Brier Island

Brier Island lies at the tip of Digby Neck, reached by driving the peninsula and taking two short cable ferries. Tidal currents around it drive upwelling that concentrates plankton and krill, which brings humpback, finback, minke and occasionally North Atlantic right whales close to shore between June and October; it is one of the more reliable whale-watching areas in eastern Canada. Joshua Slocum, the first person to sail alone around the world, grew up here and a monument marks it. The island is also a major bird migration stopover and holds rare plants on its basalt barrens.

What you actually see

• The whales - humpback, finback and minke in the tidal upwelling.
• The two ferries - short cable crossings down Digby Neck.
• The Slocum monument - marking the solo circumnavigator's boyhood home.
• The basalt shore - columnar rock and lighthouses at both ends.

When to go

July to September for whales, with August usually the strongest; the season runs June to October. Fog is common and cancels trips. Ferries run hourly year-round.

Honest expectations

Fog cancels a significant share of summer whale trips. The drive plus two ferries takes over an hour from Digby. Accommodation on the island is very limited.

Nearby

Digby lies northeast; Yarmouth is south.