So sorry for our absense the past few days. We have been having lots of fun but continue having challenges of finding safe anchorages and a consistent internet signal since leaving Rimouski Marina.
Keeping with our off-grid focus it would have been very difficult to move farther east. We have talked with locals who have been really helpful with their wealth of experience and they confirmed that unless we are willing to stop each night at a marina our pushing farther up the Saint-Lawrence would be very challenging. With that in mind and with a good deal of discussing we are heading westward to find places missed along the way and maybe spending more time at some of our favourite anchorages.
So moving on with the story, we left Rimouski Marina under heavy fog which disipated near noon, giving us a few glimpses of the yachts of the Quebec-Satin Malo race. We had the perfect front row seat at our anchorage in Le Bic Harbour as they passed.
Havre du Bic anchorage
Sunset Over Le Bic
For the next night we anchored across from Trois-Pistoles at Îles aux Basques, a place used by Basques whalers during the 16th century. It’s now a bird migration sanctuary and preserved historic site.
Fin Whale
…and while I’m on the topic of whales, now that we are in deep waters (150 feet +) we’ve had many sitings of whales, belugas and the ever-present grey seals.
Seals and Belugas
From time to time we would see what looked like flying penquins or what François referred to as flying torpedos and what we now know are razorbills, a penguin relative. One of the things on my ‘to see’ list was a photo op of a puffin but this ‘tordedo’ bird will do for now.
Razorbill
On our ever-growing list of things to see and do during this adventure was to see the Îles Verte Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse on the Saint Lawrence. The grey foggy day didn’t allow for a very clear image but there you have it, completed in 1809 and still guiding our way through the mist.
At Île Rouge the wind was perfect for taking us the rest of the way across the last few miles to Tadoussac.
The Crossing
BFB
With limited visibilty we were very thankful for radar to guide us past the big boats which loomed up on the screen very quickly as a big yellow blob.
Île Rouge
We are once again safely anchored in Tadoussac Harbour waiting for a good weather window to allow us to continue westward.
Shades of Blue Grey
vous devez avoir hâte de retrouver de jolies teintes de jaune, d’ocre et orange que le soleil du sud nous apporte. Profitez bien des accalmies, bé
Nous sommes sur le chemin du retour, mais il faut attendre des vents favorables. La traversée Trois-Pistoles-Tadoussac était absolument formidable, naviguer en eaux calmes, avec les baleines, bélugas et phoques en arrière plan. Les différents tons de bleues entre ciel et mer étaient merveilleux, comme je disais à Kathy, aucune photo ne peux décrire ce paysage. Cependant, passé l’Île Rouge, le St-Laurent nous réservait des surprises; de calme à ” Attache ta tuque” :Rencontre de la marée haute, Rivière Saguenay et le courant du St-Laurent. De vent calme à vents violents, nous étions Plein genoa à ce moment. Quelle surprise! Nous étions au courant de cette possibilité à l’embouchure du Saguenay et ce n’est pas plaisant lorsqu’on est dedans, mais après, c’est l’expérience qui entre.
Glad you are both safe. It still seems a worthy adventure, even if it does require modification from time to time. As the saying goes, “No plan survives first contact with enemy,” who, in this case, appears to be nature herself.
So true Lance. What we’ve found is that if one factor has to be dealt with we are quite fine. But when there are multiple factors (storms, cold, lack of safe anchorage, etc)it compounds the stress exponentially. We would still like to come back someday and do the north shore,Gaspe and Chaleur Bay but for now we have the next two years of adventures mapped out elsewhere.