Bay Bulls

For some strange reason we spent 2 nights in Trepassey and ended up eating out which was a treat. We get up bright and early and decide to take on the last headland before heading north its 62 nm to bay bulls. We aren’t ready for the big city of St John’s yet so bay bulls is a bay just short of St John’s. It’s famous for bird and whale watching. The weather is fine so we decide to take an inside route through islands that are reportedly full of sea bird colonies.
As the days goes on the wind increase. By the time we are cutting between great island and the mainland we had 25 plus kts behind us by the time we could see the clouds of Puffins on green and gull island we had 35 kts. W decide to go round the outside. The wind peaked at 38 knots quite a sleigh ride. We could see whale blows everywhere. We made a plan to return to the island the following day when the wind would be calmer..
Bay bulls had the largest stone crushing ship in have seen parked on the dock and it was clear it was going to be working day and night. No piece for us but tommorow is looking exiting.
The following day was clear blue and we got up early to head back towards gull island and the bay we had seen so much wildlife. The area is known as witless bay nature reserve. Bay bulls has several puffin and whale tours heading out to this area, but we were up early enough to be ahead of them. There is enough wind to sail and we slip along with just the noise of the clear cold water sliding past the hull. As we reach the gap between gull island and the mainland we see our first whale blow. The crisp morning is blue and the haze from the blow hangs in the air for ages before dispersing. We roll in the Genoa to slow down. The Finn whale came up to breath directly in our path only 1 boat length ahead. A big puff and it was easy to see his or her blow hole open and close and the roar of air escaping caused us to be silent and stare. Several more blows over the next few minutes the whale never more than 2 boat lengths away. One and a half times the length of the boat every detail of Mr whales skin texture was visible. Trickling through the bay we see clouds of puffins, and whale start to appear at all angles we eventually sea a group of hump backs breaching and playing on there sides. Totally magical morning. Which we finish sliding by the puffing and guillemot colony at close range at at 1 it while ate lunch. This is what came for wildlife in the raw. Now to carry on to St John’s and the big cityRead more