Setting Sail for France

You might think that Montreal and Quebec City are landlocked, and you wouldn't be mistaken. Everywhere we look, there are mountains and fields and farms. But look at what plies the Saint Lawrence! These are ocean-going ships carrying fuel and grains abroad. And, 70 nautical miles to our southwest, upriver towards Montreal, the tides raise the River's level by a foot. Here, at Quebec City, the tidal lift is 15 feet. At the riverfront at Quebec City, the water is still fresh. But just 5 nm downriver it becomes salty as the ocean's presence is felt. So, really, it is not a surprise to see evidence that we are really at the doorstep of the Atlantic Ocean.

An outbound freighter.

And anfreighter heading upstream.

Historically, the waterfront at Quebec City has always been active with ocean-capable shipping.

But this week, the City's waterfront was alive with something else. A trans-Atlantic race in high-performance sailboats.

Here's the view of such a boat from her stern.

You can see that she is rigged with all sorts of go-fast strings and equipment, plus all of the necessary safety equipment. That's because the skipper and crew will be at sea for a week as they try to break speed records in the race to France. Notice the double rudders, driven by a single tiller.

We saw the fleet leaving our basin and entering the lock to go to the River. They were to start shortly after and set a course down the Saint Lawrence, past the Gaspe Peninsula and on to the Atlantic.

Such excitement!

They are "in the chute!" Or, as the lock tender would say, they are in the chamber.

Ready to go to sea.

Cheers,

Brio