Brier Island: Land's End in the Bay of Fundy

Land's end in the Bay of Fundy

Tiny Brier Island a major stopover for migrating seabirds, shorebirds, waterfowl and hawks

By Dave Cooper, The Edmonton JournalJanuary 13, 2009

The fog is thick and the winds are brisk, not a great day for whale watching. But here I am clutching the damp rail of a temporarily converted lobster boat as it plows through two-metre swells. Suddenly, skipper Roy Graham shuts off the big diesel for a few minutes.

"Just listen," says guide Penny Graham. "We can't see them, but we might hear them and get closer."

A dozen pair of ears tune in for the whoosh of a humpback blowing, or exhaling, as it breaks the surface. Since whales will often move in one direction, we could follow and hopefully get close enough to see something through the fog. But the wind drowns out any whales that might be in this prime area off Brier Island, reputed as the best place to see them in the Maritimes.

It's not great today. When there's fog and no wind you can hear the humpbacks. The wind is not a problem when you can see the giants breach.

But we were warned. Roy and Penny have been doing this longer than most, filling in time between lobster seasons by taking out whale-watchers. There are now more than a dozen firms from the city of Digby right out along the spectacular 73-kilometre spit called the Digby Neck to Long Island and Brier Island.

Two hours earlier, Penny had stood on deck and described the weather as marginal. We were told we'd be lucky to see anything, but since many folks just had the one day on the island, it was a four-and-a-half hour boat ride now, or try again tomorrow.

And the forecast for tomorrow was more of the same.

"Anyone want to get off now? Once the boat leaves the dock, we're not turning back," said Penny.

After a few hours on the heaving sea, a few green-faced landlubbers had wished they'd taken that advice.

As the wind picked up, many hoped the fog would blow off. Penny laughed. "Nope, this is a soueaster." Translation: The wind was just bringing in more fog from the Atlantic, which seems to have limitless fog to share with Nova Scotia.

Penny scanned the sea for "fluke prints," areas of foam where a whale has smashed its tail into to sea. Nothing.

She inhaled deeply. "I smell them." The boat stopped again. "When they're feeding you can't miss that smell."

The distinctive odour of herring is often a great way to track the whales, But alas, not today. On we went through the fog, hoping that something would pop up within 50 metres of the boat.

And suddenly, something did. "There," she yelled. Everyone bolted for the rail to see what looked like a giant porpoise arc through the sea on a parallel course.

"It's just a minke."

The smaller whale doesn't have the reputation for playfulness of the humpback, but on a day like this any whale will do.

The sleek, dark back and dorsal fin appeared a couple more times, and then so did an orange zodiac craft. "That's Tiverton. They've come to see our whale. Nobody is seeing anything today," said Penny.

As we docked at Brier Island, Penny handed everyone a complementary pass. "Sorry about today. Come back and ride for free next time."

At the end of a spectacular formation of volcanic rock, Brier looks out into the Bay of Fundy with a rugged face of 40-metre cliffs that reminds many of the Giants Causeway in Ireland. On neighbouring Long Island, a popular stopping spot is Balancing Rock, a sliver of basalt that seems to stand alone.

Brier's southern point trails off into the sea, leaving the bar of Green Island and Gull Rock, a graveyard for unfortunate ships caught in the powerful tides of Fundy and St. Mary's Bay.

Losses were so great that the first lighthouse was erected in 1809, with two more in later decades. The locals were not above scavenging materials from wrecks. A lumber ship that was smashed on the rocks in 1908 yielded enough wood to build the community hall.

At just five kilometres long, Brier is a tiny island rich in history. Three hours from the U.S., it was a major rum-running base during Prohibition. Special low-profile, fast boats were built on the island to evade the authorities. (During a Nova Scotia liquor strike, the flow was reversed, admits one resident. "We loaded up in Maine.")

In the mid-1800s, the village of Westport was a major port for the trade of salted cod to the Caribbean, bringing back molasses and rum which were then taken to England.

The seafaring roots run deep. The village was the boyhood home of Joshua Slocum, who sailed alone around the world in his 37-foot sloop the Spray between 1895 and 1898, a feat until then thought impossible.

Once home to a fleet of sailing vessels, the harbour today is the base for an important lobster fishery from November through April. But you won't find lobster on the menu at Lavena's Catch Cafe, a quaint spot near the ferry ramp in Freeport, a few minutes across Grand Passage from Brier.

Judged one of the best places to eat in Nova Scotia, it's also inexpensive and a hit with locals and tourists. The haddock and scallops are locally caught and fresh each day.

Our bed-and-breakfast in a restored 1830 home was just a short walk to the ferry, which runs hourly.

On the other end, our server advised us it would be leaving right on time. "Well, my stepfather is the captain."

Because of its location on the Atlantic Flyway and at the gateway to the Bay of Fundy, and the great tides which have created a rich ecosystem, Brier is a major stopover for migrating seabirds, shorebirds, waterfowl and hawks. The Big Pond lowlands and Whipple Point are protected areas.

While the whole Digby Neck is spectacular, it is not beach country -- with one exception. At the hamlet of Sandy Cove, a short unmarked road leads to the secluded Sandy Cove Beach, a popular place in the summer when the sun is shining and the water temperature tolerable. That wasn't the case in late September.

We found several spectacular white sand beaches west of Halifax on the southwest coast. But the water temperature was a chilly 10C.

IF YOU GO:

- FLIGHTS: WestJet and Air Canada offer daily direct flights to Halifax. Digby is 235-kilometre drive through the beautiful Annapolis Valley. Digby Neck is a narrow ribbon of land between the Bay of Fundy and St. Mary's Bay. There is a two-minute ferry across Petite Passage to Long Island, and a five minute ferry from the end of Long Island to Brier Island. ($4 per car for each ferry. No charge for return trip.)

- Accommodation: Bay of Fundy Inn, a restored 1830 home now run as a bed-and-breakfast. $75 night for two. (1-800-239-2189). Owners also run Mariner Cruises Whale and Seabird Tours. A tour of up to five hours on the water costs about $48 per person, $40 for seniors and students, $26 for children. Website: www.novascotiawhalewatching.ca

- There is also a lodge, hostel and motel on Brier, as well as other whale watching firms. Order the free Doer's and Dreamers' guide from the province.

Website: www.novascotia.com

- The Grahams say around Brier Island, finback whales, minke whales and harbour porpoises are the first to arrive in the spring. In June, the humpbacks begin to return; by late June they are abundant, and white-sided dolphins are often seen. By mid-July all five species are commonly sighted and usually remain until late fall.