The firm that has actually been arranging seal-watching tours for 40 years on Quebec’s Magdalen Islands is formally placing an end to the wintertime task — one that has actually added to the worldwide renown of the little island chain.
“We have officially decided to put this wonderful project, which the Château Madelinot and the Magdalen Islands have been hosting since 1985, on the back burner,” stated Ch âteau Madelinot co-owner Ariane Bérubé.
While the Madelinot resort had actually never ever terminated the task prior to 2010, it has actually been compelled to do so 8 times in the last 15 years as a result of the absence of ice solid sufficient to securely move vacationers.
Earlier this year, the resort announced it had put an end to its marketing efforts bordering tours to observe harp seal dogs– called whitecoats — yet the firm prepared to arrange excursions if strong ice created in the following couple of years.
In the 90s, whitecoat seal-watching brought in as much as 400 vacationers to the Magdalen Islands over a four-week duration. (Rei Ohara)
At the moment, the resort stated it maintained a listing of clients going to delay their involvement from one year to the following. However, the firm has actually considering that transformed its mind and is definitively placing an end to hopes of arranging the occasion once again.
“It’s really the unpredictability of operations that led us to make this decision, because there’s a good investment of time and money in holding this event,” stated Bérubé.
“We’re now informing customers that, unfortunately, due to climate change, we have to cease our activities.”
Climate modification makes the visibility of strong ice in the Gulf ofSt Lawrence extremely uncertain. (Rei Ohara/ Hôtels Accents)
The last whitecoat seal-watching excursions go back to 2020. Since after that, Bérubé and her group have actually been very closely keeping an eye on the modifications in ice cover.
Although there has actually been ice sometimes, it has actually just lasted for a number of days, contrasted to the 3 or 4 weeks they had the ability to run in the past.
Major impact for tourist
The basic supervisor of the Magdalen Islands tourist board is let down by the end of the task.
“It’s a major blow, because we have to recognize that whitecoat seal-watching was part of the DNA of the tourism industry,” stated Michel Bonato
He stressed that this was the only tourist item that had better stature than the Magdalen Islands vacationer location itself.
“There were people who came to watch the whitecoats who didn’t even know it was on the Magdalen Islands,” stated Bonato.
Ch âteau Madelinot co-owner Ariane Bérubé stated the changability of the period led her to make the tough choice to finish the task. (Isabelle Larose/Radio-Canada)
Bonato sees this choice as a plain representation of environment modification’s expanding influence on tourist, especially on the Magdalen Islands.
Despite this problem, he stays hopeful that arising particular niche experiences can enhance tourist throughout the off-season, such as the arrival of wintertime cruise ships in 2025, in addition to a boost in company conventions and movie manufacturings.
The pack ice needs to be thick adequate to permit a helicopter to land and vacationers to flow securely. (Courtesy of Ch âteau Madelinot)
For its component, the Ch âteau Madelinot plans to advertise the heritage of whitecoat seal-watching. Two image exhibits showcasing the task are currently on display screen in the resort.
The Madelinot is additionally participating in a number of researches to share its experience, consisting of one performed by the UQAM Chair of Tourism, which concentrates on exactly how tourist companies can adjust to the obstacles of environment modification.
“Watching the whitecoat seals will be a wonderful memory, and we’ll be lucky to have experienced it in the Magdalen Islands,” stated Bérubé.
