Quebec City

How can it be that it has taken us 10 days to travel what takes us less than 5 hours in a car? I guess we are getting a feel for the time it took to travel in the old days. Cruising down this river certainly evokes a sense of the history of travel in days before highspeed highways and trains and powerboats.

We spent a night in the well-sheltered little harbour of Portneuf with its solidly constructed breakwaters and floating docks, and then continued on to Quebec City. Basin Louise, right in the heart of the old city, was full so we stayed at the Yacht Club de Quebec, arriving late morning on June 25th. It was a good decision and we were happy there. They were very accommodating, gave us a good dock and warmly conversed with us in our imperfect French. Well - that would be my imperfect French. Jim is sounding very impressive as he takes every opportunity to converse en francais.

We putzed around on the boat, crossing a few more of the jobs off our to-do list. In late afternoon we shared a cab with the Buchanans into the old city and had a fine time wandering the streets. The friendly young woman at le Lapin Saut� beckoned us in so we enjoyed rabbit and duck at an outdoor patio accompanied by music in the park next door. My duck confit was lovely, and Jim declared his rabbit in two sauces to be delicious as well.

Of course we took the funicular to the top of the cliff, strolled along the boardwalk and ended the evening on the terrace of the Chateau Frontenac, sipping nightcaps and listening to a talented keyboard player on the boardwalk below - another one of life's special moments.

The next day offered opportunity to do laundry - sipping coffee and reading at the little caf� while I waited, more boat jobs, a run up to the local IGA with Joan, a lovely woman who offered us a lift there and back again in her audi convertible. Along with the ride, we got suggestions for future stops, and a little tour past some grand houses in the Plains of Abraham neighbourhood. We visited the chandlery next door to the yacht club where we spent some money and got good advice, and then Jim and I walked into the city along the waterfront trail. That was a good workout - 50 minutes and a steady pace. We strolled through the gardens on the Plains of Abraham, and admired the parliament buildings. As we stood there, we were amazed to see a great number of people all dressed in period costume come out the front doors and down to waiting buses. It took us back a bit at first and then seemed so very appropriate.

On Wednesday, we borrowed bikes from the yacht club and pedaled past the Coast Guard Base with a yard full of buoys and the big boats charged with the responsibility of protecting us. It is fascinating to see the buoys on dry land; they are like icebergs - just as much or more below the water surface than on top. We shopped at the market and enjoyed an especially good lunch at l'Ardoise, a perfect little bistro.

The afternoon was taken up with consulting tide charts and timetables and sailing directions. There are some excellent publications that are invaluable to us in planning routes and schedules. The guidebook that has become "the Book" in our conversation is the Downeast Circle Route, written by Captain Cheryl Barr. While it is not quite as all-inclusive as the Ports Books we are used to in the 1000 Islands, it is very good. Fisheries and Oceans Canada publishes Sailing Directions to the St Lawrence River, as well as the Canadian Tide and Current Tables and the Atlas of Tidal Currents - with excellent visuals. These books have become our best friends as we work out the math to determine the best times to travel. Jim and I have both found it satisfying to sit with the charts and the books and the GPS to plan our routes and schedules.

After conferring with the folks on Strathspey and on Wings (whom we found again here) we all agreed to depart at 0430 hours on Thursday morning. It's a long haul to Cap-a-l'Aigle, 70 nautical miles down river.