Newfoundland family whale watching holiday
This is a 'small group family adventure' - typically you will join several other families and travel in a group of approx. 16 people. The trips are great value and a great way for you and your children to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of time to yourselves. Most adventure kids tend to be aged between 7 and 15, but some are younger (minimum age is usually 5) and some older (perhaps travelling as part of a larger family group). Please check with the operator to confirm the minimum age for this trip
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
All participants are encouraged to assist with our whale work but this is also a fun and educational introduction to the wildlife and human cultures of Newfoundland and Labrador. This coast has had human occupation for 9000 years and we explore the natural world and how the various peoples have lived here. We visit and learn about caribou herds, puffin colonies, gannet stacks, and more. We view and learn about some of the planet's largest marine wildlife gatherings. We also view/learn about the seabirds that come from the southern hemisphere to enjoy the rich feeding here. We also carefully visit and teach about orchid patches, fossil beds, and breeding areas of rare birds. We present biological reports to our guests and to government scientists tasked with monitoring wildlife populations.
One major highlight of this trip is the planet's largest gathering of humpback whales. They are also among the least studied humpbacks. We collect census information (tail photographs) and coordinate the collection of data from around the province and contribute this information to Allied Whale, the organization coordinating the global humpback census effort. We also contribute other useful whale data as appropriate to whale scientists around the world. Our developmental website is working to coordinate the collection of whale data off this rich part of the ocean since nobody else is doing it…and because whales are such an important indicator of oceanic health. In 2008 our leader co-authored the SARA (species at risk assessment) for orcas off eastern Canada using data collected on our trips. We cannot guarantee orcas on the Family Adventure but our time in the field presents opportunities to collect useful data….and “we all learn best by doing”. We can guarantee that we will collect useful information while engaging curious minds in a rich, wildlife filled setting. We use photons/e-mails to promote the holidays and very little paper.
Community
All of our programs feature local hosts/leaders and all distribute non resident travellers to remote areas where they enjoy local services and hospitality ranging from boat tours to delicious homemade bread and local subarctic berry jams. We hire local, use local, and celebrate the local traditions. Our hosts are local ambassadors/citizens and almost all of the benefits go to local parks, museums, and fishing families.
Many local museums and parks are supported through admissions and also special enhanced programmes. (Our company has actually developed special education programmes for the National Parks Service and local archaeological sites). We also continue to support an annual scholarship of $500 for Newfoundland and Labrador’s oldest conservation organization – the Natural History Society. We market globally and work to educate/preserve locally.
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