Sunday, August 19, 2018 - Part 1 (Nature Ocean Chalets and Camping, Perce, Quebec)

We had such an incredible sightseeing day today that it took a long time for all of the pictures to be edited...and then sorted into order because of multiple cameras used. Steve captured some fabulous pictures, so we have decided to break today's blog into 2 separate posts. Here's the start of the day...

We wanted to catch the 9:00 boat tour this morning, so we headed down to the office to catch the shuttle at 8:00. Timing was perfect...we didn't have too long to wait on the dock before it was time to board.

Now, what is really unfortunate is that there were no regulations as far as standing was concerned. The last boat tour we went on, everyone had to have a seat and stay in it...so although we managed to get seats on the upper deck, it ended up being packed with people standing all around us. Geez, I don't think there were many left downstairs...talk about top heavy! It had us thinking of the 2015 capsizing of a whale watching boat back home off of Tofino that capsized from a rogue wave that killed 6 people.

This made it very difficult to get any good pictures...which really pissed Steve off! To top it off, there was a tour group from Italy, and standing right behind us was a young Italian woman whimpering and crying for most of the trip as the boat rocked back and forth, as her husband/boyfriend tried to comfort her. It was a windy day, the water was rough, making it pretty rocky and bouncy especially for anyone standing.

The tour started off going to Percé Rock (French: Rocher Percé, meaning "pierced rock") is a huge sheer rock formation in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence on the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec, Canada, off Percé Bay. Percé Rock appears from a distance like a ship under sail. It is one of the world's largest natural arches located in water and is considered a geologically and historically rich natural icon of Quebec. It is a major attraction in the Gaspésie region.

The tip Perce Rock with that 17% grade highway in the distance on the right...

Backside...even the people sitting next to us had to stand for some reason...geez!

After going on both sides of Percé Rock, the boat circled Bonaventure Island before docking to let tourists off to explore the island. Large blocks off the island have sloughed off...

We can see seals in the distance...

This rock formation almost looks like petrified seals...

Gannets soaring the cliff tops...

Our first glimpse of seals up close...

Wow!

Beautiful little waterfall...

Not sure if these are cormorants...

Another group of seals...

Dive boat near the seals...

More seals in the distance...

See the two seals resting on shore to the right...

Getting close to the dock on the island...

The wild flowers are beautiful...

Bonaventure Island (Île Bonaventure), with Percé, was among the early seasonal fishing ports of New France, and was associated with the lineage of Nicolas Denys. Settlers from southern Ireland came in the early 1790s. Peter Du Val, a native of Jersey, set up a fishery company on lot number one before 1819, population rose to an apex, but the company endured until 1845. The island became a migratory bird sanctuary in 1919 due to the 1916 Migratory Bird Convention between Canada and the United States. The Province of Quebec acquired ownership of the entire island by act of expropriation in 1971, evicting the whole population. At this time approximately 35 families were forced to move elsewhere, all residents were evicted. (That would suck if you were one of the land owners!) Later the Province of Quebec grouped it together with Percé Rock into the Parc national de l'île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé (Bonaventure Island and Percé Rock National Park) in 1985. One of the largest and most accessible bird sanctuaries in the world, with more than 280,000 birds, Bonaventure Island is a major tourist destination with boat and island tours from May to October. 
The aircraft carrier HMCS Bonaventure was named after the island. 
(Canada hasn't had one since 1970)

It was about 10:00 when we arrived on the island. Before entering, everyone had to listened to an orientation about the park, and then we all went through and paid our entrance fee. We had a bathroom break, I put on my knee braces and we were ready to hike around the island. We decided to take the longest trail going all of the way around the island...it started with Sentier les Mousses (Trail of Mosses), returning on Le Chemin du Roy (the King's Way), a total of 9.4 kms/5.85 miles. 
And we're off! It was very thick forest at the start, as we climbed and climbed...

We reached the top where it opened up...

I really rock those knee braces, don't I...a true fashion statement! LOL...

Beautiful views as we head down to that view point...

A close-up of one of the sailboats enjoying the brisk wind on the water today...

And then we came to this...OMG! Incredible! A Northern Gannet rookery...

(Click on photos to enlarge)

These birds are fascinating to watch when they're feeding as they fold their wings back and dive into the water after their prey...

There are thousands of them!

And they are loud and stinky!

Part way around, at a junction of 3 trails, at the rookery, is a large rest area with picnic tables restrooms...a good spot for a break and lunch...except for the smell and flies, that is...

After a bite to eat, Steve headed back to the Gannets...

These two are fencing...

Lots of fluffy young ones with their moms...

Feed me...feed me!

It was amazing watching a parent find their chick out of the thousands of birds and put on the brakes!

And that brings us to  the end of Part 1...stay tuned for more of this great trail and beautiful island!