Blue whale spotted just off the shore of Ingonish Harbour, N.S.

A blue whale was spotted off the coast of Cape Breton.

The largest species of whale was caught on camera by a tour group in Cape Breton Wednesday.

A tour group led by Ingonish Whale Watching & Scenic tours had an up-close encounter with a blue whale Wednesday morning just off the shore of Ingonish Harbour, N.S.

The tour guide and his lucky customers captured the animal on video.

“Everyone was amazed,” said Jakob Whitty, a tour guide captain. “A lot of people said I made their day or made their week. They were very happy. There was a lot of cheering and clapping for sure.”

The head of the Marine Animal Response Society (MARS) confirmed the animal was indeed a blue whale.

“Yes, it absolutely is,” said MARS executive director Tonya Wimmer. “That is one of the most amazing animals you’ll ever get to see on the planet.”

While it’s not unheard of for an endangered blue whale to make its way into Maritime waters, Wimmer said a close encounter is fairly rare.

“We do get blue whales that will come to Eastern Canadian waters in the summer to feed and what not, but to have it that close to shore and in that location off Cape Breton is a pretty rare and special treat,”she said.

Whitty said Wednesday’s sighting was not the only time the tour group has seen some spectacular marine life. In July 2018, a pod of beluga whales caused quite a sensation when they made an extended visit to the waters off the Cabot Trail.

“They spent about two or three weeks in the channel there behind me, between the two buoys and people were able to go check them out every day with their boats,” Whitty recalled.

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