This was an awesome experience. I went with my wife and 6 year old daughter for the 5pm tour and…read morethe staff were fantastic. We saw a ton of whales including a full breach and a whale that just put on a show for us rolling and waving right beside the boat for several minutes. This is also a smaller company and smaller boat - so there's no more than 20 on the tour - there were less than that on our boat so there's no trouble getting a view. I feel like they went above and beyond to ensure that we got to see as many whales as possible keeping us out for almost 5 full hours. Make sure you bring snacks and make sure you bring warm clothes. Shorts and a t-shirt for a warm day are more than comfortable until you start heading back and the sun has gone down. You'll be thankful to have warm gear at that point.

Very friendly and very knowledgeable staff/guide. Well worth the drive out from Digby to see the…read morewhales!

Great chance of no whales. Refunds should be issued upon request. It's a long journey out there and…read moremany people can never return. Money grab! Beware.

Chose this tour group for 2 reasons. 1. Came highly recommended from other people who have done the…read moretour with them. 2. They do their research and almost acts as a keeper/tracker of the whales found in the Bay of Fundy. This tour group/research group provided an excellent whale watching tour. Right in Briar Island, they offer tours in the Bay of Fundy. They take the tour very seriously, in that regard, they will sometimes alter the tour times based on the conditions of the water. Once on the tour, I got on the Mega Nova, which is a converted lobster fishing boat, which gladly remains active in the winter, we were welcomed by the experts in Marine wildlife. The captain of the boat, the guides, all very knowledgeable of whale behaviours. The captain got us close as possible and we were blessed with almost a dozen humpback whales in the 3-4 hrs we were at sea. They have a smaller boat, Zodiac, which allows for visitors to get even closer to the whales as it is a much smaller, more agile boat. However, based on their site, it's not always narrated. Also, for the price they charge, it is a great experience to be had! $50 gets you a spot on the boat and ready to witness amazing creatures. If you are looking for good meals, the fair winds cafe not more than 10 meters away from the office, offers great affordable quick meals. Fish burger for $6.50 is what I got and there is a deck just outside for amazing views of the harbour while enjoying your snack. The trip to briar island is also a scenic and interesting one. Having to take 2 ferries to get to them.

Fabulous day out on the water... Although we took the whale watching tour a little bit early in…read morethe season, there was plenty to see. I imagine this ride would have been amazing for a birder - but I just found it really cool to see puffins floating on the water, and different birds soaring above - with the first mate naming each as they passed. For the whales... well, it took a little bit of time to find them, but once the captain and mate did - the experience was breathtaking. I've been on whale watches before - out of Boston, Gloucester, and P-town - but I don't remember feeling this close to the majestic creatures. A humpback calf entertained us (it really seemed to want to show off!!) with breaches and jumps and swimming under the boat. I'm no marine biologist, but this outfit really seemed to respect the whales' space too. Engines off when we were close... instructions to softly cross the boat when needed as stomping will scare them... and if there were other boats coming in to the space (rare) - this boat kept a distance, and/or departed for another spot. First mate Durlan (? sorry, bad with names) was very knowledgeable about the whales and the birds and took great pics. Had nothing but respect for the captain - he seemed perfect for the job. I happened to be able to spend some time with another employee of the outfit - just along for the ride and to take some camera shots. Jenn works part time in the office, but was a great ambassador for the tours. I learned tons about the birds and whales... and Grand Manan. Whether in awe (and yes, crying) at the actions of these noble creatures, or listening intently to the birding banter between other passengers.... to say that it was an enjoyable outing would certainly be an understatement.

Peter and Durlan are super professional and awesome tour guides. You won't be disappointed. I…read morehighly recommend their services when visiting Grand Manan Island

We had the BEST time with Captain Kinny! He was extremely accommodating and hospitable. His…read morecommunication was top notch too. If you are ever in Eastport, don't miss going out on the bay with Eastport Charter.

From the owner: 6 passenger boat trips from the Eastport City Breakwater north dock. See the Maine and Canadian…read morecoast from the water. Whale Watching to Bird Watching and everything in between is possible. See West or East Quoddy Head, the Old Sow, Lubec, Eastport, Campobello, Deer Island, Pleasant Point. Custom Boat Trips in the Bay of Fundy, Cobscook Bay and the Downeast Maine Coast. View whales, lighthouses, birds, Old Sow, Reversing Falls, seals, property, pickups available in Eastport, Lubec and Pembroke.

A friend mailed me a flyer for Captain Riddle's Whale Watch Cruises, and as it was a girls weekend…read moreto take pictures at first light (Lubec, ME is the Eastern most point on the continental US) we decided to pack our passports, and add a Canadian fishing/whale watching trip to the agenda (Campobello Island is just over the bridge from Lubec. Seriously, you need a passport to drive five minutes away). I don't think that we had ever been on a commercial Whale Watch, and Holly wanted to fish, so it was win/win. My sister Holly (shh... don't tell her I'm adopted) and I grew up on Maine's amazing Penobscot Bay - we take the sea and all of it's beauty for granted sometimes. Our trip with Brandon on the Captain Riddle's Whale Watch Cruise was amazing. All we could talk about on the drive home was planning to bring the whole family for a cruise. We could imagine them on the boat, laughing, watching the porpoises surface and dive, the eagles (both Bald and Brown) literally soaring overhead, the seals sunning themselves on the rocks, with the light houses in the distance bearing witness. I can't help but gush, it really was THAT amazing. Did I mention that we were on the sunset cruise? It was a small intimate trip, we had six adults and four children with us. This was the trip of a lifetime for the kids. They were so excited that all they could do was grab and point whenever they saw some new sea creature. Did I mention that the trip was even more delightful because excitement is infectious. We were so close to a minke whale that all one woman could do was squeal and say, "I am so excited I think I am going to pee myself" (don't worry, she didn't have an accident. there is a head (bathroom) right there on the boat - she made it in time!), She was so excited that she forgot to push start when she was trying to video the whale. As the sun set, and the lights of Eastport, Maine twinkled on the horizon, Brandon piloted the boat to the perfect spot, and we dropped our fishing lines in the water. Within 10 minutes, one of the boys caught 3 mackerel. What a thrill for an 11 year old boy from Alberta, Canada who, before that afternoon, had never even seen the ocean. (this is the stuff of childhood memories) Holly caught a mackerel and three herring. I caught a herring, and immediately called to Brandon in typical girly girl fashion and asked him to take it off the hook and throw it back in the water. (Holly was horrified, and I will catch grief about this for years to come) It seems that I have no problem gutting and cooking fish, but catching them is a bit much for me. Captain Brandon was my knight in shining armor, and saved the day. (he even filleted the fish at the end of the trip for the people who were going to take their catch home). We are already planning our trip back. Next time, we'll bring the whole extended family (siblings, kids, spouses, grandmother) and I'll take more pictures to scrapbook memories of an amazing 2 1/2 hours so we can reminisce and fondly remember it for the rest of our lives. I've added some of my pictures, so you can see what I am writing about. Let the pictures justify my flowery prose. I promise, my next Yelp review will be written as a cynical NYC Girl - but thanks to Captain Riddle, this cynical NYC girl who takes notes from Dorothy Parker took a vacation and found her inner Judith McNaught.

We spent an excellent morning out on the bay. It ended up being just our family on the boat for the…read more10 AM departure. The close dock meant we didnt have to travel far to see the wildlife. The captain was friendly and informative. We were able to see seals, porpoises, eagles, cormorants and a minke whale.

Booked this company for a whale watching tour. We went out for almost three hours and ended up…read moreseeing the endangered Right whale. They were pretty far away so it was hard to see but I enjoyed being out on the boat. The cruise had about 13 people and the tour guides were informative. I wish they had given more of an actual tour and more information about the islands. They went around and spoke to people individually maybe they could have a speaker system. The tour cost about $50 and was well worth the money.

I recently took another whalewatching trip aboard the Mister Matthew boat with Mackie and Robert at…read morethe helm. It was late August and sadly, this year, there haven't been many finbacks in the Fundy waters, but we were game to go out and search for whatever we could find. It was a perfect "Campobello" day - mid 70s, sunny and a cool ocean breeze. The boat was packed to the gills - but even with the 20 or so patrons, everyone had a place to sit and a great view of the ocean. We managed to spot two minke whales, a ton (probably 50+) of porpoise, a bald eagle which we even saw dive and catch a fish out of the sea, plenty of seals and other marine birds. Robert was chipper as ever, talking about all the wildlife and animals surrounding the boat, and Mackie was intent on finding us some whales. We ended up going up the channel between Eastport, ME and Deer Island in order to find them which meant going through Old Sow (the largest tidal whirlpool in the western hemisphere) and finding two! I highly recommend going on a whale watch with Island Cruises. For 2.5 hours of pure enjoyment and ocean views, even if you aren't lucky enough to see a ton of whales there is so much to enjoy. Plus, Mackie and Robert are part of the Campobello Whale Rescue team - helping to save over 20 whales (and likely countless other marine mammals) entangled in fisherman nets or otherwise injured. Why not support a team who is so committed to helping preserve and protect their surrounding waters?

This a great tour. The captain has a wonderful wit. Got to see whales, dolphins, seals, and eagles.read more

Today started at 6:00 am to catch a 7:45 am boat departure with plan to see whales, seals,…read moredolphins, Bald Eagles, the lighthouse area we walked yesterday-the walking area to get to it is submerged in water at high tide today; ride through it and experience The Old Sows Pen (huge whirlpools where ingoing and outgoing tides intersect. Amazing 2 hour trip aboard The Lorna Dione Small boat with 6 passengers and our Captain Ralph. Man did Captain Ralph deliver !!! We saw 3 species of whales up close, heard their blow and got great pictures. Riding through the cut at lighthouse (we walked yesterday) was amazing and the whirlpools were thrilling. Captain Ralph made sure we got the whirlpool experience, including turning off motors and us going around 180 degrees .

Absolutely the best way to get out on the water from Eastport! I was lucky enough to go out on a…read moreperfect summer day--sunny, with a nice summery breeze--and there were enough of us to need two boats for the 1:30pm tour. You can pack in a good-sized crowd, but it's not a gigantic boat and you'll be making friends with nearby seatmates and chatting up the crew in no time. Once you're out of the harbor area you'll cruise out toward Campobello Island, as well as a lot of smaller ones dotting the bay--and you're pretty much in Canadian waterways the whole time. We saw minke whales, porpoises, seals, and bald eagles. The lighthouse view of the East Quoddy Head Light is gorgeous, and once you round that tip of the island the much cooler air from the Bay of Fundy wafts in and drops the temperature. Be sure to bring a jacket or sweatshirt along with your sunscreen and water! Our crew also pulled up a lobster trap on the return part of the trip and it was fun getting a look at harvesting in action. And the crew members have lots of info and stories about the area, so just ask! Great way to spend the afternoon.

We saw pretty much all the animals, landmarks and sea phenomenons the captains said we would. They…read morewere informative and it was a cool experience. Wouldn't recommend it for young kids (like our 5 year old) since it's a 2-2.5 hour voyage.

As we returned to the dock, the captain yelled to a group onshore, "We saw two whales!" Well, no…read morewe didn't. We saw two whale SPOUTS, far in the distance, and as we approached (along with several other whale-watching boats), the whales beat a hasty retreat, as one might expect with a bunch of noisy motorboats bearing down on them. Other than that, no wildlife other than a couple of seals on a rock. The trip was pleasant, and the captain was personable. He pointed out all the relevant locations on the shoreline in the bay. I get that the Bay of Fundy is not a zoo, and there is never a guarantee of seeing whales on any whale-watching trip. But personnel should not tell people we saw whales when we didn't.

Had a fabulous experience. The captain and crew were so knowledgeable. authentic locally run…read morebusiness. While we had a great deal of fog roll in we were still able to see a fair bit of wildlife including a finback whale. very informative. loved the touch tank. glad we chose this company.

I'm from Maine. I recreate in the outdoors all year round. I have seen and experienced a lot of the…read morebest of Maine and this is at the top of the best. Holy smokes. We had a perfect day, went ashore on the island, birds EVERYWHERE. The crew was great especially Abby. She was knowledgeable, knew all the bird species, knew the local history. Just great info source. She and the crew were pleasant, friendly, and safety conscious. Is it pricey? Yup. But it's a 5 hour excursion to a wild place jammed with amazing wildlife. Just get up there and do it. But sells out fast so plan ahead!

Great tour. They are very versed in the area. Captain Ralph makes sure you see everything there is…read moreto offer in the bay.