Baie Johan Beetz

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Johan Beetz was a Belgium naturalist who founded the Zoological Society of Quebec. We arrived yesterday in beautiful weather and are docked at the public fishing peer. There is one other fishing boat there. The locals tell me that only one other boat uses the dock and he is gone because fishing is over for now. They catch scallops, small red crab and a new fish called Melon. They always had that fish but they are only now finding it delectable. This information from an old timer who came down to fish last evening.

We walked in misty rain to a grocery/liquor/gas station and internet cafe to get on line. We have no internet or cell reception at the dock. All the homes look brand new and well maintained here in this very small town. They have a new wooden sidewalk as well as a nice board walk and gazebo near the water. According to the dock master at Havre Saint-Pierre, there is a large Hydro Electric project at la Romaine River, the biggest in the country, with a population of 3000. Perhaps these folks work there.

I am having a good time conversing with the locals in French, the Captain not so much. I ask for nautical information and they look at him when they answer. They wonder what his problem is until we explain the situation.

The tides are getting lower, we had 19 foot tides past Quebec city and now we are down to 4 foot tides. That is more like it. It is difficult to know how to tie lines when the water will drop so much during the night. The current is no longer an issue, it is down to two knots. The wind and visibility is now the concern. Today we are staying at the dock until the wind lies down a bit which could be tomorrow. It is 13 degrees with a low of 9 at night, not summer weather. The water temperature is 42 Fahrenheit, burrrr. There were kids swimming at Tadoussac.

We have no pictures of the numerous dolphins, seals and whales we see. They do not come play in our wake as they did in Florida. They are simply sticking their backs out of the water. We have not seen any breaching or jumping. Lots of ducks with their large families and even a mink running across the rocks near our boat, he seems busy feeding a family.

More news tomorrow if we have internet. Not very likely in these parts.

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Photos

Baie Johan Beetz
Fishing wharf

Baie Johan Beetz
Small village

Baie Johan Beetz
choppy inside the harbour

Comments

[Peg]

Excellent Blogs!!!!
Hi Simone & Jerry: You seem to be making real good time. I'm glad your finding some neat stop overs & meeting new people along the way. The town you're at sounds kind of neat & th eplace with the big hydro electric progect sounds like it will be a neat stop over if you are there at a stopping time. Good job you & Jerry are great navigators & understaand the tides, winds etc. Continued great cruising! Love, Peg & Bob xo