We leave Montréal and head to Saguenay, the northeasternmost point of our journey. Since we depart late, we reach Québec after sunset. From there, the Route 175 takes us through the night to our final destination. It is one of the most extraordinary highway rides ever: for almost two hours, we drive through a pitch dark landscape with no idea what surrounds us. There is not one exit or village on the way – only one lonely gas station at which we take a little break. Signs remind us to beware of moose. We‘d love to see one in safe distance, but not this night, in the middle of nowhere.
But the most fascinating ride is still to come. The next morning, we drive along the Saguenay Fjord to Tadoussac which is located where the fjord opens into the great St. Lawrence Estuary. The mix of the fjord‘s fresh water and the salt water in St. Lawrence create a unique ecosystem, providing habitat to some of the largest creatures on Earth – marine mammals including belugas, fin whales and blue whales.
When we board the zodiac boat, I hardly dare to hope that we will get to see one of them. But out on the open water, we spot the fin of a fin whale. We see their blow, a huge water fountain. We see white beluga spots on the horizon. And we do see a blue whale breathe out and dive back into the water.
We can scarcely fathom the true size of these creatures, seeing only a tiny part of their immense body from the distance. But we can feel the wonder of the universe that swims just within sight – so huge, so peaceful, so utterly sublime. It brings tears to my eyes to be so close to the biggest animals that exist on this planet, to be a guest in their living room, and they evoke in me the deepest sense of humility.
We have had so many touching encounters on this journey, but this is an indescribably magical moment, even though we spot the whales only for a fleeting moment. They are there. We can connect to them, as we can connect to everything else that is alive on this planet.
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