We are close to our most Northern tip, and boy do we know it! The residents say they have two season winter and summer. Summer is the ONE day that everyone goes to the beach! They wear winter sweaters,hats, gloves and thick socks. I keep asking myself is it really August, the weather in Syracuse doesn't sound that bad at all. I keep thanking my dear husband for putting a fireplace aboard!
We discovered from one of our books, that "White Empress Fleet" the Empress of Ireland is resting at the bottom of the St. Lawrence after the Titanic went down in 1912 on May 29, 1914. It was struck by another ship. We are sailing in the same waters. The interesting think is one very lucky survivor Taylor. Taylor was the ship's stoker. Previously he beat death aboard the Titanic. After the sinking of the Empress of Ireland Taylor shipped out on the Lusitania, which was torpedoed off the Irish coast. After he survied three major shipping disasters Taylor decided to give up his seagoing career for other pursuits ashore. I don't know how anyone would survive the water temp here. Yesterday water temp was an inky black 54 degrees. Don't forget it's August.
Roy: We left Matane on Tuesday morning trying to find reliable internet. Rogers has no coverage on the entire gaspe Peninsula. We left 3 hours below low tide to ensure enough water. Wind was East 5-10 knots, but strong wind warning was up for 25-30 knots. It never arrived. We plodded through the same ugly NE swell we had getting to Matane. At nightfall, we were still 14 miles away from our planned stop at St. Anne des Monts (Total 48 miles). We figured we would sail all night. At 10:00 the wind quit completely. We motored for 3 hours to a fishing port called Cap-Chat. We rocked and rolled the whole way. This is when the large cat rig shows its problems. Big swell, no wind, with a sloop you can usually leave the main up to stop rolling. With the cat, the whole sail and boom bangs. We tried reefing with no luck and took it down to roll all the way there. Fog, lobster bouys. no wind, swell and two unhappy people. We rated this our worst sail ever.
Wednesday we woke to the same wind and swell. Our neighbor left for the 9 miles to Des Monts. I watched from the rocks and he found wind about a mile out. We left and found 20-25 from the east with the big swell. On our way out we ran aground in the center of their marked channel. The chart and books call for 9' at low tide. It was still 2 hours before low tide. We were able to force the bow into the wind and raise sail. The heel was enough for us to slid off of what felt like a sandbar. If anyone goes here, stay close to the outside wall. This is where the fish fider was helpful. We turned it on, not before because it said we would have 9', and we swung the bow each way to see where the water got deeper. The transducer is in front of the keel. Four hours later and we were there. Nice town with interesting driftwood carvings and convenient stores. Yammy has a massage scheduled for Thursday afternoon. One of the boaters gave me a ride to fill two of our propane tanks.
Let me explain something here. The cruising guide talks about a favorable easterly Gaspe current, 1-2 knots. We found the opposite. There was an opposing current of up to 2 knots this whole trip from Ramouski. When you are sailing downwind, you don't care too much. You lose a knot or so overground, but your going in a straight line. But tacking, we go from 80 degree tacks to and effective 120 degree or more. To make the 9 miles to Des Monts, we sailed 27 miles. It doesn't matter whether it is ebb or flood tide. The current is always opposing. The boat that left for Des Monts before us, we passsed and they finally motored, completely frustrated with the current. We had more wind, offshore, to combat the waves and current. On starboard tack, you actually lose ground to your destination. I have never used a chart plotter before, but it has become an invaluable tool.
After talking to locals, they said we should of stayed on the north side of the river. We chose the south due to the warmer water and less fog. The cruising guide also recommends it. You can see on the chart plotter, that the current is under .2knots and follows ebb and flood directions up there. They say the weather we get here is all dependent on the north shore weather. That is where this rediculous swell is coming from. They have had the high winds. They also say, regardless of their wind forecats, the wind always stops at night on the south shore. If anyone else takes this trip, and there are suitable stops along the north shore, we recommend staying up there. It makes a long crossing to Prince Edward Island, but you will save yourself a headache. Another US boat is 5 days ahead of us and this section has been the worst for them as well.
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