The Saguenay Fjord, an Adventure of a Different Kind

We're on our way to the Saguenay Fjord to see some whales.

The Saguenay Fjord, is just 2 hours northeast of Quebec City, and empties into the St. Lawrence River. We were surprised to learn there are whales that far up the St. Lawrence. Our research indicates the whale are attracted by the good food source caused by downriver currents of the St. Lawrence and Saguenay Rivers, along with the backwater tidal current from the Atlantic Ocean.

The Saguenay Fjord is surrounded by a National Park, designed to protect the pristine nature of the Fjord. Then within, the Saguenay - St. Lawrence Marine Park protects the whales and other aquatic life.

The Fjord is made up of both salt and fresh water. The salt from the St. Lawrence backwater and the fresh from Lac St. Jean. The fresh mainly floats on top of the salt water, leaving the top water only mildly salty to the taste. The Fjord is also very deep, at 270 m or over 800 feet in places.  This combination allows for whales to swim up the Fjord.

Marlene arranged for a large chalet to accommodate 8 of us, all family. The chalet is located near the quaint French village of La Malbaie. La Malbaie was initially settled around 1760, and became a municipality in 1845. We're looking forward to practicing our very limited French, and embracing the culture of old Quebec.

Marlene and I usually travel on our own, but this time, there will be 8 of us, so we expect this to be an adventure of a different kind.

Click here for the next story in this series:
http://travellingwithsteveandmarlene.blogspot.ca/2016/09/a-whale-of-time.html