ESSEX, Conn. — Major comebacks are happening on the Connecticut River. The RiverQuest Eagle and Winter Wildlife Cruise is in its 21st year, and the Eagle population is taking a turn in the right direction.
“This is definitely the season to see Eagles,” said Cathy Malin, from the Connecticut River Museum who serves as a guide (Naturalist) on board the boat. The Connecticut River Museum took ownership of the RiverQuest last year and now runs the popular two-hour tours that depart from their docks in Essex.
On a recent journey down the Connecticut River on the Eagle Cruise, Malin was quick to discuss the comeback story of the American Eagles in the area.
“We are lucky enough that the population of Eagles in Connecticut has risen for the past 30 years.” Dan Thompson, the captain of the RiverQuest added, “If you go back to the 1970’s you’d be hard-pressed to find an Eagle in most places in America and they were endangered.”
While the Eagle and Winter Wildlife Tour doesn’t always promise guests Eagle encounters, they said the population of Eagles in the Essex area has made their boat trips more memorable of late.
“The river is changing all the time, no two cruises are the same, this is a unique activity everyone should do,” Malin said.
The Eagle and Winter Wildlife Cruise aboard the 64-and-a-half-foot RiverQuest runs through March 18, 2023. Tickets cost $45 for the two-hour tour. To learn more, click here.
Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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