Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park
A national park to protect the marine habitat at the Saguenay River confluence into the estuary of St. Lawrence River. Important location of marine mammal scientific research and whale watching tourism.
How to Get Here
Boat trips to the marine park are leaving from different harbours along the St. Lawrence River North and South coast. Most important one though is the harbour in Tadoussac. You can get to Tadoussac by bus leaving from Quebec City, bus terminal (~5hrs).
Photography Tips
An ambitious photographer will look for an opportunity to sit into a small Zodiac. A small Zodiac is important because you will be able to get closer to whales and seals and at sea level. If your looking for Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) or Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) you have to go in August. There is a chance to see them before or after August but during August you are almost guaranteed to spot them.
Whales are large animals and you don't need a very large lens. All our photos and videos have been taken with a 200mm lens. You should have though a camera which is fast in acquiring focus. We summarized our experience in Whale Photography here: Whale Photography with Nikon Z6
What to See Here
Saguenay Marine Park is a protected area for whales, seals and birds and very popular among persons interested in whale watching. It serves also as location for different whale research projects. Thus the main reason to visit this place is to spot different whale species. With some luck you may even spot Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas) or Northern Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) from the beach. On a tour during the right time of the year you may also spot a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) or Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus). With a lot of luck you may get a glimpse on Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus).
Recent Photos of Species
Species and Seasonality
| Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Groundhog (Marmota monax) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Times a species has been spotted, identified and logged while visiting this park. A species is reported only once / park visit. Consult the page animal tracking about how we log observations in field. Only species shown which we have logged at least 5 times in the Montreal area.
Videos Recorded in Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park
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Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park, Quebec
Recorded: 2021-08-15 - Published: 2021-12-31 - Duration: [06:17] -
Northern Minke Whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park, Quebec
Recorded: 2021-08-25 - Published: 2021-12-31 - Duration: [06:21] -
Fin Whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park, Quebec
Recorded: 2021-08-15 - Published: 2021-12-31 - Duration: [07:08] -
Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Flapping Pectoral Fin on Surface
Recorded: 2021-08-25 - Published: 2021-09-10 - Duration: [00:29] -
Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Showing Fluke before Diving
Recorded: 2021-08-23 - Published: 2021-08-24 - Duration: [00:16]
Videos are hosted on Muuuh's YouTube Channel.
Photos Taken in Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park
You have to get up early to experience such a breathtaking sunrise over St. Lawrence River. Sunsets in the Côte-Nord area are less impressive as they happen over land.
2021-08-27
NIKON Z 6; NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S; Focal Length 70mm; Exposure 1/320; Aperture f/22; Iso 320;
Morning on the way to whale territory in Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park.
2021-08-20
NIKON Z 6; NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S; Focal Length 92mm; Exposure 1/1600; Aperture f/11; Iso 140;
Looking upstream of Saguenay River from the estuary into St. Lawrence River. Not far upstream, there is an important Beluga whale nursery for the few remaining Belugas in the Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park.
2013-08-17
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS; 4.3-215mm; Focal Length 4mm; Exposure 1/400; Aperture f4.0; Iso 80;
For high quality, free available photos visit our profile on Unsplash.