St Lawrence and back again

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Tuesday 26th - Off to the St Lawrence

Hired a car and set off to explore the north shore of the St Lawrence. Drove through Quebec city, lots of tourists, did not stop the car. Maybe another day.

The first place we are aiming for is Tadoussac, just around from the Saguenay fjord. We have no accommodation booked. We need cash. Arrive in La Malbaie around 6:30pm hoping to find an ATM and maybe somewhere to stay rather than pushing on to Tadoussac tonight.

There is one bank in Malbaie. It does not accept Visa cards. After searching town for another bank I remember I have a Mastercard debit card, quel clot (that is Quebec French for silly me).

We have cash but nowhere to stay. I try telephoning the hostel in Tadoussac but the telephone asks me to insert 3 dollars 55 cents to make the call. I decline. We set off again. Just before St Simeon I notice a 'chambres' sign lit up. We can have two rooms for only 70 dollars - how prices have changed since leaving Mexico ! But it is a lovely view of the St Lawrence.

Relieved, we dine on picnic leftovers as night falls.


Wednesday 27th - Across the Saguenay to Tadoussac and Escoumins

We have no breakfast. There is a toaster and kettle available but we have no supplies and no coffee cups !

Another 45 mins and we are on the (free) ferry across to Tadoussac. The water is a deep blue-black, just like Superman's hair. The view upstream is stunning.

Minutes later we are in Tadoussac. It is a very attractive place buts suffers from it. It is a little like being in a UK resort on a bank holiday weekend. People milling all over the pavements. Car parks charging the earth. We park at the tourist office. Deb and I walk to the hostel but they are full. There is another hostel but that too is full.

We decide to continue up the coast and maybe stay at a place Andy has recommended near Escoumins. As it happens we stop in Escoumins and find a cheaper motel. It will do nicely. Escoumins is a little like Norfolk in the low season but we can get food and beer, and the bay is superb.

Owen and I walked to the disused ferry jetty. We could see a couple of whales 'blowing' in the distance. Maybe an omen for tomorrow.


Thursday 28th July - Whales

Lovely breakfast in a resto run by Belgians. Eggs with toast, saute potatoes and salad.

In Tadoussac people are all over you trying to sell tours. Here you need to put in a little more effort. We have a guide book with one advert for whale-watching based in Escoumins. I phone up and receive directions in French to the ticket office, just outside town. Despite the directions we cannot find it (surprise). I stop at the side of the road to consult the guide. A cop car pulls up - to assist us ? No, to tick me off for stopping on a white line on a deserted side road 35 feet wide. He proceeds to tell me he does not know where to find the office and perhaps we should try further down the road. I ask a canoe salesman. We need to be about half a mile away on the main road. The ticket booth is big and bright yellow. Does the policeman drive all day with his eyes closed ? Whatever. We bought tickets for the midday trip and whiled away the morning on the rocks in Escoumins bay.

The whale boat was a zodiac type, it reminded me of the inflatable inshore rescue boats that Blue Peter used to save milk bottle tops for. It was small but buoyant. The St Lawrence is remarkably smooth, at least at this time of year and we set off at a pace for the deep-water areas where we hoped to spot whales.

Within a few minutes we saw a fin-back whale. It did not co-operate for long and I have no piccies to prove it.

We moseyed around further up the seaway, sometimes following other zodiacs, sometimes being followed. There were also a few people in kayaks - ideal for being on-the-spot but not so good for changing area completely.

Two hours went before we knew it. Apart from the fin-back we saw three blue whales which we followed for some 20 mins, and a minke. None of them laepat out of the water or appeared very close to the boat but it did not matter. We were on the water near live whales. Perhaps I should go to journalism school to help me describe it. All I can say is come on down and give it a go. If you are experienced in kayaks then so much the better.

Back to Escoumins rocks for a picnic then further up the coast to Forestville for a night in an Econolodge. I think the guide oversold Forestville. It has a ferry. It has a kind of aqueduct for moving logs from one end to the other. It has an attractive view of the seaway. The Econolodge (ordinary but OK) has a remarkably good restaurant which reminded me of Switzerland.


Friday 29th July - Across to Chicoutimi

Via the Econolodge internet connection we looked for but failed to find any suitable interesting accommodation in the Saguenay area for the weekend. Undeterred we set off back down the coast aiming to drive up the north side of the Saguenay. We stopped for an idyllic picnic near Sacre Coeur. Unfortunately it began to rain, sideways. And it got heavier. We, and everyone else, retreated to the car.

Once the rain stopped we continued to Sainte Rose du Nord, a small place on the fjord where we had hoped to stay. We spent a couple of hours walking well-made trails. It is a lovely place with a fine cafe for hot drinks and snacks.

I booked two nights in Chicoutimi and we set off. Chicoutimi is the first place at which you can cross the river. Most of the town is North american modernish. Our Comfort Inn was on a drag including shopping malls, service stations and fast food places. We have a naff meal at the Napoleon Pacino bar restaurant.


Saturday 30th July


Woke up and watched the end of the Grand Prix qualifiers.

First job is to buy Owen some new sandals. To WalMart where Rory has an egg mcsomething.

Then out of town to the Monts Valins national park. We park and set off for a 5k walk up (and down frequently) to the Pic de la Tete du Chien (570m), a breathtaking series of rocks and pinewoods. It took some two hours to walk up and less to walk back down. I am beginning to get a feel for the size and scale of Canada. More to come in Ontario and British Columbia.

For an easy finish to the day we drove 10k up (and down) a dodgy gravelly road to a point where Owen and I walked up to the Pic de la Hutte (900m), higher but not as much fun as Tete.


Sunday 31st July Back to Quebec city

Could not find vacancies in any attractive Quebec B&Bs. Booked into another

of the Choice hotels chain.

Drove down the N175. Approx 200 km. Very pretty. Millions of stupendous lakes

but almost nowhere to stop. About halfway there was an official service

station etc just after an attractive stretch of water. Unfortunately there

was no access available and hence nothing to delay us here. We passed many

inviting side roads most of which were dirt tracks. Again there was no

obvious stopping area or right of way. (Is there a Canadian branch of The

Ramblers ?).

Nearing Quebec turned off near Lac St Charles but could not find the lake !
Gave up and made our way to the hotel. Cinema over the dual carriageway but

nothing the boys wanted to see. Out for tea - pizza, pasta etc again but it

was jolly good quality.

Monday 1st August - Gray, wet

Started out a little dismal. Overnight rain still in the air. Overcast. Crap

for photos of the Quebec waterfront.
Toured the citadel. Not a great deal of history as it has never been attacked

since being built 1820-1850. More a tribute to the 22eme Regiment and their

line of mascot goats.

Trie dto get a table at a decent restaurant for lunch but they were full

until 3:30pm. Pizza/nachos in a beer garden instead. OK.

Wandered around the lower town, had lovely cake and coffee in le Petit Cochon

Dingue - and it turns out it is part of a chain ! They cannot be all bad

then.

Walked along the waterfront and then had to climb the Cap Blanc steps to get

back up towards the Champs de Batailles - rather tiring.

Back to Montreal, stopping for fuel at a service station on the central reservation i.e. left and rejoined motorway via the fastest lane. Is that potty or am I a cautious driver ?

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Photos

Whales ahoy !
The chart is a useful guide but they just would not keep still long enough for precise identification.

Comments

[A. Leigh]

I simply adore reading of your travels. Keep on posting entries and I most likely will keep reading them. Oh, and Rory is quite possibly the most adorable child I have ever seen.