Each summer, thousands of people make their way to Long and Brier Islands, for one reason, whale watching!
Since 1994, Freeport Whale and Seabird Tours have been providing a unique experience for passengers on their boat, the Georgie Porgie! The family-owned tour company is run out of Freeport on Long Island in Digby County.
(Pictured Left to Right – Freeport Whale & Seabird Tours Team
Mandy Crocker, Kadijah Phodiades, Amara Sehgal, Savannah, Hank & Bradley Crocker)
Captain Bradley Crocker, owner, is the trusted master guiding the Georgie Porgie from the wheelhouse.
Crocker recalls beginning his journey on the vessel at the young age of 20 years old, following in the footsteps of his father Tim.
In 1992 when the boat was built, it was the first fully fibre glass vessel of the fleet. Operating as a lobster boat, it was uniquely named after George’s nickname, “Georgie Porgie”, who is Bradley’s grandfather. George owned the boat before eventually handing it down to Tim, Bradley’s father.
The whale watching business was started by Tim & Karen Crocker in 1994. With over a decade of lobster fishing with his father, Bradley took ownership of the boat that now sails the waters during the summer months.
The vessel, being over 30 years old, is a little slower than the rest, still showing its potential. It makes for a cozy environment for whale-watching experiences for passengers.
Alongside Bradley is tour guide Mandy Crocker, carrying a plethora of knowledge about the marine life that frequents the waters off of Brier Island.
Having over 33 years of experience in the industry, Crocker recalls how it all started.
“I started when I was 14 years old, selling tickets and answering the phone for Freeport Whale and Seabird Tours.” Shared Mandy Crocker.
With a 20 passenger capacity, it’s one of the smaller boats in the whale-watching fleet in the area, giving a more personalized experience for the tourists on board.
At the age of 16, Mandy began guiding whale tours. By now she doesn’t need to hold a script. When something of interest can be seen from the waters, she’ll share her knowledge with the passengers on board.
From whales, dolphins, sunfish and even different birds, the waters hold a vast array of species that make passengers jump from their seats to have a look.
Crocker provides interesting facts about the marine life while passengers take in the moment. She’s even written her own book with photos taken from years on the water.
(Pictured – Two humpback whales taken by Mandy Crocker with Freeport Whale & Seabird Tours)
Their tour also has some interesting features, including being wheelchair accessible and recently installing Wi-Fi on board!
They also allow for a pet-friendly experience, with their own personal deckhand Hank. Passengers can also bring pets on the adventure out to sea.
Hank works just as hard as Bradley and Mandy, collecting customer tickets as they board the boat and experiencing the majority of the season’s whale tours.
During last year’s whale watching season, Hank went on all 174 tours, truly showing the dedication to the industry.
You can’t forget about Amara Sehgal, Kadijah Phodiades & Savannah, the girls in the office who help make it all happen on shore! Each day they coordinate bookings and ensure customers have the guidance to make it onto the boat.
Even despite the excitement and the thrill of going whale watching, there is one thing that many tend to forget before reserving their seats, whale watching is strictly dependent on Mother Nature.
While out on the water, local tour companies work together to share the locations of the whales, ensuring passengers can all have a successful experience.
Weather can make it tricky trying to track whales down, depending on the fog, tides and just Mother Nature in general, it can be hard to predict where they may be.
This was the case for Bailey, who went whale watching 5 years ago on the Georgie Porgie, attempting to redeem her luck in August.
Bailey and Maxwell made the trip from Halifax and, yet again, the powers of Mother Nature weren’t in their favour.
In some rare cases, tours may be cancelled. Transport Canada has specific Guidelines and safety regulations when it comes to whale watching to ensure the safety of the passengers and the staff on board.
What if I don’t see any whales?
“Instead of leaving the island and not seeing whales, we offer free passes to come back and there’s no expiry date on them. If you want to come back the following week, later in the summer or even in 10 years’ time, as long as you come back so we can redeem ourselves.” Mandy expressed.
I had the opportunity to experience being one of those passengers on board, getting a first-hand glimpse of the long and beautiful days on the water and not being able to see whales.
With a total of four very different tours and twelve hours on the water, there was something to see and enjoy with each sail out.
So far this season, over 88% of their tours have been successful, spotting whales and providing passengers with the opportunity to see these magnificent creatures up close while learning a few facts about them.
Tourists from all around the world come down to this beautiful part of Nova Scotia to try their luck.
Robin, Quinn, Blaire and Adam came all the way from Kawartha Lakes in Ontario. With it being their first time ever whale watching, enjoying the experience on the water!
Thinking about whale watching?
From my experience, one day is certainly not enough. You should consider taking advantage of the opportunity and spending a night. Take two tours to lock in your chances while exploring this beautiful part of the province.
Time is running out this season and seats are booking up, but you still might have an opportunity to try your luck, no matter the whale watching company you plan on going out with!
This was a very special experience for me, learning about some of the challenges around the whale watching industry, soaking up lots of relaxation and meeting with different people in the community.
Big thank you to the team from Freeport Whale and Seabird Tours for accommodating me into their work.
You can visit their website and Facebook page by clicking the link attached here: https://whalewatchersnovascotia.ca
Adrian J.
You can visit the fully photo gallery from all four tours below:
