot in the inner lining. It feels like I’m trying to learn the Two-Step while wearing flippers. After several awkward contortions, I finally got my second leg in. I pull the suit up to my waist and position my arms where they belong. Next, I need to pull up the zipper, which has somehow gotten lost in one of the unnecessary folds of the suit I’ve created. With a little help from the Skipper, I managed to find the zipper and pull it all the way up to my neck. Now looking more like a human burrito than a mariner, I begin my penguin-like walk down the dock with the rest of the group toward our waiting 25-foot Zodiac, also known as a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB).
If you can picture a colony of penguins trying to walk, imagine five of us attempting to get onto a zodiac. There was plenty of flapping, a few awkward wobbles, and the real risk of face-planting into the boat. Thankfully, we all managed to get into our seacraft without any injuries, though we experienced a bit of minor embarrassment.
“Whale! Whale!” or “There she blows!” as Skipper Bob commands, is what we should yell if a whale is spotted, indicating that it is about to rise above the water’s surface. However, on this particular day, saying “there she blows” reflects how Mother Nature has made a sudden change from the previous day’s weather.
As we leave the sheltered waters of Trinity Bay, passing to the starboard of Trinity Lighthouse, we encounter the last beacon of civilization before entering the cold waters of the North Atlantic. What started as acceptable whale-watching weather at the dock has transformed into rough seas; the waves are now reaching two meters high, the rain is pelting straight into our faces, and the wind is whipping up voluminous amounts of seaspray, turning our bodies into human windshields. Why did I choose to sit in the most forward seat? During a brief moment when I looked up for any sign of land, I could have sworn I saw a fish swim by, giving me a judgmental look!
Thank goodness our flotation suits come with hoods and face flaps because we lower our heads to seek refuge from the deluge. Hunkered down like a bunch of waterlogged seagulls, Skipper Bob, snug behind his fortress of plexiglass, bellowed over the howling wind, “Have you seen any whales?” At that moment, I was certain that we all muttered in unison,” He has got to be kidding!”
It was time, thankfully, to return to the serene embrace of Trinity Bay. Our RHIB was safely and joyfully surfing the rolling seas. Just as we were making our turn to head north, I could have sworn I saw a sea siren waving us in a completely different direction. Perhaps she knew of a quicker route where freshly baked bread and a hot bowl of fish chowder would be waiting. But alas, I soon realized that this mermaid-like creature was just a buoy signalling to us that we would soon be home.
Michael Cunningham
Note: Skipper Bob of Trinity Eco-Tours is a true professional who runs an excellent whale-watching and kayak tour company. He took the time to guide us on another adventure when the seas were more favourable for exploration. During our tour, we saw minke and humpback whales, as well as many seabirds from our checklist, including a rare Golden Eagle, which is uncommon for that area.
