Navigating the Saint Lawrence Seaway

[Flagman101]

Oh ok.I was under the impression your were talking about doing it in the Quebec city area. 25 nm south is an other ball game.
Still i would never do it. I like my boat to float.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Flagman101

Oh ok.I was under the impression your were talking about doing it in the Quebec city area. 25 nm south is an other ball game.
Still i would never do it. I like my boat to float.

Yeah, me too . I would never try it without some pretty solid local knowledge. And even then...

[Stu Jackson]

I got this link right here on CF


Across Northumberland Strait – Trawler Cygnus


maybe just a small part of it...

[Joli]

It's a beautiful trip, wish we would have had more time on the St Lawrence. We didn't stop in Montreal but did enjoy four days in Quebec in the old city, fantastic. It was interesting locking into a marina. Since we were in a schedule we sailed directly to Gaspe from Quebec, about two days.

The tides and currents weren't difficult but you did have to plan your departure times. Can't remember the guide we used but there are good ones to be found.

Nova Scotia is wonderful also, beautiful scenery, rugged sailing and very remote until Halifax. I think we made four stops in Nova Scotia, the last being Shelburne. Halifax and Shelburne, we loved Shelburne, the people were so friendly and the food at Charlotte Lane Cafe is the best you'll ever have.

Anyway, it's a great trip you'll enjoy immensely.

[GreenWave]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Yes, I get it. Thanks.


Boat moving at 5.1 knots in the water. Boat moving at 14.8 knots over the ground. That tells me there is 9.7 knots of current. Or is this wrong?

That is right. and you relative speed is only 5.1.. If that were flipped around then you would have a problem.

[scargo]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Currents down the St. Lawrence come in two varieties; downstream currents and tidal currents. Leaving Lake Ontario, and down past Montreal you'll see standard downstream currents. We saw those measure from between 1 and 3 knots. Around Montreal the currents get stronger, I assume because of all the island channelling, and also the fact that the Ottawa River joins the St. Lawrence there.

Once past Trois-Rivières the tides and tidal currents really ramp up quickly. Travel really only becomes possible by running with the tides. Start off just as slack is taking hold, ride the wave downstream, and then be safely anchored before the flood tide has taken hold.

We flew past Quebec City, hitting current speeds of close to 10 knots, and anchored in tides around 15 feet. Here is a pic of our speed over water @ 5.1 knots and our speed over water at 11.2 kn. But we achieved just shy of 15 knots at one point, and at that point I didn't dare take my attention away from the tiller. I was fearful of losing control, and didn't want to contemplate what would happen to our full keel if we got broadside to the current.

These significant currents and tides persist down to about the Saguenay. Beyond that they remain significant.

Here's my speed (SOG = 13.6 Kn in a 30ft monohull) south of Ile aux coudres going to the Magdalene Islands in July 2014
Down wind, full main, full jib, wing on wing with whisker pole. Don't remember the wind speed, I have to look it up in my logbook.
The current is indeed very strong in this area. It is then important to go with it.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by scargo

Here's my speed (SOG = 13.6 Kn in a 30ft monohull) south of Ile aux coudres going to the Magdalene Islands in July 2014
Down wind, full main, full jib, wing on wing with whisker pole. Don't remember the wind speed, I have to look it up in my logbook.
The current is indeed very strong in this area. It is then important to go with it.

Thanks Scargo. The tidal currents do indeed carry on quite strong though this whole stretch from QC. I don't recall the speeds -- by then we were pretty used to it. I did anchor off of Ile aux coudres for a couple of nights. We had a front-row seat to all the passing tall ships after they departed QC. This was in 2017 during Canada 150.

This was one of the places where we almost lost our anchor. The currents were so fast that it had dug the anchor in so deeply, it was almost irretrievable. Took over an hour to get it out.

[scargo]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Thanks Scargo. The tidal currents do indeed carry on quite strong though this whole stretch from QC. I don't recall the speeds -- by then we were pretty used to it. I did anchor off of Ile aux coudres for a couple of nights. We had a front-row seat to all the passing tall ships after they departed QC. This was in 2017 during Canada 150.

This was one of the places where we almost lost our anchor. The currents were so fast that it had dug the anchor in so deeply, it was almost irretrievable. Took over an hour to get it out.

Mike, in summer 2017, I am sure we crossed paths somewhere in the Gulf or in the river
We left Souris PEI in mid July for the Magdalene islands where we waited for a good weather window and fixed the engine (had to replace some gaskets). Then beginning of august we left for Riviere-aux-renards where the wind died. And after that we hopped from anchorage to anchorage or marina to marina up to Montreal where I sold the boat in 2018.
The places where we stopped more than a day were, if I can recall, Sainte-Anne-Des-Monts (strong winds for a few days), Tadoussac and Levis.
In SADM, I met a guy from Toronto, traveling alone and going to the Caribbean. He told me he was hit, the day before, by a storm while anchoring outside of the commercial port of Matane. Not really a good place to anchor.


So I guess, your boat is still in the Maritimes and stuck there because of COVID ?

[EarlWer]

I'm pretty sure you need to take the Seaway and locks around the island of Montreal.
The Ice Control bridge is pretty low... and some area have rapids.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by scargo

Mike, in summer 2017, I am sure we crossed paths somewhere in the Gulf or in the river

Could be. Although we were headed to Newfoundland so decided to stick to the north shore past Tadoussac, after spending a few days going up the Saguenay of course. We only pulled into two marinas the whole time: Portnuef and Baie Comeau. We went north around Anticosti over to Mingan (Havre St. Pierre) and then crossed over to Corner Brook, NL.

Originally Posted by scargo

So I guess, your boat is still in the Maritimes and stuck there because of COVID ?

Yes, sadly my boat is in Lewisporte, NL. I've not been able to touch foot on the island for nearly a year and a half now. And I'm really doubting this coming sailing season will be any better. I'm hoping to at least travel there to make sure she's ok by the fall, but who knows...

[magicmoments]

Does anyone ever go upstream from Nova Scotia to Lake Ontario.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by magicmoments

Does anyone ever go upstream from Nova Scotia to Lake Ontario.

I've not done it, but I know of some who have. I suspect it's a harder trip since you're moving against the prevailing winds. And once you get past Trois-Rivières you'll be working against the downstream current. I bet it would take longer, but it's done.

[scargo]

Originally Posted by magicmoments

Does anyone ever go upstream from Nova Scotia to Lake Ontario.

I think a few racers do it every year to go to some of Lake Ontario races.
I personally sailed between lake Ontario and Nova Scotia and going up the river can be fun sailing up to Tadoussac. Between Tadoussac and Trois-rivieres is going to be mainly motoring with the help of tide current if you time your departure right.
After Trois-Rivieres, there's no more tide, but you will have a constant current against you. In my opinion, the worst leg is between Trois-Rivieres and Montreal.
Between Montreal and Gananoque, it is also motoring with some current against you (maybe no more than 2/3 kns). After that the lake opens and you can sail gain, but the predominant wind is from he west.
If you go through the Canso canal when coming from NS, I would recommend you to go up to the Magdalen Islands and then north to Gaspesie, unless you want to visit Charlottetown

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

In contrast to the harder slog Howard had, we saw nothing but wind on the beam or aft. Most of the time it was great sailing. We travelled the river in July and August. The prevailing winds are westerlies through those months, but obviously it can be anything. Luck of the draw.

Ah, like ships passing in the night.

I was referring to the trip down the Atlantic side of NS and thence to Marblehead and points South.

But, now that you mention it, we had tough passages across the Gulf. Gaspe to Magdalines first was VERY snooty, then dead calm. Then a week later from the the Magdalines to Rocky Harbor started out very light wind, then got nasty NE, then died again. Up river from that was fine and going around the Great Northern Peninsula was fine, except from LaSie to Exploits. That was "interesting'. Coming out of La Sie was a washing machine, then turning the corner we had 8' following seas with zero wind. Pushed my thundering 13hp WOT, still rolling gunnel to gunnel. The Wife didn't get sick but her shoulders hurt for 3 days from hanging on.

Good stories. What its all about right?

[hpeer]

Every one here needs to read "The Boat Who Would Not Float."

It is all about our state of mind.

It seemed like a good idea. Tired of everyday life ashore, Farley Mowat would find a sturdy boat in Newfoundland and roam the salt sea over, free as a bird. What he found was the worst boat in the world, and she nearly drove him mad. The Happy Adventure, despite all that Farley and his Newfoundland helpers could do, leaked like a sieve. Her engine only worked when she felt like it. Typically, on her maiden voyage, with the engine stuck in reverse, she backed out of the harbour under full sail. And she sank, regularly. How Farley and a varied crew, including the intrepid lady who married him, coaxed the boat from Newfoundland to Lake Ontario is a marvellous story. The encounters with sharks, rum-runners, rum and a host of unforgettable characters on land and sea make this a very funny book for readers of all ages.

https://largepdf.com/the-boat-who-wouldnt-float/