Unusually early whale sightings in Nova Scotia this year

Whale watchers on Nova Scotia's Atlantic coast reported that whale activity started unusually early this summer

Whale activity started unusually early this past June in Nova Scotia.

In fact, it's not too often you see whales get as close to the shoreline as they have this year along the province's Atlantic coast.

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"There was a lot of bait in the water, and now that the temperature of the water has warmed up, you're going to see more bait closer to the shore, and so you’re going to see more predators like whales," says Dennis Garrison, captain of Crystal Crescent Charters.

The whales chase and fill up on krill, which Garrison says is typically further out from the Atlantic Coast than where they've been spotted near Sambro Island.

Nathan Coleman - Humpback whale Nova Scotia

A humpback whale diving off of Long Island, Nova Scotia on July 31, 2024 | Nathan Coleman

On the opposite side of the province, near Digby, it's not at all uncommon to see whales at this time of year.

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The humpbacks appear every year, chasing herring at a shallow ledge in the Bay of Fundy where there is an upwelling from the tides that stirs up sea life.

Watch the video above for more on Nova Scotia's whale sightings and how water temperatures play a role