Atlantic Canada begins

After Canada Day in Sainte Anne des Monts, we continued easterly to Mont Louis, the next potential anchorage. It was fairly open, despite our effort to tuck in behind the break wall, but it would do. The hills (mountains) on shore helped create some very interesting clouds as the moist air pushed against them and rose to higher elevations.

Mont Louis clouds

Riviere au Renard is a major fishing harbour on the northern Gaspe peninsula. On July 2^nd we found a great place to anchor within this community’s completely enclosed harbour in 15 feet of water, without significant tidal influences (less than 6 feet). Although the wind picked up overnight, we felt safe in this spot.

Riviere Au Renaud houses by the harbour.

In the morning, we set sail for Gaspe.  And it was a beautiful downwind sail in 20 knots of wind and an ebb tide!  We passed the amazing lighthouse at Cap Rosieres, the tallest in the Canadian east coast, and marking the end of the St. Lawrence River (according to a Royal Proclamation in 1763).

Cap Rosieres Lighthouse with the Gaspe Cliffs in the distance

So, we were officially in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  Next, we rounded Cap Gaspe, an extraordinary sight after miles of high sheer cliffs, and were greeted into Gaspe Bay by two whales! 

Cap Gaspe

What a sight: like fools, we were scrambling around to find our cameras, not to get a single decent picture – we should have just looked and appreciated the moment!

And we made our way to Gaspe, the birthplace of “Canada”: it was here, that in 1534, Jacques Cartier raised a wooden cross with the local Indigenous Peoples present and claimed this land for the King of France, and called it Canada! He returned to this region several more times, but he never returned to Gaspe.

The granite cross in the historical site in Gaspe

Our dinner one night in Gaspe

Sailing along the shores of this amazing land for the last 50-something days, we are in bewilderment of the events that have happened here, and trying to fathom the significance of these places so rich in our nation’s history. Wow!

Mal Baie is a little (tiny) fishing harbour about half a day’s sail from Gaspe. When we arrived, we found it pretty tight for space, but anchored in deep enough water, and well away from the fishing fleet at the docks behind the breakwater. No sooner did we anchor, and one of the fishing boats raced over and suggested we move in closer behind the breakwater, and cautioned us of a shoal in the area. So we moved. 

The fishing fleet in Mal Baie, wrapping up Lobster season

The next day was the last day of lobster season in this area and all the boats got out in the middle of the night (chop-chop on the water) and they all returned in the wee hours of the morning to preserve their catch (more chop-chop), so we got out of bed early and set off for the Magdalen Islands, with Percé as a little side trip (not to be missed).

Percé rock was very cool!

And we corrected our course toward the Magdalen Islands. The wind picked up, and exceeded the forecasted 20 knots, and approached gale force, and after considering how we would carry on through the night to make our landfall at the Magdalens on 5-metre high waves, that were still building and starting to break, we turned around. (Sorry, no pictures, we were too busy). Late that evening we anchored beside Percé rock, in complete shelter from the storm at sea.

We decided that the better route may be via the Northumberland Straight, so made our way coast-wise to Chandler, Quebec, where we found an abandoned harbour with no boats, and a ferry dock in obvious dis-use.  In the morning, we made our way to Miscou Island, New Brunswick.  This is the heart of Acadian culture in New Brunswick, in fact, Pictou Island forms the tip of the Acadian Peninsula, located between Bathurst and Mirimachi. We had all sorts of visitors after anchoring, asking if we were going into town, etc. then leaving us waiving their beers! Fishing boats were all decked out with flags… maybe something good was going on in town?

Acadian fishing boat in Miscou

From Miscou we moved to Mirimachi.  It was a long way to go, and the wind wasn’t helping us get there soon enough.  When we were navigating through the myriad of shallows and shoals entering Mirimachi Bay, we passed three tall ships leaving, under sail!

We then sailed to Richibucto, where we spent two nights anchored in the river; and another night at the south tend of the Bouctouche Dunes.  We dinghied in to the beach there, where the only human footprints were ours.

Light at south end of Bouctouche Dunes

On July 13^th, we crossed the Northumberland Straight and anchored in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. They are having their Lobster Carnival here, complete with food sampling, midway and entertainment. The main reason we came here, though, was to visit the Anne of Green Gables Heritage Place near Cavendish.  No tours were available, so we rented a car. On Friday July 14^th, we drove off to see the Green Gables site, and saw a lot of picturesque scenery all along the way.

Summerside PEI Wharf

Anne of Green Gables Museum

Anne of Green Gables Heritage Site