They Can’t All Be Great Days
Leaving the channel at Ile de Grace, heading to our anchorage at Ile Plate, Sorel Tracy
The next few days take us from Contrecoeur to Sorel Tracy and Trois Riviere. The river and the commercial ports, especially around Sorel and Trois Rivières are very busy. Many more freighters are added to our growing list of vessels we encounter.
The peace of the Chenal Aux Corbeaux is calming after the busy waterway: many older cottages line the shore. It is narrow but deep in the middle; we follow the requests of the many residents and keep our wake low.
It’s another 30’C day so Harald jumps in for a quick swim when we arrive at our spot for the night, just off Ile Plate. This area is another bird sanctuary. Every time I look out I see a heron or two or three. A pair of bald eagles seems to nest nearby. It is also a popular fishing location so needless to say, the channel gets busy in the evening. Some don’t seem to appreciate pleasure boaters anchoring here and come closer than is necessary, leaving us rolling in their wakes.
But the next day is when we really experience a Sunday of boating in Quebec! From Sorel Tracy through Lac St. Pierre there seems to be no understanding of boating etiquette, not to mention collision regulations.
We are suddenly on the 401 highway of pleasure boats! They are coming from behind and from ahead and there aren’t many sailboats. Do I need to also mention the many freighters in the mix?
Good to see police out in force stopping boats, which we assumed might be to look for open alcohol but later learned it is legal in the Province of Quebec to consume alcohol while your boat is moving - apparently they look the other way when the captain is drinking too. So now I’m thinking: all those fast-moving, zigzagging boats might also have had impaired drivers at the wheel! I’m thinking risk management at its worst.
Arriving at Trois Rivières certainly hasn’t been a highlight of the trip. We had planned on anchoring but on a very warm weekend in a very busy boating area, the first anchoring area was filled so we passed the marina and headed into the next area east, as recommended in the “Down East Circle”.
We spent the night near the entrance to this branch of the St. Maurice River. Boats passed very close, coming and going, offering us various beverages as they passed. The freighters continued to pass very close behind us so their wake is felt during the night.
We are visited by a female mallard and her young, providing us with some comic relief as we watch them swim so fast against the river’s current. A bald eagle and a juvenile keep their vigilance in a tree on shore.
Trois Rivières, being the oldest industrial city in Canada with its first foundry established in 1728, is now attempting to revitalize its industry. Previously known as the pulp and paper industry capital of the world, today three mills remain in operation……that explains what we thought smelled like summer sausage. (Maybe an improvement over the odour I remember from Espanola, Ontario!)
A certain highlight of the stop, though, was to see the Cassandra Jade pass behind us as she entered the marina channel. Nice to see they have made it this far, too.
The Cassandra Jade entering the marina at Trois Rivieres
So not our favourite stop, but a necessary one, before we continue on to Portneuf. I guess they can’t all be great and we are ok with that - we know there are so many more days and and so much beauty still to come.
