Mile 791: Rivière-Madeline

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Rivière-Madeline Current Location: Rivière-Madeline (La Capitainerie) Date: June 18 Mile:  791 Locate: Ramble On Locate: Finnish Line 2.0

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Tall shoreline with regular river valleys

We left Sainte-Anne-des-Monts destined for Rivière-Madeline under sunny skies and pleasant WSW winds, about 50 nm away.  The swells made things a bit rolly-polly, but as we rounded the top of the Gaspe peninusla, the seas settled and we found ourselves sailing along nicely.





The shoreline here is a continuation of what we've seen on the previous days; high cliffs and shores punctuated by river valleys cut down to sea level forming dramatic views deeper into the interior.   Again, the scale of the geography here takes getting used to.   You need to look at the individual trees to realize that cliff tops are hundreds of feet high.





Also typical, these river valleys are magnets for small settlements and more often than not, a quaint church.   These towns show no signs of stores or other conveniences, but tend to be rustic and picturesque.






On one of the many radio calls between Finnish Line and Ramble On, Bob reported that we had the "Bluenose II" as one of our AIS targets and we were on course to intercept!!!   This is pretty exciting stuff.   We have seen freighters non-stop, but have probably only passed a dozen other sailboats on the whole trip so far.  So, to cross paths with a Canadian icon was a little exciting.   We both altered course to ensure a close sailpast. 

They were flying only partial sails, really only riding sails, and were clearly under power (sails were mostly luffing).   They ended up altering course for both of us though that was not intended.   Bob radioed them to indicate that we would happily keep clear, but oddly, they didn't seem to be listening.  They, and other tall ships, are heading to the Great Lakes for various tall ship rendezvous.  Turns out we would see another in the days to come.

Blue arrow = most northerly point in trip

This leg marked the most northerly point in our entire trip.   We have hopes, perhaps not realistic, that we will experience some warmer weather going forward.   The sailing/boating season has barely started in most of the places we've stopped with docks being assembled, freshwater being connected, and other services just barely operational.

One of only a few navaids, old lantern
atop a new'ish concrete tower

Gannets start to appear.  These are the most
graceful of sea birds. 

We arrived at Riviere-Madeline to find a tiny harbour with one of the cutest little villages we have seen in the entire trip.  

The only mark to guide us into the small breakwall protected harbour (RM1) was, as we found out once ashore, lying on the ground by a shed yet to be installed for the season.  My electronic charts had zero detail about entering this small basin.   Our cruising guides noted a rock at the entrance that should have been marked (well, that mark wasn't installed either).  Fortunately for the high tide, we didn't "encounter" the rock (but we did see it clearly on the way out the next day).  

We were greeted by a handful of very helpful locals to catch us at the dock, as well as a few Canadian Customs agents.  They were just touring the various harbors, and they promised they weren't there for us!

Whales playing right next to the harbour

After dinning at the only place in town (La Capitainerie),  where we had some quite simple fair made with local seafood (and some questionable poutine), we were treated to the most spectacular sunset behind the adjacent lighthouse  To make things even more perfect, whales were frolicking in the bay and we could both see them and hear them spouting.

Mile 740: Sainte-Anne-des-Monts

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Sainte-Anne-des-Monts Current Location: Marina Sainte-Anne-des-Monts Date: June 17 Mile:  740 Locate: Ramble On Locate: Finnish Line 2.0

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Cold at night, yup.

We left Rimouski yesterday at 3pm for an overnight sail to Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. The conditions were all favourable: Navigation straightforward, nearly full moon, following winds of modest strength and favourable currents. The only thing that wasn't in our favour was the temperature. There is nothing to be done about nighttime temperature on the water. The water is <= 9 degrees, and eventually so was the air temperature. A following wind meant less apparent wind, so that was nice, but we were dressed in all our layers.

MANY wind turbines on the coast

Finnish Line in good form

Our passage was mostly uneventful. We spent some time on the radio with the "Frontenac", a freighter crossing out the of the shipping lanes and on its way to a port were were passing. His course was a perfect intersecting course with Finnish Line or Ramble On (or both). We all saw each other on AIS, so it was not a big deal, but the captain was wanting to "make sure we're all on the same page".

Moon rising at 730pm

At another point in the night, a "Spanish" vessel heading upriver inshore of us (appeared on AIS, but with no boat details) hailed us asking for information about the current as they were surprised that were only making 4 knots. Bob told them what we knew, but it's a bit of a mystery at this point as the tides seem to play less of a role in the currents, or at least have a more mysterious impact.

Rainbow with out a "bow"

Eerie red glow around the moon

We were treated to rainbows, stunning cloud formations, some clear skies, and Finnish Line reported a shooting star.  The moon was so bright, it was like someone shining a light on the sail once it rose.

As we approached our destination, we ended up slowing our pace in order to arrive in daylight. We had either helpful or neutral currents all night long and made better progress than expected. When we pulled into the harbour, about 6:30am, we found the harbour mostly empty, and again, most sailboats still in their cradles. We chose a slip to our liking, and left room for Finnish Line who arrived a while later. Eventually, once the place opened, the marine operator came to greet us, and we got properly signed in, with keys and wifi codes.

Spotlight!

Within the next two days, we will reach maximum northern apogee (Cap Gross Morne, a little over 300nm north of Kingston). Hopefully we can now look forward to warmer days, though water temperatures along the maritimes and the east coast only get about 5 degrees warmer. 

Sunrise

Cap Chat in first morning light 

We should be in Gaspe by the weekend where will will take a few lay days, and meet up with friends.

Mile 647: Rimouski

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Rimouski Current Location: Rimouski Marina Date: June 14 Mile:  647 Locate: Ramble On Locate: Finnish Line 2.0

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Baie du Ha Ha shore (Bic Park)

Finnish Line plowing through the swell

Looking back at the Bic Islands

The leg from our anchorage at Parc du Bic and Rimouski was relatively short. Just under 20 nm. The wind was light and the swell was quite large. We motor-sailed until the wind completely pooped out. The whole time we were trying to keep our footing as we plowed into long swells coming from the outer gulf somewhere.

Fishing boats in the harbour

 Rimouski is sheltered from the north-east by Île Saint-Barnabé (named by Champlain as he passed by here). The last of the islands of a chain of islands of similar geology (which include the islands in Parc du Bic, where we just were). They are particularly pretty to look at in the distance as they are quite distinct and fade away into the mist.

Misty, sunny morning

The Rimouski harbour is a mix of recreational and commercial. The marina is quite large and has mooring for well over a hundred boats (again, many are still in the yard, and not launched yet (again, all on cradles with tires, and launched from a ramp) ). The rest of the harbour is used for fishing boats, ferry docks, and other commercial uses (Sunday morning, there is a small freighter moored in the harbour). To make it clear about the priority of this harbour, there are about 9 fifty foot standards sporting flood lights that shine down into the harbour so the fishing boats can see what their doing at all hours of the night. Most have left the harbour by morning when we get up and are back in by late afternoon.

Linda admiring miniature harbour
by local hobbyist

Rimouski is the home to the Latitude Marine store, the store where I had ordered a new muffler a week or so ago. The store is located immediately across from the marina and sure enough, my new muffler had arrived. Also required, one replacement fender for the one that sacrificed itself in Chicoutimi trying to hold us to the dock. The muffler was "almost" the exact size as the old one except for the inlet fitting was 3/4" lower that the original. This required some carving out of the hole through a bulkhead to make room, but otherwise replacement was straightforward. While the boat was already a workshop, I did a battery top up, and a oil top up as well (the older engine consumes oil at a steady rate).

Museum build at the same angle at the
Empress of Ireland wreck

During our lay day, we chose to explore the local museums, Canadian Tire, the recommended Poissonerie Gagnon, some provisioning and finish off with excellent dinner at La Reserve, a restaurant that specialized in regional foods. We were impressed by the calibre of the museums here. Located at Point-au-Pere were the light house, a decommissioned Canadian submarine (Onondaga), and top rate exhibit for the Empress of Ireland, a ship that sank just a few kilometers from here in 1914 taking about 1000 lives in the process. The second largest loss of life, after the Titanic just two years before. Unlike the 2 hours it took for the sinking of the Titanic, the Empress of Ireland went down in only 14 minutes!

Don't think it really needs
the anchor

Unique buttresses at base of lighthouse

 

sculpture outside museum

Today (Sunday), we are taking it slow as we are planning an overnight to Sainte-Anne-des-Monts (sailing past Matane). The winds and conditions look favourable and we will expect to set off this afternoon to catch the ebb tide current.

Mile 628: Parc du Bic

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Parc du Bic Current Location: Baie du Ha Ha! (Parc du Bic) Date: June 13 Mile:  628 Locate: Ramble On Locate: Finnish Line 2.0

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Prince Shoal Light

We left Tadoussac this morning early in order to catch favourable currents leaving the mouth of the Saguenay.  In addition to the advice in the guidebooks, the marine office had this handy guide taped to their counter.  Our exit was a non-event as the conditions were perfect:  glassy calm, sunny with only a touch of haze.   Not much good for sailing, but perfect for spotting the marine life.

"Hey guys ... what'ya'doin"

We were immediately greeted by Belugas at the mouth of the Saguenay accompanied by harbour seals everywhere. Throughout the entire day, seals would pop their head up to inspect our activities, sometimes alone, other time in pairs.  They would watch us curiously, never too close, and then would slip below the water at the point of closest approach, often using sort of "back slide" where then lean back and slip below the surface of the water.

Group of seals

A few times we saw some surface activity that we could not identify until we downloaded the pictures from my camera.   There were these long disturbances in the water, maybe 30-50 feet long, with multiple "things" at the surface.   We thought it might be porpoises or maybe a whale feeding.  Upon inspection of the pictures, they turned out to be "rafts" of seals, mostly swimming on their backs with their belly facing up.

I couldn't find much information on such behaviour in doing a little research, especially with respect to groups/rafts of seals doing this, but some experts suggest that because their eyes are situated more to the top of their heads, this might be a way to better see things like food or predators.

Minke spouting & Seal

Distinctive dorsal fin

Because of the glass like surface conditions, if you kept a close eye, you could see any disturbance in the surface of the water. As a result we spent much of the morning with binoculars or on the foredeck watching for activity.   As a result, we spotted more belugas, lots of seals and to our delight I caught a minke whale spouting in the distance.  Over the next few hours, we saw a few of these with their  distinctive dorsal fins.   Add to that, cormorants, loons, gulls, and other sea birds, and lots and lots of river debris (logs, sticks, etc.)

It turns out that while we were watching the wildlife, someone was watching us.  Almost out of nowhere, a stealthy black zodiac appeared behind us and pulled up beside. I slowed to idle, and they proceeded to, politely but firmly, ask us many questions, and ask for all our papers and take pictures of everything.  These guys were part of the joint task force (MSET) between the Coast Guard and the RCMP.  They were dressed in all back, with an all black boat, and almost no markings.   They were based from a much larger boat that was moored in Tadoussac for a day or two when we arrived.   As far as I can tell, neither the mother ship nor their zodiacs had AIS turned on.   Aside from showing them an out of date VHF station license (it was up to date, but I didn't print the latest one for the ships papers) which they immediately noticed, they were very friendly, but very thorough.  When they went to "visit" Finnish Line they even cross checked information I had passed along.   Bob had no issue with them either except that he discovered that his PCOC card was still sitting on his mantel back in Kingston.

The wind started to fill in after that, and we then had a very pleasant sail to our destination, tacking
through a field of anchored freighters (7 of them!).

We went to anchor in the central bay of Parc du Bic (Baie l'Original), but while the winds were modest, after about an hour, a weird swell started coming in that was perpendicular to the wind and the way the boats were lying (we were rafted).  This made for some very uncomfortable motion and tugging on the lines and mast/rigging that was coming too close for comfort. 

Busy night at anchor

We detached and we both headed for an alternate bay back around the corner that didn't have any significant swell.   We both set anchors independently and found good holding in a nice sandy bottom in Baie du Ha Ha. Aside from the anchor alarm going off once (when we ended up 180 degrees from the majority of the wind, and then wind from every possible easterly direction, we slept soundly.
It's now morning, and we're trying to time out departure to Rimouski.  On our nose is a strong and gusty headwind that should diminish near noon.   On our tail is a nasty looking rain cell in Quebec City that is moving our way.

Onward!