St Lawrence River Navigation & Marinas

[Kalinka1]

Originally Posted by Zzip

Wondering if anyone has navigated down the St. Lawrence River from the East end of Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St Lawrence, finishing or passing Sydney in Nova Scotia. I am planning to make this trip on a 36' Hunter (Model 356) sailboat with a 5'.6'' draft in the summer of 2025. It might actually be two seasons finishing up in summer of 2026. There are two of us aboard. We're not in a hurry and plan to languish in fun places. I anticipate occasionally anchoring, but would prefer marina stops. Are there enough marina's, towns or places to stop every 25 miles +-? USA or Canada ports are acceptable. I am just beginning to gather books, charts, Lock info, and stuff I will need to make the trip. Have not run into anyone that has made the whole trip. If you have have made the trip, would like to hear from you. If you have done it on a sailboat, would love to know if you were able to sail sections.

Greetings. We've done the trip 3 times down and twice up Down much more fun and easier But up not so bad. it's now tricky to anchor in the canal stretch as you have to make a reservation. We have a lot of the charts and the current guide. NFLD is really a must and the labrador is stunning. PM me with any questions Noel

[sailingharry]

Gord and Mike,
My wife and are CERTAIN we had or saw an English-only version. However, i just went to the boat and..... it's bilingual. The document is a classic bilingual format, with everything said twice, once in French and again in English. It's also available online, as Gord pointed out. I've found some online references to indicate it is $15, but we found several marinas providing them for free (perhaps if you want it mailed to you in advance, it's a cost?)

[SVTatia]

Pardon my ignorance, but which way is up and which way is down river?
The water flows towards the ocean, that would be down river up to Quebec City. But it goes kind'o north.
"Up river without a paddle", I guess that saying would be going towards lake Ontario, going southwest? [emoji848]

[rslifkin]

Following the current towards the ocean is down river regardless of geographic direction.

[Dave Lochner]

Mike, Thanks for posting the waypoints. For others who are interested, there are websites that can covert the KML file to a GPX file that can be read by a chartplotter or charting software.

Our plan, once again is to leave Lake Ontario next spring and head down the St. Lawrence. The list of potential anchorages will be helpful as will Sailingharry's log.

Thank you both.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Dave Lochner

Mike, Thanks for posting the waypoints. For others who are interested, there are websites that can covert the KML file to a GPX file that can be read by a chartplotter or charting software.

Our plan, once again is to leave Lake Ontario next spring and head down the St. Lawrence. The list of potential anchorages will be helpful as will Sailingharry's log.

Thank you both.

Thanks for the conversion tip Dave. I might use it. The KML file came from iNavx (a nav app I was using for the journey). It's the export format. I know it's viable in Google Earth, but converting it would be a lot better .

Harry's blog is great. I also kept one (which I completely forgot about ). It's still here, beginning with our July 2017 posts (July, August, September) . Lots of pics, and a babbling narrative in case anyone is interested:

https://helplink.com/CLAFC/?p=2479

[bgallinger]

Originally Posted by GordMay

I'm not certain, that an English-ONLY version, would even be legal, in Quebec.

Good point!!

[OldSailors]

I am usually a lurker here, seldom logging in or commenting, but I can't resist commenting on a trip down the St Lawrence River. First to address Kalinka1's questions, but also add to the discussion from the standpoint of a one time river runner.

First off, there are a number of Marina's on the river, most are available "in season." The well equipped marinas tend to be crowded and may require plenty of advance planning to get a reservation. I didn't do much of that planning during my trip in 2008, but was only "rejected" from one marina having no slips available. The one caveat about using marinas is that there are long stretches of the river that do NOT have marinas. Check out several recent guidebooks to find alternative anchorages or places to tie up.

The 1,000 Islands were amazing. I wish I had spent more time there. One surprise was the number (then - 2008) of docks offering free tie up. In some towns, the free docks had water and signs specifically permitting 24 or even 48 hour stays. I took those opportunities to eat out, tour on foot, and supplement provisions. DO NOT RUSH through 1,000 Islands!

I especially enjoyed spending a few days in a marina at downtown Montreal. It was a very tough slog to get UPSTREAM from where the St Lawrence Seaway opens back into the river eastnortheast of the city. Pushing uphill against the 4 to 6 knot current took me almost an entire night - and it is only about 2 miles. But it was worth it! The marina I used was set up in one of the old ocean liner piers and well protected. It was also a very short walk to everything downtown. Worthwhile stop.

The St Lawrence Seaway is an adventure in itself. I made the trip solo in an Irwin 42 ketch and the rules in the locks require at least two on board to handle lines. The Lockmaster at the first of the locks admonished me after I admitted I was alone and told me to keep quiet so I wouldn't wake my sick wife! I did use that line the rest of the way down - and was never prevented from using the locks even though I doubt anyone believed it. Otherwise the Seaway - between the locks was amazing. Do be careful about silting around the tie ups near the locks!

Downriver from Montreal the river was usually fast flowing (3kts or more) and very busy in August of 2008. (I repeat the date to remind you that it was a long time ago and some things change.) The prevailing wind, for almost all of my trip from Chicago down the lakes and the river, was out of the SW and usually between 10 and 15 kts. I spent an entire day going down the river at 10 kts over ground under spinnaker alone in what felt like a tiny breeze that was really 15 kts!

The choke point where the St Lawrence becomes a tidal river is at Portneuf (I think) just 50 miles above Quebec City. I recommend that you time your arrival at that point at or just before high tide. I missed my timing and rode a fast current and a faster descending tide through what felt like rapids and had real whirlpools!

The City of Quebec is worth spending lots of time visiting. I stayed at what is now named the Yacht Club de Quebec but I'm pretty sure it was called "Royal Quebec YC or something similar." In 2008 it was reasonably priced but pretty far from downtown. That wasn't a problem then because there were always other cruisers or locals who were happy to drive me wherever I wanted to go. I even got a grand tour from a lifelong resident who spent an entire day showing me around.

The tidal St Lawrence River was NOT - for me - the difficult trip I was warned about. I found that seeing the incoming waters of a rising tide was easy and it was not problem riding the calmer counter current just outside the tides. Good charts - recently updated - are important. There are some places to avoid. Those waters were also filled with marine mammals. Dolphin, Pilot Whales, and a bunch of critters, were all around and many came right up to the boat. Be careful entering and leaving ports along this stretch, tides will move you in really strange ways!

As a final note, I too was warned about the entire lower river being French speaking and not helpful to English speaking visitors. That never happened! Only once in all my time along the river, including side trips on foot and in rental cars, did I run into an issue. That was at a convenience store where no one spoke English and we had to pantomime in a rather funny Q&A session that left everyone laughing and me with exactly what I wanted plus a ride back to my boat! Everywhere else, someone spoke at least a little English and everyone was both polite and helpful.

That's just my experience - your's might differ but it will be memorable.

[LakeSuperior]

You may be find a cruising guide to the Gulf of St. Lawrence edited by Jim Evans of Murray Harbour, PE, Canada to be useful. It was published by the Cruising Club of America. It is divided into 5 sections

1. La Côte du Nord - the Quèbec shore from Sept-Iles to Blanc Sablon, including the Ile d'Anticosti
2. Les Iles de la Madeleine
3. Prince Edward Island, including the Northumberland Strait
4. Miramichi Bay to Baie des Chaleurs and Cap de Gaspé
5. The St. Lawrence below Quèbec City to Sept-Iles and Cap de Gaspé

[Elie]

Originally Posted by GordMay

I'm not certain, that an English-ONLY version, would even be legal, in Quebec.

In fact, Quebec is bilingual and english is well supported, everywhere. You will find helpfull support in all marinas. But as you travel east, french is predominant in stores, and in general. But you will find help and gentle manered persons so french is not an issue.

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by Elie

In fact, Quebec is bilingual and english is well supported, everywhere. You will find helpfull support in all marinas. But as you travel east, french is predominant in stores, and in general. But you will find help and gentle manered persons so french is not an issue.

In St Theresa de Gaspe (I think I spelled it right), just below Perce on the far west end of the Gulf of St Lawarence, we were tied up in a fishing port (that's all there is there). Come to think of it, that may have been one of our few weather delays. Anyway, we were running a bit low on Diesel. After about an hour trying to "chat" with the harbor master, and getting our need conveyed, we finally figured it out and he found a truck that was coming down to fuel a fishing boat to fuel us up. All the stereotypes are wrong -- he was typical, giving us 110% effort to try and get through our language barrier.


BTW, with regard to that. I think, but am not sure, that diesel in Canada is a bit different than in the US. Here in the US, the red-dye diesel (no road tax) is used in boats. In Canada, it seems that pleasure boats cannot use red-dye. The incident above, we did get red-dye, but based on subsequent conversations later in the trip, I THINK that it was illegal. We carry 94 gallons, so didn't need it often (and thankfully we didn't -- it was HARD to find!) but when we tried to get it elsewhere were told that they couldn't sell it to us. In Port aux Basque, a nice fellow took me and 2 jugs to a road station, in another place I had to call a guy, tell him exactly how much I needed and pre-pay, he went to a service station and filled 2 55-gallon barrels with the agreed upon amount. In Baddeck, there was a proper recreational marina, I didn't look to see what color I bought.


Mike -- care to comment?

[Mike OReilly]

My understanding is that dyed diesel is not subject to tax, and is specifically for commercial vehicles, and perhaps off-roaders. Taxes are paid in Canada by the end user, to pay for our nice pothole-free roads .

It is illegal to sell dyed diesel to recreational boaters. That said, I've been sold red diesel one more than on occasion, although never in Newfoundland -- yet.

As for the general availability, it is certainly thin in places. But that's because recreational boating infrastructure is likewise thin in most areas of Newfoundland, and much of the lower parts of the St. Lawrence and the Gulf. It sometimes requires pre-planning to get what you need, but at least in Newfoundland, there will always be a friendly local ready to lend a hand.

The province of Quebec is not officially bilingual. French is the official language. But many Quebecers are bilingual. The closer you are to Montreal, the more English you will find. As you go downstream, English will become harder to use, but I have NEVER had a problem anywhere in Quebec with people willing to assist, even when there is a language barrier (my French is shamefully inadequate).

As long as you don't go into a situation expecting them to speak English, and as long as you make a real effort to try, then I have never experienced any problem. It's the visitors who go in with attitude that get into trouble.

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

My understanding is that dyed diesel is not subject to tax, and is specifically for commercial vehicles, and perhaps off-roaders. Taxes are paid in Canada by the end user, to pay for our nice pothole-free roads .

It is illegal to sell dyed diesel to recreational boaters. That said, I've been sold red diesel one more than on occasion, although never in Newfoundland -- yet.

As you go downstream, English will become harder to use, but I have NEVER had a problem anywhere in Quebec with people willing to assist, even when there is a language barrier (my French is shamefully inadequate).

Then general theory of red-dye fuel is the same in the US -- it pays for road work. But, we then figure that since boats don't use roads, we fall in the same category as construction equipment and off-road equipment, and get the red-dye.

As far as the French, ours is more shamefully inadequate than yours. No matter how little you have! LOL. But we were prepared. We brought our multi-lingual international good-will ambassador, who dealt with all the introductions.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

Then general theory of red-dye fuel is the same in the US -- it pays for road work. But, we then figure that since boats don't use roads, we fall in the same category as construction equipment and off-road equipment, and get the red-dye.

True... unfortunately the law up here doesn't see it that way.

Originally Posted by sailingharry

As far as the French, ours is more shamefully inadequate than yours. No matter how little you have! LOL. But we were prepared. We brought our multi-lingual international good-will ambassador, who dealt with all the introductions.

A dog... the universal translator .