On September 20, 2016, we left the whales in Tadoussac and entered the fog for the next 10 hours. The cabin temperature stayed between 7-12 C, so the kids stayed pretty bundled.
Simon staying warm
Trying to stay warm...love our new hat from Granny! Thanks Lois!
John catching some sun and zzzzs during a small break in the fog.
The fog was as thick as chowder when we arrived in Rimouski near dusk. We could barely see across the marina to get to the docks. Once safely tied up, we plugged our little space heater in to get the cabin above 10 C.
Next day: Sun in Rimouski
In preparation for overnight passages, we decided to make up the bed in the salon for the kids to have a "nest" where they could play and stay warm while we sailed. We piled the nest with blankets and they gathered books, devices to play audio books and toys.
Wavey having breakfast in the "nest"
We decided to fuel up in Rimouski before our overnight trip around the Gaspe Peninsula. As we prepared to cast off the lines, Simon went to the fuel dock with his homemade depth sounder and discovered there was not enough water for us there. Simon predicted using information from the tide tables that we should wait an hour or so for the tide to come in. It gave me just enough time for a quick trip via cab to get some groceries.
From Rimouski, we sailed for two days and two nights around the scenic Gaspe Peninsula. It was a fast, but lumpy sail with a steady 25-30 knot wind.
We arrived in the middle of the night in a small village called L'Anse-a-Beaufils near the famous rock of Perce.
John and I had stopped here sixteen years ago with Spartina. Since we were here, the old fishing plant had developed into a cultural centre with an art gallery and bistro. We tied up next to a tour boat amongst the fishing boats. The kids thought it wild to scrambled over another boat and up the wall. We cobbled together enough power cords to reach to the outlet so we could get some heat. Since it was the end of the season, it was a quiet place to relax for a day.
L'Anse-a-Beaufils
It is nice to tie up to other boats...no tending lines when the tide changes!
Tied up to the Haligonian II
Simon took the video below with the camera strapped to his lifejacket to demonstrate how it looks to climb over another boat to Nahanni V.
When sailing overnight in cold weather, we must admit that personal hygiene slides on the priority list. When it is rough, we are lucky if we brush our teeth. Wearing the same clothes day and night is a good way to stay toasty, but makes for a stinky crew after a few days. Once on land, we all hanker for a warm shower to get the salt and sweat off. In my case, it gives the opportunity to peel off the toque that has been stuck to my head for days. I was slightly dismayed to find coin showers at L'Anse-a-Beaufils (the third time we have encountered pay-as-you-go showers). Eight minutes for $1. Sadly, we were running out of loonies, so we had speedy showers!
The kids were thrilled to have a beach with rocks to climb on, and had the chance to observe some researchers collect specimens of fish on the beach.
We also spent an afternoon with Dave and Sheila (with their two cats) from Toronto on their sailboat The Full Monty sharing sailing experiences and cruising information. After filling thermoses with warm fluids and stocking the fridge with snacks and sandwiches, we left L'Anse-a-Beaufils for more overnight sailing south to the Northumberland Strait and the beautiful Prince Edward Island. We left at noon so we would arrive to the Strait by dawn of the next day. From our last trip here, we remembered that it was lobster season in PEI and the waters would be filled with lobster traps with lines and floats that are hard to see, especially at night. For ten hours, we kept a vigilant watch for the lobster floats, dodging a few degrees here and there to avoid hooking a line in our propeller.
The little white things are floats from lobster traps that we had to avoid running over!
Again, we had winds between 20 and 30 knots which made for some exciting sailing!
Some sun before the rain came (notice Simon's winter coat)
Wavey at work
Testing harnesses
Staying warm?
Sailing under the Confederation Bridge linking PEI to New Brunswick
(You may have noticed that I wipe out at the end of this video. No injuries were sustained. Another reminder to wear my harness and keep one hand on the boat while filming!) We arrived in Charlottetown, PEI just as the sun was setting on our second day at sea. The seas were choppy and the rain was pounding and we were happy to see the friendly Charlottetown Yacht Club. We were also relieved that there was someone on site to let us in to the club to have long, hot showers.
Quick facts of passages Rimouski to Charlottetown
Six days and 420 nautical miles
Average wind speed 25-30 knots
Two showers (each)
All the warm clothes we brought were worn (sometimes all at once)
Lots of peanut butter sandwiches eaten
Four tabs of gravol taken (with minimal hanging over the side)
Harnesses are all working (when we remember to wear them.)
We decided to stay one more day in Tadoussac and catch up on school and explore some more. We had a spectacular hike climbing over the rocks with great views overlooking the mouth of the Saguenay River and fjord.
Wavey on the rocks
Simon...always on the edge
Watching tender loading from cruise ship to come ashore
Simon (still on the edge) watching the ferry cross the Saguenay
We prepared for yet another early morning departure for our all day trip to Rimouski. We donned warm clothing under our foul weather gear to protect from the grey, wet day.
We were just getting the lines and fenders stowed after casting off, when we started to see the white backs of Belugas. We were not even a mile out when Nahanni V was greeted by smiling whales from all directions. There was no way we could adhere to the 400 metre rule! We put the engine in neutral and for about an hour, we drifted and observed. We counted as least eight whales including a baby. The whales swam on their backs to look up at us, and we peered over the rail to look at them. A seemingly mutual curiosity kept us focused as we ran back and forth the deck to watch them swim around and under the boat.
John did a stellar job of getting some underwater shots. However, he had to be careful as one of the whales was a bit too interested in the camera!
After some time, one of the whales came by (maybe the Mama?) and the baby swam away with her. Maybe it was time for lunch.
The whales seemed to notice (as did we), that we were about to drift onto the shore. Before we even put the engine in gear, they rounded each other up, took one last look at us and dove off. It was the most amazing thing. We carried on into fog, with a close eye on the RADAR and big smiles on our faces. The kids and I were still on the bow when we quickly came upon the large standing waves where the current at the rivers meet. Waves crashed over the bow and we had to hang on to avoid getting thrown overboard. A good lesson to have our harnesses on in seemingly good weather as well as rough seas. The kids were wet and freezing by the time we were well underway, so we bundled them up in their bunks with hot packs and set a course for Rimouski. We must have seen seven or eight more whales ten miles further out. Does it get any better than that?
After Quebec City, the distances between ports get longer and the areas become more remote. Tides and currents need to be considered when navigating. Things like fuel and food that are easy to obtain upstream, become less accessible. So, we needed a little time to prepare and plan.
As most people know, we are not early risers. So, when John told me that we had to leave Quebec City at 0345 to catch the ebbing tide downriver, I winced just a little. We did however, manage to rise on time to stagger our way into the cold, dark morning. Simon made a cameo appearance and then retreated back into his warm bed as the city lights on the river began to fade.
Leaving early morning
The conditions were calm as we motored downstream.We had a few knots of current against us at the beginning, but when the tide turned, we raced along at about 13 knots. After 9.5 hours, we arrived at the Port de Refuge at Cap-a-l'Aigle which is a fully equipped marina established for boats making their way on the river. We were struck by the effects of the tides, which at this time were about 4 metres. Onshore, the kids got their first look at the marine life that can be seen during the cycle of the tide. It was difficult to get them back to Bomeschool after their prolonged playtime. We had another early morning the following day at 0530 when we departed for Tadoussac. This town at the mouth of the Saguenay River is a famous place where many kinds of sea mammals come to feed. There are thirteen species of whales here!
Sunrise on our way to Tadoussac
Around 0930, we were about one hour from Tadoussac. The kids got up, dressed and geared up with binoculars. The sun was shining, the seas were calm and visibility was perfect. As we approached the famous lighthouse outside of the Saguenay, we started to see the blowholes. We stood in awe and pointed all around us as our whale-watching adventure began.
Searching for whales
First, we saw Belugas with their white backs swimming in pods. Then came black fins, which were likely Minke whales. Shiny black heads turned out to be about fifty Harbour seals diving, eating and swimming. We could hear them breathing they were so close.
Thar she blows!
Prince Shoal Lighthouse
Seals and a Minke whale which just dove before getting this photo
Seals
As we got closer, pods of Beluga came fairly close to the boat. We could see the mother whales and their greyish baby calves. The Marine Park dictates boats do not come within 400 metres of the whales so as not to disturb their activities. But they were coming closer to us, and there was no where to move without coming closer to other whales or seals. It was breathtaking, exciting and awe-inspiring all at the same time. I kept chanting under my breath, "We are sooo lucky." (Of course, I cannot multi-task while watching and chanting and did not get a closer photo.) As we were drifting into Tadoussac watching the whales, tour boats started coming out with boat loads of tourists to see the whales. Whale watching is big business in Tadoussac and there are many tourists that come to observe and appreciate these amazing animals.
Enthusiastic tourists in perfect whale watching weather
We made our way into the port and tied up next to several other sailboats. After a hot meal, we took a stroll around this old town that has been an important trading post in history.
Breakfast for the crew after a day of whale watching
Hotel Tadoussac
Marina from the town above
The kids were itching to get to the beach and squealed with delight as they found starfish, sea urchins, crabs and krill that they collected in pails and studied. They built forts in the sand and watched as the rising tides washed them away without a trace.
Starfish and sea urchin
Baby crab
Sea life and forts...what could be better?
Beach time
After we brushed most of the sand off, we visited the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (http://www.quebecmaritime.ca/en/company/marine-mammal-interpretation-centre-cimm/activities). We learned heaps about the whales and the research being conducted here. Their whale skeletons were very well-displayed and the exhibits were interactive. The staff were passionate about the marine mammals in the area and were eager to share their knowledge.
The Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre
The kids awoke to our second day in Tadoussac with a low tide. The beach they had been playing at the previous day had doubled in size and there were more treasures to explore. After some negotiating, they were excused from Bomeschool for the morning to poke around on the beach. They returned back for their afternoon classes with strange new requests for lunch (e.g. "Can you please cook up this sea urchin?") and new injuries (e.g. Wavey's pinched finger from her new crab buddy.)
First crab injury
I heard some yawns a bit through math, but our students perked up as we started a new Science unit starting with the lunar cycle and the moon's effects on tides. We ended the day by watching a past episode of CBC's The Nature of Things, "Call of the Baby Beluga". Fascinating look at this endangered whale. (See at http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episodes/call-of-the-baby-beluga) The only down side is that I cannot get that Raffi song out of my head. You know the one. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK1sF6kv0l8) After two days in Tadoussac, we started to prepare for our departure to Rimouski. Out of the blue, we got a text from our friends Tom, Chris and Noah. They informed us that they were in Quebec City and wondered if we were in the area. Simon immediately stated, "Can we go back to Quebec to see Noah?" We shook our heads. Despite our wish to see our friends, we could not make the 100 nautical miles back upstream. Then we got the text: they were going to rent a car and make the three hour drive to come and see us! The following morning, the kids raced through their language, math and science so they could collect sea creatures to show Noah. Noah and his parents arrived around noon and the kids quickly fell into their comfort zone, as good friends will do.
Life at low tide
Starfish and sea urchins
The fog had been rolling in and out all day, but we felt we had a window of good visibility to go for a sail and see some whales in the process. As we got half a mile out of the harbour, the icy fog rolled in and the visibility was reduced to about 50 feet. Luckily our RADAR was working well and we could see the boat that passed in front of us about 100 feet on the computer screen. About 1.5 miles out, we encountered some standing waves as the ebbing current from the Saguenay was meeting the St. Lawrence current. It looked very ominous in the fog.
Chris and Tom
Noah and Simon before the fog rolled in
We decided to turn back into the port as there was no way we were going to spot any whales. The fog lifted briefly when Tom yelled, "Whale!" We all scrambled to see three Belugas swimming off our starboard side. As we made our way we sighted them again, and this time, they swam right under out boat and alongside! One was particularly curious and swam around to the back of the boat before diving. It was unbelievable how lucky we were to see these amazing animals!
Belugas swimming beside the boat (taken by Chris Pollard)
We stayed on our high for the rest of the day visiting with our friends, walking around the town, going for a hike, and dining out. We were sad to see the day end and wave goodbye to good friends.
Wavey, Noah and Simon walking above the beach
Kids with fog rolling in on the beach
Looking out at the mouth of the fjord
For us, Tadoussac was about whales and friends; unexpected visits and smiling memories. We are so lucky.
