WEEK 13- Chambly, Quebec to St. Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec

This week we are heading upstream on the St. Lawrence River on our way to the Ottawa River, where we will eventually pick up the Rideau Canal and head south to Lake Ontario. Our stops this week were in Contrecouer (anchor), Montreal (marina), and St Anne-de-Bellevue (free dock). With the high water levels from spring floods, the current against us is stronger than usual, ranging from a knot and a half or so to over 5 knots in one area near Montreal. When you are in a boat that makes 7 or 8 knots, that can be a big deal.

With Mary Kay still with us, the first leg is through the last 3 locks on the Chambly canal and north to where the Chambly River meets the St. Lawrence in the city of Sorel. Here we go instantly from a rural little canal to one of the busiest commercial waterways in the world with huge oceangoing freighters traveling 24/7. The AIS system is nice to keep track of them all, but really it just boils down to keeping out of their way. This is easy to do, since they keep to the main shipping channel, and there is plenty of room and water depth outside the channel for us. Another big milestone today…..as we turned southwest onto the St. Lawrence, we reached our farthest north point on the loop, at 46 degrees, two minutes north. That puts us closer to the north pole than the equator!

BellaGatto and several other Looper boats
staged for the morning lock opening

Jayne and Mary Kaye
handling lines in the lock

Looking over BellaGatto's hardtop toward the other boats in the locker 

View from the front of the lock as the gates begin to open

About 15 miles up the St. Lawrence, we found a place to pull off the main river and drop anchor for the night at the village of Contrecouer, in time for a late lunch and a walk to the grocery store. That evening we had cocktail hour aboard the Confetti, a 39 Krogen that was headed all the way down the river to Nova Scotia. This far north at this time of year, it doesn’t get dark until about 9:30, so we had time for a long sunset dinghy ride through the wetlands buffering us from the St. Lawrence.

Typical church with a tin steeple
topped with a rooster weathervane

BellaGatto at anchor in Contrecouer

Scenery on the dinghy ride through the wetlands in Contrecouer

Ever since we decided to take this route we have been looking forward to visiting Montreal, so we left Contrecour early and pushed upriver the 30 or so miles to the Montreal Yacht Club, which has transient dockage in a first-class facility right on the old town waterfront for only about $1.50 US per foot per night, the deal of the century.  To get to the marina you have to buck a 5 knot current for a mile or so, which was more like 6 knots with the high water. We spent two days in the city and visited the markets, the botanical garden, and Chinatown as well as taking in the historical and architectural sights. I’m not a big city person, but I have had a great time in both New York and now Montreal.

Greeted by two tankers as we enter the main
shipping channel of the St. Lawrence

China town in Montreal 

BellaGatto at Montreal Yacht Club marina

The iconic clock tower in Old Town Montreal

Montreal Botanical Garden

MK in willow structure, Montreal Botanical Garden

Atwater market, Montreal

Atwater Market, Montreal

The Historic Center, Montreal

The next morning we got Mary Kaye off to the bus station for a ride back to Burlington, and we set off for one last leg upstream on the St. Lawrence and then cutting over to the Ottawa River. This was probably the trickiest navigation on the trip so far. We had to go through two major locks on the St. Lawrence. These locks aren’t like the cute little locks we have been in so far – they are huge structures built for giant oceangoing shipping and only grudgingly cater to recreational boats. Then you have to pick your way through shallow, reef strewn Lac St. Louis where the buoyage colors change sides right in the middle and channels intersect seemingly at random.

St. Lambert Federal lock

Close quarters on the St. Lawrence

Finally, we got to the (free) lock wall docking at St. Anne-de-Bellevue (it seems every place in Quebec is named Saint Somebody-de-Something). We got there just in time to get tied up before a violent rain squall blew through. This is really nice little town with lots of waterfront bars and restaurants and friendly people, so we decided to stay here an extra day. While some have said the French Canadians in Quebec are rude and don’t care for Americans, our experience has been the opposite. Everyone has been super friendly and helpful, and put up with my bizarre and comical attempts to speak French with amused tolerance.

Ste. Anne-de Bellevue

Saturday Market, Ste. Anne-de Bellevue

Saturday Market, Ste. Anne-de Bellevue

By next week, we should be in Ottawa and in anglophone Ontario, where we will meet our friends Steve and Debbie and cruise the Rideau Canal south to Kingston and Lake Ontario.

WEEK 12 - Burlington, VT to Chambly, Quebec

We didn’t rack up a whole lot of miles this week, but we did hit some major milestones (like, we are in CANADA now, baby!) Our stops this week were Burlington (marina), Valcour Island (anchor), Treadwell Bay (anchor), St Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec (free dock) and Chambly, Quebec (free dock).

We spent a couple of days in Burlington, and our friends Mary Kay and Charlie drove over for a visit and to take us shopping. Burlington is our last major US town before 2 months in Canada, so it was time for a last orgy of American-style consumerism. We hit Costco, Trader Joe’s, West Marine, and Bed Bath and Beyond, and we hit them hard. Mary Kay will cruise with us for a while, but Charlie only had a day free, so we poked over to the New York side and anchored out at Valcour Island for the night.

Looking across Lake Champlain from Vermont
 to Adirondacks on the NY side

The waterfront pedestrian way in Burlington

The open market area in Burlington

Provisioned up for Canada

View from our slip at Burlington Community Boathouse

Valcour Island is almost all state park land and has a dozen cozy little coves to anchor in and miles of hiking trails. A lot of the trails were a bit flooded from the high lake levels, but we took a nice little hike up to an old lighthouse on the bluff and had sunset cocktails with Nomadic Spirit and God's Grace at a campsite with picnic table on the beach.

The lighthouse at Valcour Island

Hiking with loopers Ken and Celeste from God's Grace

BellaGatto at anchor

Docktails with our crew, Charlie and MaryKaye along with fellow loopers from God's Grace and Nomadc Spirit

In the morning, we took Charlie back the 15 miles to Burlington and topped off the fuel tank at Shelburne Bay Boatyard. Diesel there was $3.10 per gallon versus the five bucks or so per gallon it is in Canada, so we filled it all the way to the brim. Then back to Valcour Island to rejoin Nomadic Spirit for another peaceful night (actually it was windy and rainy, but we were tucked away in a nice little spot).

65 and 100% rain! Oh yes, and some fog.

Navigating through the fog with the radar on

Little to no visibility

The next morning, we headed north along the New York side to Treadwell Bay where we anchored out at Point au Roche State Park and Bella got to do a major 5-mile trail hike and some swimming. At 65 degrees, the water is a bit cold for humans still, but Bella thought it was just fine. That night we got together with Nomadic Spirit and planned our Canada strategy. We would lie to be around Montreal by Canada Day (July 1) and hopefully to Ottawa by July 5, so it’s time to get a move on.

The next morning we got up early and again headed north along the New York shore to Rouse’s Point, NY which is right at the border, and did some last minute housekeeping chores (filling the water, pumping the head, and offloading trash and recycling) before the border crossing. I don’t know why I was expecting the third degree and a bunch of inspections and red tape, but crossing into Canada was a piece of cake. The customs officers were friendly and efficient, and in 15 minutes we were cleared for a 60 day stay.

Bella is always ready to fetch a stick

Hiking at Point au Roche State Park

Point au Roche State Park

Dramatic sunset on Treadwell Bay

We then went up the Richelieu River (down current actually) to the lovely little village of St Jean-sur-Richelieu where we tied up to the free dock right in downtown. We had not expected to get there until mid-afternoon, but with the quick Customs stop and the boost from the current, we made it in time to go out for lunch. Of course we had to get poutine, the french fry, gravy, and cheese curd concoction that is the official artery clogging food of Canada. We also walked over to visit the first lock in the Chambly canal system, 9 locks that will take us to the level of the St. Lawrence River in Sorel. These locks are run by Parks Canada (the equivalent of our National Park Service) and are historic attractions as well as navigation facilities. They are very small, and most are still operated by hand.

Welcome to Canada!

Scenes from St. Jean sur Richelieu

Poutine

So many pastries, so little time

Scenes from St. Jean sur Richelieu

Pet boutique and café. Very dog friendly town

At St Jean-sur-Richelieu, we leave the Richelieu River itself and begin a long trip down a narrow canal with seven locks that brings us to Chambly, where we tie to another free wall and explore another delightful little town. By tomorrow, we will hit the mighty St. Lawrence River, and then hey for Montreal!

WEEK 11 - Waterford, NY to Burlington, VT

After spending a couple of relaxing days in Waterford, we started out up the Champlain Canal and its 11 locks to the lake, with stops in Mechanicville (free dock), Fort Edward (free dock), Whitehall (free dock), Crown Point (anchor), and Burlington (marina). 

At Waterford, we parted company with most of the great loop fleet. About 80% of all the loopers take the Erie Canal to Lake Ontario at Oswego and cross the lake to the Tent-Severn waterway on the Canadian side. Only about 20% go the way we are going, Lake Champlain to the St. Lawrence to Montreal and then to Ottawa and down the Rideau Canal to Lake Ontario and the Trent-Severn. The way we are going is quite a bit longer, but way cooler.

The decision point!

                                                                     

In Waterford, we stayed 3 days on the free dock there and took a little side trip to Cohoes Falls on the Mohawk River. It looks a bit like a 1/3 scale model of Niagara Falls and is only a couple miles from Waterford. The free docks up here are a great concept….the towns along the way take their canal and lock walls and improve them with parks and sometimes even electric and water and let passing boats stay for free. In return they get their economies stimulated – we spent $200 at the local grocery in Waterford and an equivalent amount on Ubers, taxis, and eating out. Before heading out we took in the beauty of Peebles Island where we spotted some deer while hiking. 

Cohoe Falls

Cohoe Falls

Cohoe Falls

Peebles Island

Some of the wildlife at Peebles Island

Peebles Island

After sending our crew Bob and Nancy off to the airport in Albany, we started up the Champlain route. We picked up a new buddy boat to cruise with, Janice and Steve on Nomadic Spirit. The first days run was short one, 2 locks and maybe 10 miles to Mechanicville, where we stayed at a free dock with electric. We were the only vessel in the locks to Champlain on this day which was a far cry from the amount of boats going through on the first lock opening to the Erie Canal.

Lock 1, Champlain

Definitely the road less traveled

First lock opening to the Erie Canal

The next day was about 30 miles and 5 locks to Fort Edward and another great free dock with electric. It was a cool and drizzly day, so it was nice to be plugged in to have hot water and TV. The next morning was a couple more locks to get to Whitehall. At lock 9, we reached the highest altitude on the Champlain Canal, about 140 feet above sea level. The last two locks in the system take us back down to the level of Lake Champlain (95' above sea level). Whitehall is famous as the birthplace of the US Navy, where the first warships were built to challenge the British for possession of Lake Champlain in the Revolutionary War.

Nomadic Spirit

Not a glamorous part of cruising but a necessity.
You meet the most interesting local characters... 

Entering the Adirondacks

 The next morning, we locked through lock 12, the last lock in the system, where the wind gave me fits and I provided some free entertainment to the lock operators as I tried to swing my stern against the wind to catch the stern line. A busy couple of minutes, but no harm no foul. The next 30 miles or so we were technically in Lake Champlain, but it was a very narrow part that seemed more like a river. We passed Fort Ticonderoga, another famous Revolutionary War site, and then stopped at Crown Point for the night, right where the lake starts to get wide and look like a real lake. There are TWO more forts here, one French and one British. For such a pretty area, it sure has a long history of blood and conflict.

The Lake Champlain Bridge where the lake opens up

View from the anchorage

Crown Point Historic Site

Short climb to the top of the Champlain Memorial lighthouse

View of BellaGatto at anchor from the top of the lighthouse

Finally, it was hey for Burlington, about 35 miles north, where we checked in to a marina for 3 nights. This will be our major re-provisioning site to get stocked up for the two months we will spend in Canada, and also where we will pick up another able crew, MaryKaye, who will stay with us to the St. Lawrence River at Sorel, Quebec.