It was an honest mistake. Trying to book a whale watching cruise on a cell phone with limited internet access while camping in Cape Breton with two kids bouncing off the walls is hard. A search for Pleasant Bay Whale Watching brought up one ideal option that seemed to stand above the rest. Unfortunately, that cruise was not in Pleasant Bay but on the opposite end of the Cabot Trail (as we found out the following morning).
See below the image gallery for our story about how a day that could have been a complete disaster turned out to be on the verge of epic. Also below is some more detailed information on Pleasant Bay (including a general map), Cape Breton and the Pilot Whales that you will see on this tour.
Pleasant Bay Whale Watching Image Gallery
Below is a gallery of photographs showing just how personal you get with the multiple pods of Pilot Whales while on this tour. The gallery also shows the dramatic scenery of the Cabot Trail shoreline, along with a wary seal that comes along as a wildlife bonus.
Our Experience
We spent two nights at the North Sydney / Cabot Trail KOA in our aging but trusty 1989 Corsair Medallion motor home. We booked a whale watching cruise for early the next morning on the second night. We thought the cruise was out of the popular Pleasant Bay. We would find out after a long drive the next morning that the cruise we booked was actually in the opposite direction.
We are not the largest whale watching company, nor do we strive to be. Quality tours and personal interaction is what we are all about.
Pleasant Bay Zodiac Tours
The cruise was booked for 10:30 AM. Even with a regular vehicle, the drive along the Cabot Trail would take at least a couple hours. With ‘Bessie’ it would certainly take a bit longer. Add to that, a check of the engine oil showed we were down and there wasn’t any extra in the RV. No problem. A 6:00 AM start time would get us on our way to the closest gas station (some 33 KM away) in time to get some oil and be off to our destination.
Well, we got to that gas station without a seized engine. But, the area was experiencing a planned power outage. Repairs were being done locally and in this somewhat remote area of the world, there is no backup power grid. The power outage was going long and we had no choice to wait it out. The lights and cash registers fired up at 7:15 which still gave us plenty of time to reach our destination.
After some intense construction delays on the Cabot Trail, we arrived in Pleasant Bay. However, the tour company we booked for was no where to be found. It was then we realized that the address was several hours away. Fortunately, no credit card information was given so we weren’t on the hook. The timing turned out to be perfect because Pleasant Bay Whale Watching had a cruise leaving momentarily.
Pleasant Surprise
Just when all seemed lost, the day turned around in a magnificent way. In no time, we were on a boat, heading out to sea. The family run tour company did a great job of explaining everything that would be happening and their expertise at finding the whale pods had us viewing these sea creatures in no time.
We’ve been whale watching before and were lucky to see a tail or two off in the distance. This cruise takes you right into the pods of Pilot Whales. One adult whale even came up so close to the boat you could almost touch it. Sure, they were Pilot Whales, glorified members of the Dolphin family, and not humpbacks but the experience is pretty incredible.
After what seemed like forever, following the large pods at about a mile from shore, we went off on a shoreline excursion. The cliffs from the waterside of the Cabot Trail are epic. Eagles, including the Bald Eagle, fly through the trees. Seals bounce around in the water, wary of the boat.
In all, this was an outstanding experience. We arrived in the final weeks of the season so there were no crowds and we lucked out with some incredible weather. I can’t say enough about the crew from Pleasant Bay Whale Watching.
Pleasant Bay Location And Information
First, a little information about the company we cruised with. Pleasant Bay Whale Watching has two boats in service, a 10 passenger zodiac and a 24 passenger cabin cruiser (red boat shown in the gallery above). We took the cabin cruiser.
For more information and to contact, visit their official website.
Pleasant Bay Whale Watching can be contacted toll free by this number: 1 844 224 2101.
Pleasant Bay is located at the northwestern end of Cape Breton in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is basically at the point where the Cabot Trail turns inland when traveling north. Considered the Whale Watching Capital of Cape Breton, the town has a population of around 250 residents.
Cabot Trail
The Cabot Trail is a scenic highway 298 kilometres or 185 miles in length. The road runs along the rugged coast of Cape Breton, through the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Keep in mind, you need to pay a day-use fee when entering the national park, on your way to Pleasant Bay. The road is named for John Cabot, an explorer who landed in Atlantic Canada in 1497. He was originally thought to have landed on Cape Breton but historians now believe it was on the island of Newfoundland.
The Cape Breton Highlands National Park was established in 1936. Just south of the park border is the town of Cheticamp. Cheticamp is the central tourism spot in the area. Here, you will find fuel, food and lodging. Beware the very expensive lobster dinners!
Cape Breton
Cape Breton is an island at the northeastern end of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. The island is connected to the mainland by the 1,385 metre or 4,544 foot long Canso Causeway. The causeway was completed in 1955. The population on the island is around 130,000 with the major centre being Sydney, located on the eastern end of the island.
In the centre of the island is the Bras D’Or, one of the world’s largest salt water lakes (actually a salt water fjord). The Cape Breton Highlands are an extension of the Appalachian Mountains.
Sydney was founded in 1785 and is now officially part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. With a downturn in fishing and mining, the city has had a shrinking population since the 1960’s.
Pilot Whales
Pilot Whales are the stars of the show when you visit Pleasant Bay. These are cetaceans belonging to the genus globicephala. They are among the largest of the oceanic dolphins, exceeded by only the Killer Whale.
Also known as Blackfish, Pilot Whales live primarily on a diet of squid. The adult males can reach a length of 6.5 metres (over 21 feet) and weigh up to 2,300 kilograms (5,070 pounds). Sure, you can call them glorified dolphins but their size is definitely whale-worthy. The Pilot Whales live in pods of 10 to 30 with groups sometimes reaching 100 or more.
