Tues June 28: Montreal to St Ours Lock

It's a good day that starts with doughnut holes from Tim Horton's - Canada's version of Dunkin Donuts.  Or so I thought until I tried the doughnut holes... Ima stick with DD.

 

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Since we didn't do much today except travel, I'll take the time to outline our itinerary for this year, since at least KIM cares (dig at my children....sadly they won't see me throwing shade at them as they have no desire to ever read this blog...).  I guess we didn't talk about the plan for the year yet?  This year is all about Canada, because we can FINALLY get in.  This is the third year of the 1-year adventure precisely because we didn't want to finish without the Canadian part (well, and perhaps also because Rick lost all will to work and didn't know what else to do with himself - read on to see how I solved that problem).  We will go out (also called downbound) the St Lawrence Seaway, visiting Montreal and turning right at Sorel to head down into Lake Champlain (again) so we can be in Burlington VT by July 4 for Rick to lead his first bike trip with Discovery Bicycle Tours (THAT was my solution for work for him).  There we will pick up Mike Duffy, Rick's childhood friend, and wife Linda and take them (hopefully uneventfully) back out the Chambly Canal, where they will disembark (if they haven't begged to be let off prior).  Then we will head east to where the Saguenay River joins the St Lawrence, as there lies the only fjord in North America, and the summer grounds for 5 different types of whales.  We are very excited about that - but Rick is also nervous about the famous 15' tide on the St Lawrence in that area. ( It might take us until Oct to beat our way back upriver to Quebec City.)

After that we will turn back and go upbound, back past Montreal, then up the Ottawa River to the famous Rideau Canal (and its 47 little locks), which will bring us back to Lake Ontario.  At that point Rick has to get back to Burlington VT to lead his second trip with Discovery.  Then we will see where we are, and what time remains before the Erie locks close mid-Oct.  The boat will again spend the winter at Winter Harbor in Brewerton, and we plan to finish the Great Loop in 2023.  More to come...

{OR, we will do the DownEast Loop - but I haven't told Rick that as he is likely to blow a gasket.  That would be, continue out the St Lawrence, through the Canadian Maritimes, like PEI, and come around Maine, down to Boston, and back around to Winter Harbor.  This is something we could not have done two years ago - but now makes sense for many reasons, except not for Rick's blood pressure.)

This piece of the Great Loop map shows the Triangle Loop (upper Chambly, Champlain Lake, lower Champlain Canal, Erie Canal, Rideau)- which we did part of last year , and will finish this year.

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It was an easy day - we were just FLYING down the channel.  The fast water that made Rick nervous on the way into Montreal, helped us save fuel on the way out!

Look at this!  We've never seen a speed like this before.  She was barely holding it together!! (We could hear Scotty saying 'she's giving it all she's got, captain!'.

Once we got onto the Richelieu River we were the only boat around.  Once again we are going in the opposite direction of ‘normal’ Loopers.  Until July 15 - when all of Quebec goes on “Construction Holidays” - basically summer vacation for the last two weeks of July.  Followed by Aug holidays. We understand that the waterways can get quite crowded.  Well, we’ll deal with that when it happens. 

The Lock at St Ours - Canadian, so very organized.  The adorable park/lock staff came down to verify that we had already paid (of course Rick had - he bought the year pass).  Otherwise it would be $1/ft for each lock - X9, and then the same coming back out. The lock had a floating dock inside of it, which the lock hands tied us to and managed.  Like lock concierge service!  I wandered off to make a sandwich IN THE MIDDLE OF LOCKING.

We tied up at the wall above St Ours, which was part of a cute and quiet park. 

Rick models the famous Chaises Rouges/Red Chairs.  The Canadian Parks came up with this idea, and placed red adirondack chairs in some of its remote locations, challenging people to find them.  It has exploded into Chaises Rouges being EVERYWHERE that we have been; on park and on private land. Nothing wrong with that - they are very picturesque.

Goodnight!

PS - I forgot to mention the new fun twist of this canal.  Cable Ferries!  There are three on this stretch, and they are pulled from one shore to another along a cable.  When they are in motion the cable is snapped tight, and just under the surface of the water - from one bank to the other.  The trick is to guess when the ferry is dormant and scamper across so the boat's prop does not get yanked off on the cable.  Fun Times!