Ottawa Catholic High Schools – Day 3

With their lunch and warm clothes packed on the bus the group headed out early Friday morning to catch the ferry to Grand Manan Island.  After boarding the ferry the students kept an eye out for any signs of whales but unfortunately it was just too foggy to see very much.  Upon arrival on the island the group had a short hike up to the Swallowtail Lighthouse where they had their lunch.
 
The afternoon was filled with activities exploring life on the island.  The group visited a shop that processes and sells different types of seaweed that are collected on the shorelines of the island.  The students were able to sample some of the seaweeds, including dulse and nori.  Then the group visited the Gaskin Museum of Marine Life where they viewed porpoise skeletons, the bones of a humpback flipper, jars filled with marine organisms, seabird specimens, and a tuna skull.  The museum also has a great gift shop so the students took advantage of that and picked up some souvenirs.  To finish off the afternoon the students visited the captain of the whale watching boat who is also a lobster fisherman.  He gave the students a demonstration on lobster traps and how they work. 

In the evening Laurie Murison from the Grand Manan Whale and Seabird Research Station gave a presentation to the students about whale research that occurs in the waters around the island.  She talked about the endangered North Atlantic Right Whales and some of the issues the population is facing, including ship strikes, and entanglement.
 
The group stayed on the island for the night at the Whale Camp dreaming of all the whales they would see the next day.    

Keeping a watch for whales while on the ferry.

Swallowtail Lighthouse in the fog.

A herring weir.

The students with Peter checking out the lobster traps.

Seaweed samples...yum!

At the museum.