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.

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?

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.

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 .

I booked a Friday morning whale watching tour with Full Tide. As it turns out, when I turned up I…read morewas the only person booked for the tour. I was given the option of going out or waiting until the 2pm slot. I was leaving that afternoon so I asked if I could go on out. Captain Brandon and his Mate George took a single person out on a whale watching trip of a lifetime. It took a little while to find the whales due to fog rolling in, but we finally saw several Minke whales, lots of seals, porpoises investigating the boat, and all sorts of other wildlife. Perhaps even more interesting than that, Brandon took the time to show me how the technology on the boat works, and we discussed the impacts of modern tech on the maritime industries in the area. I had plenty of opportunity to nerd out on learning about historic and current fishing practices, including weirs and salmon farming, lobster fishing, and the history of the area. George was a gem, sharing all he knew about the area pointing out areas of interest, and making sure we all had an eye out for the most interesting animals and sites. These two men spent 2 hours taking a single person on a tour that probably wound up costing THEM money, and couldn't have been more kind or enthusiastic about it. St Andrews has been the hub for whale watching in the area, but I strongly urge folks to consider Full Tide on Dear Island. The drive to Deer Island and the ferry ride over are not too far, it is ridiculously pretty, and the location gets you to the whale grounds more quickly, so you spend more time looking and less time traveling. I will be traveling back to Deer Island, and when I do, Full Tide will be the first place I go. I hope you'll do the same.

From the owner: Full Tide Ocean Safaris is a locally owned and operated family business. Located in the heart of…read morethe West Isles in the community of Stuart Town on picturesque Deer Island, we are just a 20-minute FREE ferry ride from L’etete NB. Our ideal location puts our departure point 30 minutes closer to the whale feeding ground than other operators, increasing whale sighting opportunities. Our lifelong ties to this area and passion for preserving this way of life are reflected in our tours and the respect we show to the nature around us. Come joint us aboard an authentic 42 foot lobster boat. Our 12 passenger capacity ensures a more relaxed, personalized experience.

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.

We happened into St. Andrews on a whim with a recommendation from BPS. Cute little town. As we…read moreexplored we happened upon Jolly Breeze whale watching tall ship cruise. They had openings, we had time so what the heck?!? The vessel was exceptionally well kept and clean. The crew was not only knowledgeable, but also fun and engaging. We saw a couple types of whales and two breaches! It definitely was a full moon as that almost never happens. I wish I would have gotten a pic of at least one of the breaches. It happened so fast though. If you're here and you have time, make it a point to sail with the Jolly Breeze team!

We had a great time whale watching on what was luckily a really gorgeous day. The sun was beating…read moreon my back, but I was glad to have worn layers after maybe an hour on the water. Bring your windbreakers. As a guest on this trip, I don't know if the snacks and beers were provided by our hosts or Jolly Breeze, but it surely added to the overall experience. We had some pretty awesome sightings of whales, seals, etc. We all hoped for a whale breach; however, we were not that lucky. There was still a lot to see since the whales had to come up for air eventually, and it was just nice to be completely surrounded by water and in the company of good people for a few hours. Highly recommend.

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

Decent food. I thought the lobster stew was a little watery, but there was a lot of lobster chunks…read morein it. The spinach salad was really good and the blueberry dressing was to die for. They allow dogs on the back deck. Only 5 tables out there so can be rough tough to get a table.

Stayed at the hotel that shares the space with this restaurant, so it was the natural choice for…read moredinner. We were seated within about 15 minutes of arriving around 6:50pm -- so far so good. But then it took 20 minutes just to be brought menus, another 15 minutes before anyone came back to take our drink order, and a further 20 minutes after that before our food order was finally taken. The food itself didn't arrive for another 30 minutes after that. By the time we'd eaten and left, it was 9pm -- over two hours for a fairly simple dinner. And after all that, the food was mediocre -- we paid around $50 for it. The one genuine positive was the view of the water, which was stunning. Lubec is a long way out of the way for most people -- the appeal is being the easternmost point in the US, with genuinely lovely scenery. But that's exactly what makes this frustrating: this restaurant knows most visitors are here once, won't be back, and have limited other options nearby. It's hard not to feel like that's being taken advantage of rather than earning the visit. Wouldn't rush back, and if I were traveling through again, I'd look elsewhere.

We had an awesome trip with Captain Jon today seeing a few Minke whales and even a Humpback to top…read moreoff the trip! We also saw Grey and Harbour seals, Harbour porpoises and a couple Bald Eagles. Highly recommend Fundy Tide Runners! The zodiac boat is very stable and a fun ride out to see the whales. The staff are very friendly, well organized and put in a lot of effort to make sure everyone has a great experience.

My husband and I had an amazing day on the water with Fundy Tide Runners! We saw 2 humpback whales,…read moreSeals, even got lucky and saw a dolphin and bald eagle! Everyone was fantastic! Great customer service too. We will definitely be back again when in the area!!