CANADA!!!! - St. Jean - Chambly QC

 June 26


CANADA!!!  We made it to Canada!  Yea!  

As a parting gift to the good old USA I took a dive into Lake Champlain.  Whereas it was not as cold as my dive with Billy on Puget Sound, it was still far colder than this southern boy could handle.  My total time in the water was ~30 seconds.



This was the beginning of the skinny water.  The Richelieu.  It is extremely narrow compared to the wide open waters of Lake Champlain.  We took this from the border just above Rouses Point to St-Jean sur Richelieu.  As part of the Parks Canada pass for lockage, we also purchased a season pass for using the lock walls for mooring.  This allows us to stay at no additional cost right in the heart of most towns where there is a lock. St-Jean sur Richelieu was just such a place.  It was like stepping into downtown France.  In this part of Canada, French is the primary language and the French culture is strong in the stores, restaurants and pubs.

The locks in Parks Canada are actually manually operated.  Literally, someone hand cranks the doors and valves.  SOOOOO...  Once on the lock wall,  I immediately went to the lock master and asked if I could operate one of the cranks.  She said "sure".  So I did!  Here is a quick video to give you a feel:


St-Jean was GREAT.   Communicated with the gentleman at the bar by Google Translate.  Awesome tool!  Some quick pics for your viewing pleasure:


And we did have breakfast at a fantastic restaurant.  Terri is certainly enjoying herself (me, I think I am getting my head pissed on....).


This lock was the first of 9 on the Chambly Canal.  This canal was so narrow that it made the Richelieu look like the Atlantic Ocean.  Some parts were only ~25 feet wide (gets intense when two boats pass).


But, bigger boats than mine make it, so no problem.  

This brought us to the quaint town of Chambly.  Again, really cute with a strong French influence.  There were several other boaters here.  This lock wall had power, all the better.  The town has a fort (we are going to tour it this afternoon).  The other couples and us took a tour on our e-machines (scooters and bikes) and of course, there were docktails in the evening.









So,  where are we?  Here is the Nebo log.


That's not a great view so here is a Google Maps view.  


Well, that's a wrap.  All in all, the trip continues to live up to expectations.

Be safe.

Terri and Aubrey














Comments

  1. Catherine BakerJune 26, 2023 at 10:00 PM

    Stop having so much fun! And by the way we miss you guys!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJune 28, 2023 at 4:33 PM

    Aubrey, I’m probably pretty close to you guys today, 28 Jun. I’m in Montreal :) Looks like a great voyage!
    Fair Winds & Following Seas (or cheap gas and favorable currents) G Hart

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJune 28, 2023 at 5:09 PM

    Keeping an eye on you. Keep posting, have fun & stay safe! Karen & Rob

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJune 29, 2023 at 12:46 PM

    Bon Voyage! Tres Bien! Laissez le bon temps rouler! Au revoir!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beth FulgenziJuly 2, 2023 at 11:30 AM

    So glad all is going well!! Looks awesome and so much fun! We miss you all, but love hearing about your trip!!

    ReplyDelete

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