My 2024 sailing adventure was a 7-week, 1000 nautical mile loop along the lower Saint-Lawrence aboard my trusty little Bayfield 25 "Salida 1". I had help to transit the Montreal locks but navigated the rest single-handedly. Throughout this trip I was able to stay fully connected to my work by making use of cellular and satellite coverage.
John from the Pointe-Claire Yacht Club and my eldest son Paul joined me on for the first day to transit the Montreal locks on July 12th 2024. Paul then stayed on for one more day to Sorel, after which I continued alone. As with previous trips I took my time by letting nasty weather pass by while either at anchor or tied to a dock. I stayed put for a few days in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli for that very reason, a stopover I always enjoy anyway. To top it off my other son Sam met up with me for a pleasant get-together and I also had the chance to meet the new owner of "Jean-du-Sud", a well known Alberg 30 who circumnavigated the globe in the 1970s. In Sainte-Anne-des-Monts I met up with Greg and Trudy on their salty little Halman 20 "Tonnerre"; check out their UA-cam Channel "Greg and Trudy Adventurers". We met up again in Mont Louis, further east on the Gaspésie coast, where catabatic winds showed their true colors.
After spending a pleasant few days in Mont Jolie including a short hike to get a breathtaking view of its very pretty bay, I headed north towards Sept-Iles, a 65 nautical mile crossing of the mighty Saint-Lawrence. From Sept-Îles, I worked my way back west along the Saint-Lawrence's majestic Côte Nord with a combination of anchorages and stop-overs at Île du Grand Caoui, Baie de la Trinité, Grande Baie Saint-Nicolas, Baie Comeau, Colombier, Anse à Robitaille (Les Escoumins), Tadoussac, Port au Saumon and Saint-Irénée. From there I re-crossed the Saint-Lawrence via La Traverse Saint-Roch to rejoin the south shore with another stopover in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli. Continuing west, I spent a pleasant day visiting family on Île d'Orleans and proceeded west with anchorages in Neuville, Portneuf, Batiscan and Rivière Saint-Maurice. I then stopped in Sorel for provisions and made my way to Longueuil Yacht Club where Paul met me for the final day transiting the Montreal locks.
As mentioned previously, the lower Saint-Lawrence has richness to offer on many levels which is why I’ve been returning year after year and I am already starting to plan the next adventure.