54 from quebec city the ottawa river - escale … the ottawa river harbour accessibility between...

54 THE OTTAWA RIVER

Harbour accessibility

Between Quebec City and the Saguenay, several plea-sure- boat harbours are subject to silting and inaccessible at low tide. The only well-sheltered site with unrestricted access in this area is the Cap-à-l’Aigle refuge harbour on the north shore. At Havre de Berthier on the south shore, a boat with a draft of 1.80 m will have to wait approxi-mately 1 h 30 min after low tide before trying to enter, and 1 h to 1 h 30 min after low tide to enter the basin of the Parc nautique de Saint-Jean-Port-Joli. The other pleasure-boat harbours on the estuary are accessible only between 2 h and 4 h before and after high tide. At Rivière-du-Loup, a service wharf is accessible at any time of the tidal cycle. So carefully plan your route and show up at the right time in the pleasure- boat harbours. Seve-ral sites are completely dry at low tide and the boats are then stranded in a gooey but harmless expanse of muck.

Mist and fog

In early summer, when a hot, humid air mass arrives over water and has not had time to warm up, it will create a sometimes persistent ‘advection fog.’ Not until a drier air mass arrives will it disappear. This phenomenon is espe-

cially common where the Laurentian Channel begins, near Tadoussac, because of upwellings of cold water. In August and September, the St. Lawrence’s waters warm up and fog occurs much less often.

Watching sea mammals

Sea mammal watching is regulated on marine park territory. You cannot go looking for belugas in order to watch them. You should not come within 200 m of a whale or within 400 m of a beluga. If a cetacean comes to within 200 m of your boat, stay put and wait for it to dive before going on your way. The marine patrol of the Saguenay—St. Lawrence Marine Park moni-tors boats and ensures compliance with these rules. Between Ottawa and Carillon, the water levels are sta-ble and regulated by the Hydro-Québec dam at Carillon.Downriver from Carillon, Lac des Deux Montagnes has fluctuating levels during the spring runoff or when the dam increases its flow. The Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board provides information on water levels from Témiscamingue to Grenville. Call 819 994-7078 (www.ottawariver.ca). The CHS reports on water levels at the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue station. Call toll-free 1 877 775-0790.

From Quebec Cityto the Saguenay

INTRODUCTION___________________________________________

A sailing boat passing by Pot à l’Eau-de-Vie lighthouse

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55FROM QUEBEC CITY TO THE SAGUENAY

Tidal currents

Because of its special topo-graphy, the St. Lawrence Estuary creates a funnel ef-fect that greatly speeds up tidal currents. Motorboats that can maintain a crui-sing speed of over 12 knots in rough sea can buck the current, but sailboats and small craft must plan their itineraries in line with the tidal cycle. The tidal cur-rent velocity in the estuary usually ranges from 2 to 4 knots but exceeds 5 knots in three special areas: the North Channel off Île aux Coudres, the South Channel in the Traverse de Saint-Roch, and the area around Île Rouge. During spring tides, the current may reach 7 knots in these areas. When the wind blows there at over 20 knots against the direc-tion of the current, the sea becomes choppy and even turbulent and dangerous. The Atlas of Tidal Currents provides very accurate information on current strength and direc-tion on an hourly basis. It’s an invaluable reference book for all navigators. Please note that the time when the current reverses does not always correspond to the time of slack water. The following table gives the reversal times.

Quebec City/Tadoussac 111 nautical milesQuebec City/Île aux Coudres 52 nautical milesÎle aux Coudres/Cap-à-l’Aigle 20 nautical milesCap-à-l’Aigle/Tadoussac 39 nautical miles

Quebec City/Rivière-du-Loup 95 nautical milesQuebec City/Berthier-sur-Mer 20 nautical milesBerthier-sur-Mer/Saint-Jean-Port-Joli 26 nautical milesSaint-Jean-Port-Joli/Rivière-du-Loup 49 nautical miles

• Charts 1316, 1317, 1203, 1233, 1234, 1235.• Sailing Directions: St. Lawrence River, Île Verte to Québec and Fjord du Saguenay, ATL 111, third edition published in 2007.• Canadian Tide and Current Tables Vol. 3.• Atlas of Tidal Currents.

Distances

Charts and documents

Vessel Traffic Marine Services frequencies• From Quebec City to Île Blanche: Quebec City station VHF channel 12.• From Île Blanche to the Saguenay’s mouth: Les Escoumins station VHF channel 9.

Place Reference Flood current Ebb curr. Flood curr. Ebb curr. port reversal reversal duration duration

Quebec Quebec 3 h 00 1 h 20 4 h 30 7 h 55Bridge City before HT after HT

Traverse Quebec 0 h 20 0 h 10 5 h 15 7 h 01du Nord City before LT before HT

Baie- Pointe- 1 h 40 2 h 30 5 h 20 7 h 05Saint-Paul au-Père before HT before LT

Saint-Joseph- Pointe- 2 h 00 3 h 00 5 h 20 7 h 05de-la-Rive au-Père before HT before LT

Cap aux Pointe- 1 h 30 2 h 40 4 h 25 8 h 00Oies au-Père before HT after HT

Île aux Lièvres Pointe- 2 h 00 3 h 00 7 h 10 5 h 15channel au-Père after LT before LT

Traverse Pointe- 2 h 40 2 h 30 6 h 20 6 h 05Saint-Roch au-Père before HT before LT

Île Rouge Pointe- 3 h 00 1 h 40 4 h 50 7 h 35(upriver) au-Père before HT after HT

Île Rouge Pointe- 2 h 00 1 h 30 5 h 30 6 h 55(downriver) au-Père after LT after HT

Tidal Current Reversal

56 FROM QUEBEC CITY TO THE SAGUENAY

Downriver from Quebec City, the St. Lawrence no longer looks like a river and takes on the shape of a broad strait 10 nautical miles wide at Tadoussac. Although the tide can be felt upriver from Quebec City, the water doesn’t turn brackish until you reach the eastern tip of Île d’Orléans and then gradually becomes saltier further downriver. The north shore is mountainous and rugged as far as Tadoussac.

There are two possible routes starting from Quebec City.

The Île d’Orléans Channel rejoins the North Channel at Cap Tourmente. It is picturesque and marked by buoys and leading lights. It’s narrow, however, and strewn with shoals, so more vigilance is needed. You won’t meet any commercial vessels but there are no places to put in at.

The North Channel is the one used by commercial shipping. It’s very well marked and its minimum width is 305 m. Thereare places where you can put in.

FROM QUEBEC CITY TO THE SAGUENAYBY THE NORTH CHANNEL

WARNING Rough and even dangerous sea forms in the North Channel, at Petite-Rivière-Saint-François and Cap Maillard,

when the wind and current run in opposite directions, notably when a southwesterly wind runs counter to the flood current. The flood current splits into two currents at Île aux Coudres and come back together at Petite-Rivière-Saint-François.

When the wind blows from the southwest, you should stay on the east side and outside the channel where the sea is lessrough. Conversely, when the wind blows strongly from the north, you should stay near the sheltering influence of the north shore.

PLANNING YOUR ROUTEFrom Quebec City to Cap-à-l’Aigle Cap-à-l’Aigle is the only harbour accessible at any time ofthe tidal cycle between Quebec City and Tadoussac. Île auxCoudres and Baie-Saint-Paul are dry at low tide and Pointe-au-Pic is off-limits. So you’ll have to travel the 72 miles that separate Quebec City from Cap-à-l’Aigle with no stopovers. If your sailing boat can do 5 or 6 knots, you should leave Quebec City at least 2 h before high tide at that location. You’ll be fighting the current at first, but you’ll have a bit of a lead. Once the ebb current takes over, the sailing will be easy as far as Île aux Coudres. You must get through the Île aux Coudres Channel before the flood current returns. From there on, by sailing 3 miles off Cap aux Oies, where the flood current is very weak, and by proceeding to the Morin Shoal buoy, you can reach Cap-à-l’Aigle without really having to buck the flood current. During the last leg of this route, the flood current will be flowing across your path.

From Quebec City to Cap-à-l’Aigle If your sailing boat can do 5 or 6 knots, you should leave Cap-à-l’Aigle 2 h after low tide at Pointe-au-Père. You’ll reach the South Channel east of Île d’Orléans as the tide

begins to change direction. If the ebb current makes yourprogress too slow, you can put in at Berthier-sur-Mer, Saint- Michel-de-Bellechasse, or Saint-Laurent on Île d’Orléans. Ifyour boat travels at 10 knots, you should leave Cap-à-l’Aigle when it’s high tide at Pointe-au-Père. You’ll be able to coast on the flood current all the way. To reach Que-bec City without putting in anywhere, take the Traverse du Nord, where the flood current is stronger. The tide will first begin to change direction near the shoreline. So when leaving Cap à l’Aigle, and sailing as far upriver as Cap aux Oies, you should stay near land to benefit the most from the flood tide.

From Cap-à-l’Aigle to Tadoussac and the Saguenayentrance At the Saguenay’s mouth, the flood current lasts 4 h to 5 hand the ebb current 7 h to 8 h. When the tide changes direction, the currents form tidal ripples and eddies over the bar at the mouth. If your boat does 5 or 6 knots and cannot buck the current, you must reach the Saguenay’s mouth when the water is slack at low tide or when the flood tide is just starting, i.e., about two hours after low tide at Pointe-au-Père. At 6 knots, you should leave Cap-à-l’Aigle about 3 h before low tide at Pointe-au-Père and leave Rivière-du-Loup about 1 h before low tide at Pointe-au-Père. When leaving Bergeronnes, schedule your departure after the slack water of low tide. Respect the tidal cycle and you’ll enter the fjord with no trouble. Gene-rally speaking, navigation poses no real problem when the weather is calm and visibility good. If the wind reaches 20 knots, you should expect rough seas. Current velocity is important–the ebb current can reach 7 knots around

Speed Quebec City departure time 5 to 6 knots 2 h 30 to 3 h before HT at Quebec City8 knots 2 h before HT at Quebec City10 knots and + At HT at Quebec City


Île Rouge at spring tide. Keep in mind that when the wind and the current go in opposite directions, the sea can become very rough and even dange-rous. This is the case when a strong southwesterly wind runs counter to the flood current or when a strong northeasterly wind runs counter to the ebb current. When sailing down the St. Lawrence to the Saguenay’s mouth, you have an alterna-tive to the marked channel that starts at the Prince Shoal. At the K56 buoy, navigate at 310°V and proceed directly to the light on Pointe de l’Islet. Sail along the edge of the Bat-ture aux Alouettes sand bank. The depth will be shallower, the current weaker, and the water smoother. This route, still called route des goélettes, will spare you the worst of the ebb current if you start before slack water. It’s highly inadvisable with the coming of the flood tide, whose full force is felt on the Batture aux Alouettes. If you’re in the Saguenay’s mouth during flood tide, you should instead navigate in the marked channel that begins at the Prince Shoal and steer clear of the Batture aux Alouettes because the current will hit you directly.

WARNING 1- You must absolutely avoid being in the

Saguenay’s mouth at ebb tide when the wind is blowing

strongly from the northeast. At the end of ebb tide, when the current is weakening, the mass of water pushed by the wind but retained by the north shore current will be suddenly freed up and form steep and especially dangerous waves. This well documented phenomenon is called the b?uf du Saguenay. 2- When the wind blows from the northwest, the fjord’s topography creates a tunnel effect that can generate violent winds and very rough seas during the flood tide (when the wind goes against the current).

Leaving the Saguenay If heading upriver and if your boat goes at 5 or 6 knots, you should leave Tadoussac 1 h 30 after low tide at Pointe-au-Père. You’ll reach the Prince Shoal when the tide begins to change direction. If heading to Cap-à-l’Aigle, give a wide berth to the Batture aux Alouettes (1 mile east of the K56 buoy) because the flood current will be flowing across your path and to this sand bank. If heading to Rivière-du Loup, proceed to the rocky Gros-Cacouna headland and steer clear of the Île Blanche sand bank. Here again, the flood current will be flowing across your path and pushing you directly to the sand bank.

Route des goélettes

Saguenay’s mouth


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There is a small marina with around ten berths at Petite rivière Saint-Fran-çois near the public wharf. The site is

accessible only at high tide and can accommodate only boats less than 30 feet long. The natural surroundings

are pleasant, but access requires fa-miliarity with local conditions.


Baie-Saint-PaulClub nautique de Charlevoix VHF 68 • 418 435-6030

47°25.00’N – 70°28.10’WYou should approach exactly throughthe middle of the bay halfway between the headlands on each side. The belfry spire furthest to the west is a visible landmark that will show youthe way into the harbour. In daytime, the line of red leading lights (private) at 309°V is hard to pick out. You’ll see the white front of an inn that ove looks the basin. Leave the rock-fill embanked public wharf to your port side. Stakes will mark your access to the basin, which is dug into the mouth of Rivière du Gouffre. The bay is dry at low tide. If your boat has a draft of 1.50 m to 1.80 m, you should enter around 3 h before or after high tide, depending on the tidal range. Check the water depth before ente-ring. Access is inadvisable when there is fog or bad visibility and you’re u fa-miliar with local conditions. The little basin dries almost completely at low tide. Boat keels will push down into a stiff mud and gravel bottom. The site isn’t often visited and has a very nice natural setting. The Belle Plage inn runs the boating club. Downtown Baie- Saint-Paul is 15 min away on foot.- Access is restricted according to

water depth

- Total berths/visitor berths: 15/3- Depth: less than 1 m in the basin at

low tide- Services: water and electricity,

restrooms and showers, refuelling on request (jerry can), restaurant, swimming pool, launching ramp, wireless Internet at the hotel.

Île aux CoudresHavre Jacques-Cartierrefuge harbour

47°25.25’N – 70°23.60’W [Green light]The site is accessible around 2 h before and after high tide and the basin is dry at low tide. The basin is southwest of the public wharf, which has a green light. A ferry stops at the wharf and you might be able to tie your boat up on the west side. The basin is well protected but busy with barges and tugboats. A single landing stage at the far end of the basin can take 2 or 3 boats. The muddy bottom has stiffened and may be trouble-some for keelboats at low tide. The restaurant and the harbour master’s office are closed. Just upriver from the basin, you can drop anchor at Mouillage de la Prairie if waiting for a tide.

Mouillage de la Prairie 47°24 ,92’N – 70°24, 54’W

47°24,94’ N - 70°24,50’W0,5 mile west of Île aux Coudres wharf, Mouillage de la Prairie is a safe place to wait for a tide. The Yacht-Club de Québec has installed two moorings for its members. $25 fee for non-members. Call for reservation and payment: 418 681-4617 ext. 226

Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive 47°26.90’N – 70°21.90’W

[Yellow light]The Île aux Coudres ferry stops at thepublic wharf. You can always try to moor on the east side by placing woo-den boards on your boat’s bumper to protect it from metal wave-breaks. The very high wharf is poorly suited for pleasure boats. It’s also exposed to waves from ships and to easterly/ northeasterly winds.- Depth: 4.50 m at low tide.

WARNING The sea may be difficult off Cap

aux Oies, especially at the end of the ebb tide when the wind is blowing from the east.

La Petite Malbaie Between two headlands, Cap

aux Oies and Cap de la Corneille, is a nice daytime anchorage when the weather is fair. Drop anchor in front of the beach.

Saint-Irénée The public wharf has been

embanked with rock-fill, but you can

4,20 m (2009)

5,3 m (2009)

Baie Saint-Paul, Club nautique de Charlevoix

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drop anchor nearby (in fair weather only). The water is 3 m deep.

Pointe-au-Pic 47°37.0’N – 70°08.0’W

[Red buoy (K64)]

No docking facilities. The basin is ac-cessible at any time of the tidal cycle and has 2.50 m of water at low tide. But it’s highly exposed to northeas-terly winds. You can seek refuge here only in an emergency.

Cap-à-l’Aiglerefuge harbour

VHF 68 • 418 665-369847°39.70’N – 70°05.80’W [Red light

Look for a flashing red light at the east end of the old public wharf and aprivate yellow light on the end of thebreakwater. Both indicate an entrancechannel that is northeast of the publicwharf. A second private red light indicates the basin entrance. The harbour is well protected and accessible at any time of the tidal cycle. Access is trouble-free. The landing stage reser-ved for visitors (recently revamped) is to the right of the basin along the breakwater. The fuel landing stage is now accessible at any time of the tidal cycle. Superb facilities. A taxi is available at a preferential rate for rides to La Malbaie or Pointe-au-Pic. A new restaurant dining room has been opened recently.- Unrestricted access- Maximum length: 21 m- Total berths/visitor berths: 67/25- Depth: 3 m at low tide

- Services: water and electricity (30 A), gasoline, diesel, propane near-by, restrooms and showers, laun-dry, outdoor shower on the landing stages, toilet pump-out, restaurant and bar, small convenience store at the reception building, launching ramp, mechanic nearby, sailing school, wireless Internet (free in the basin).

SAGUENAY—ST. LAWRENCEMARINE PARKThe waters protected by the Sague-nay–St. Lawrence Marine Park stretch from Gros cap à l’Aigle to Les Escou-mins and out to the middle of the river. The Park’s waters have many species of sea mammals in large numbers. You cannot go faster than 25 knots in the marine park, nor can you go looking for belugas to watch them.

Port-au-Saumon 47°44.10’N – 69°56.90’W

In front of the village of Port-au- Sau-mon is a pretty spot where you can drop anchor in fair weather. An eco-logical centre is at the far end of the bay.

Port-au-Persil47°48.30’N – 69°54.00’W

The public wharf has been embanked with rock-fill and the launching ramp

rebuild.. The landscape is especially attractive. There is a small Anglican chapel by the shore. An inn overlooks the bay. An interpretation centre has been built with restrooms. Walking trail and picnic area.

Saint-Siméon

47°50.40’N – 69°52.40’W [Redlight]The public wharf is covered with me-tal sheet-piling. It can be used as a temporary stopover if you’re waiting for a tide, but it’s very high and poorly suited for the needs of pleasure boa-ters. The ferry from Rivière-du-Loup stops at the west wharf. The landing stages belong to tour boats.

Port-aux-Quilles 47°53.30’N – 69°50.30’W

You can drop anchor off the mouth ofa stream. Watch out for the sand barwhen you approach.

Baie des Rochers 47°57.18’N – 69°46.60’W

This large bay is surrounded by high

FROM QUEBEC CITY TO THE SAGUENAY

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wooded cliffs and offers a remarkable natural setting but is largely dry at low tide. A landing stage, accessible at high tide, is installed at the far end of the bay for small boats.

WARNING After Baie des Rochers, the ebb

current directly runs into the Batture aux Alouettes sand bank, which extends 4 miles to the east. Look for the K58 buoy to get around this tidal mudflat.

Baie-Sainte-Catherine48°06.90’N–69°43.20’W [Green light]

A green light 0.5 mile southwest of Pointe Noire indicates the public wharf, which is covered with metal sheet-piling. You can dock here, but a landing stage 12 m long west of the wharf can also be used for temporary stopovers. The site is a boarding point for whale-watching tour boats.

Baie de TadoussacBe cautious. Strong northerly winds can generate very difficult sea conditions. When the tide changes direction, the currents form ripples and eddies over the baymouth bar. The Pointe aux Vaches sand cliffs are visible from several miles away. The Pointe Noire leading lights are oriented in line with the main chan-nel. They have orange and black daymarks and a light signal that is visible only at 273°. The bay is on a red granite shoreline between two headlands: Pointe Rouge and Pointe de l’lslet. The second one has a white light. The public wharf is 0.2 mile northeast of Pointe de l’lslet. Upriver from the S8 buoy, Hôtel Tadoussac’s red roof with a dome on top is a visible landmark. The bay is well shel-tered and you can drop anchor north of the public wharf on a bottom that will hold your anchor well. Be sure to check for water depth because the water retreats quite far at low tide. When the wind blows strongly from the northwest the gusts can be violent.

Club nautique de Tadoussac

VHF 68 • 418 235-458548°08.30’N – 69°42.18’W [Publicwharf] The landing stages are west of the public wharf. The basin is accessible at any time of the tidal cycle. The bottom rises very quickly in the northern portion of the basin. During the peak season, find out whether berths are available, the site being very popular. When the marina is full, you can drop anchor in the bay, but watch out for shallow water in front of the beach at low tide. The harbour basin is well protected, but there can be violent gusts when the wind blows strongly from the north or northwest. The har-

bour is a base for tour boats and very active. The site is remarkably beauti-ful and the town has a good selection of tourist activities within a few mi-nutes walk: hiking by the shore, a sea mammal interpretation centre, an old trading post, a chapel built in 1747, and several bar/restaurants.- Unrestricted access- Maximum length: 18 m- Total berths/visitor berths: 90/50- Depth: 3 m at low tide- Services: water and electricity

(15A), gasoline, diesel, restrooms and showers, laundry, bar/terrace, cafeteria, launching ramp, boat storage in a dry dock, wireless Internet.

Club nautique de Tadoussac


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Île d’OrléansÎle d’Orléans is 17.5 miles long and 3.5 miles wide. It’s covered with woo-ded hills and farmland.

Club nautiquede l’île Bacchus

VHF 68 • 418 828-944746°51.48’N – 71°00.20’W [Green light]Saint-Laurent church is a visible land-mark. A public wharf downriver and a breakwater upriver protect the plea-sure-boat basin. A green light stands at the end of the public wharf. A floa-ting breakwater is immediately west of the wharf, with five red lights mar-king its ends. The entrance channel is relatively narrow. The site is pleasant and the facilities top-rate. You can go and visit the interpretation centre at the old shipyard nearby.- Unrestricted access- Maximum length: 15 m- Total berths/visitor berths: 130/12- Depth: 1.80 m at low tide- Services: water and electricity,

gasoline and diesel, restrooms and showers, toilet pump-out, laundry, wireless Internet.

Rivière Dauphine 46°58.00N – 70°50.25’W

In fair weather, you can drop anchor at the mouth of Rivière Dauphine, 2.2 miles upriver from Saint-François.

Saint-François46°59.78’N – 70°48.45’W [Light]A white light stands at the end of the

public wharf. You’ll tie your boat up against metal sheet-piling.

The water is 3 m deep on the outer side and 0 to 2 m on the west side—the only side that truly offers protec-tion, notably against northeasterly winds. Berths aren’t always available.

Saint-Michel-de-BellechasseMarina Anse Saint-MichelVHF 68 • 418 884-3015

46°53.26’N – 70°54.85’W [Green buoy

(K141)]Starting at the K141 lighted buoy, a line of green leading lights (private) at 154° V will lead you into a basin protected by two breakwaters, just facing Saint-Michel church. The 30-m wide channel is indicated by day-marks mounted on rods.A boat with a draft of 1.80 m will have to wait approximately 1 h 30 min after low tide before trying to enter. The mud bottom is no dan-ger for boats. Find out the available water depth by VHF. The basin is well protected and its surroundings very peaceful. The marina is at the centre of one of Quebec’s loveliest villages.- Restricted access according to

water depth- Maximum length: 15 m- Total berths/visitor berths: 68/10

Club nautique de l’île Bacchus.


The South Channel is the channel formerly used by sailing ships. It’s also the natural riverbed through which flows mostof the freshwater. It ends southeast of Île aux Coudres after the narrow passage of the Traverse Saint-Roch (St. Roch Crossing). The South Channel is marked and protection from the Isle-aux-Grues island group makes water conditions ea-sier than in the North Channel. You’ll not encounter commercial ships. From the Îles de Montmagny onward, you can takethe Traverse du Milieu (Middle Crossing), which goes over the shallow waters of the Île aux Coudres Bank. The Traversedu Milieu is wider than the South Channel but has less water and is unmarked.

FROM QUEBEC CITY TO RIVIÈRE-DU-LOUPBY THE SOUTH CHANNEL

WARNING The ebb current can reach 7 to 8 knots and the flood current 6 to 7 knots in the narrow passage of the Traverse

Saint-Roch. Consult the Atlas of Tidal Currents.

When sailing with the ebb current as you leave Quebec City, closely follow the Canadian Tide and Current Tables to ensure you have enough water when entering harbours prone to silting. Sailing in the opposite direction is less trouble-some since the flood current makes access easier. The south shore has a gently sloping skyline with villages and far-mland. This picturesque landscape evokes the traditional French character of the St. Lawrence Valley.

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- Depth: 1.50 m to 2.50 m in the basin

- Services: water and electricity (15 A), restrooms and showers, restau-rant, launching ramp, services and provisions nearby, wireless Inter-net.

Cove and islandof Bellechasse

A yellow light stands on a turret at the centre of the island. The ancho-rage southeast of the island is well pro-tected against northwesterly winds. It’s best to sail around the island on its east side to avoid the rocks to the southwest. The bottom will hold your anchor well. Avoid when the wind blows from the east or northeast. The Rivière des Mères shipyard is accessible at high tide. It’s at the mouth of the river that flows into the cove.

Havre de Berthier-sur-MerVHF 68 • 418 259-2953

46°56.18’N – 70°44.20’WEast of the island of Bellechasse is theTrou de Berthier. Two lighted buoys (private) indicate the entrance channel. The four following buoys are unlighted, but a line of leading lights (private) is visible when you’re exactly in line with them. The basin is shetered by a breakwater and well protected. The channel and the basin have been dredged in 2011 but they filled again. You can proceed to the harbour when the tide is above 1,20 m. New service buildings with com-fortable facilities have been opened in 2011. In the slack water of low tide, depending on water depth, a boat with a 1.80 m draft may have to wait 1 h 30 min before going through the channel. If you get stranded, the mud bottom won’t harm your boat. Proceed straight to the landing stages because there’s no water in the so thern portion of the basin. Usually, stakes mark the tidal mudflat that stretches out from the far end of the basin. The restaurant has a terrace with a view of the river. Facilities are beautiful. Fifteen minutes away on foot is a very pretty town with many lovely heritage homes. The traditional bakery Le joyeux pétrin is also worth a visit.- Restricted access according to

water depth- Maximum length: 15 m

- Total berths/visitor berths: 82/15- Depth: 1.80 m in the basin at low

tide- Services: water and electricity,

gasoline, restrooms and showers, laundry, bar, restaurant, launching ramp.

Archipel de l’Isle-aux- Grues (or Îles de Montmagny) is around twenty islands and islets surrounded by sand banks and rocky shoals. The passages between the islands offer beautiful landscapes but vigilance is needed. Most of the landings are private or off-limits.


Marina Anse Saint-Michel.

Le Havre de Berthier-sur-Mer.

Grosse Île.


Grosse Île47°01.15’N–70°40.28’WYou need the services of a Berthier-sur-Mer boatman to get to the islandand visit the old quarantine station, now a national historic site. The pu-blic wharf is strictly reserved for the passage boat. Pleasure boaters are in no way allowed to land on the island by their own means. In fair weather, however, you can drop anchor south of the island and admire the lands-cape, but watch out for the current.

Marina de Montmagny 418 241-5565

47°01.55’N – 70°33.74’W [White buoy (MTGMY)]The site is accessible around 1 h afterthe tide begins to rise and until around 3 h before low tide (depen-ding on the tidal range) for a boat with a 1.50 m draft. From the MTG-MY white buoy, proceed to the white spot of a waterfall (Rivière du Sud). You’ll see a line of leading lights at 170° V that marks the ferry channel. A little over a mile from the wharf for the Île aux Grues ferry are buoys (par-tially lighted) that lead to the river’s mouth. At the entrance to the basin formed by the river estuary, turn to your port side and follow the east arm of the river. Your passage will be marked by red fishing buoys and green-marked stakes. The landing stages are moored to the riverbed and provide plenty of manoeuvring room. At high tide, the site is exposed to westerly winds. At low tide, the mu flat provides perfect protection. The little marina is adjacent to a cam ground and offers nice, peaceful sur-roundings. The town centre is 10 min away on foot.- Restricted access according to

water depth- Total berths/visitor berths: 25/1- Depth: around 1.50 m at low tide- Services: water and electricity, ga-

soline, restrooms, showers, laundry and swimming pool at the camp-ground, launching ramp.

Île aux Grues47°03.30’N –70°31.80’WA green light indicates the public wharf where the ferry puts in. You candrop anchor nearby in fair weather, but it’s not recommended to leave

Parc nautique de Saint-Jean-Port-Joli.

Marina de Montmagny.


your boat untended because of the cu rent. The site becomes very uncomfor-table when the wind blows at over 20 knots and unbearable when it blows strongly from the east. A community of 200 people inhabit this charming island with magnificent scenery. An alternative is to leave your boat at Montmagny and take the ferry to visitthe island.

Parc nautiquede Saint-Jean-Port-Joli

VHF 68 • 418 598-737447°13.20’N – 70°16.50’W [Green light]A green light is on the public wharf. A breakwater protects the basin to the west. Another breakwater extends northeast from the wharf and pro-tects the entrance channel. A line of red leading lights (private) at 145° will lead you to the end of the wharf. Two lighted buoys (private) indicate the entrance channel. If your boat has a 1.50 m draft, the basin is accessible 1 h before and after low tide, depen-ding on the tidal range. Contact the harbour master’s office to find out the water depths. The basin retains about 1.50 m of water at low tide in the portion that is dredged each year by a pumping system, but the water is shallower near the public wharf. As you enter the basin, warning buoys to your port side will indicate the shal-low zone. The basin is well protected and the facilities recent and top-rate. Check out the bar in the harbour master’s office. You’re in the centre of a town that annually hosts a mid-Au-gust festival of sailor songs: La Fête des chants de marins. The site is lively and congenial.- Restricted access at channel en-

trance according to water depth- Maximum length: 18 m- Total berths/visitor berths: 57/18- Depth: around 1.50 m at low tide

in the basin- Services: water and electricity (15

and 30 A), restrooms and showers, laundry, bar/terrace, launching ramp, wireless Internet in harbour master’s office.

The Traverse de Saint-Roch is the portion of the estuary where the tidalcurrents are the strongest. The ebb current can reach 7 to 8 knots and theflood current 6 to 7 knots. The chan-nel is well marked. When a wind

blows at 20 knots or more in a direc-tion counter to the current, there may be steep waves.

A tiny marina is on Rivière Ouelle. A channel is marked by private naviga-tional aids that have reflective strips and radar reflectors. It will lead you to a village with landing stages for 7 boats. Access is possible around 2 to 3 h before and after high tide, depen-ding on the tidal range. Don’t try if your boat has a draft of over 1.50 m and you’re unfamiliar with the loca-tion.

The Pointe aux Orignaux wharf has been embanked with rock fill. The end of the wharf is covered with metal sheet-piling and can accommodate one boat, when the water is deep enough for access. No protection.

One of the two Kamouraska public wharves was rebuilt three years ago. It protects a little basin that is dry at low tide. Access at high tide is pos-sible for a medium-draft boat.

Îles PèlerinsThese five islands upriver from Rivière-du-Loup are classified as a national wildlife area. It is prohibited to land on them. The site is magnifi-cent and seldom visited. In fair wea-ther, you can drop anchor northeast of Gros Pèlerin off the small pebble beach (47°45.04’N – 69°41.73’W). The small cove at the east end of Pèlerin du Milieu is protected from westerly winds (47°44.54’N – 69°42.38’W) and has at least 2 m of water at low tide. If you know the

area, you can sail through the pas-sage between Long Pèlerin and Pèle-rin du Milieu.

Île du Pot and Îleà l’Eau-de-Vie

47°52.35’N – 69°40.90’W [Yellow light]

A yellow light stands on a turret beside the lighthouse. When the wind blows from the west, you can drop anchor on the east shore, downwind from the lighthouse. You can ap-proach relatively near the shore. The shelter is good and the bottom will hold your anchor well, with at least 3 m of water. A good shelter against northeasterly winds is on the other side, to the southwest, almost in line with the narrow passage that separates the two islands. The water is shallower in this area. The north shore is home to colonies of seabirds that may be seen in large numbers in early summer. You can go all the way around Gros Pot by staying close to the north shore, where there is at least 2.50 m of water at low tide. The restored lighthouse has become an inn that provides a stopover for its visitors from the Club nautique de Rivière-du-Loup. The site is especially picturesque. Unfortunately, it’s run by Société Duvetnor and pleasure boa-ters are forbidden to land here.

Club nautique de Rivière-du-Loup.


Club nautiquede Rivière-du-Loup

Agreen light indicates the end of the wharf where the ferry puts in. At night, it’s hard to pick out against the lights of the town. A rebuilt wharf and a breakwater protect the pleasure-

boat basin that lies west of the ferry wharf. The current from the river can create disorderly choppy water as you approach the entrance channel. The site is well protected, except when a very strong wind blows from the north. At such times, a swell will en-

ter the basin by wave refraction. The basin is dry at low tide, but the outer harbour is dredged each summer so that several boats can be tied up to the west side of the service wharf and to the landing stages i mediately west of this wharf. You can use these berths to wait for a high tide and gain access to the basin, but they are exposed to the swell from the north and may become unbearable when the wind blows from the northeast or northwest. Croisières AML and Société Duvetnor operate tour boats from here. Nearby, the Pomerleau les bateaux store and workshops can do all types of repairs.- Restricted access according to

water depth- Total berths/visitor berths: 40/8- Depth: dry at low tide- Services: water and electricity (15

A and 30 A), gasoline and diesel, restrooms and showers, laundry, restaurant nearby, launching ramp, marine store and repair shop in town.

Gros-Cacouna commercial harbour

47°55.80’N – 69°31.30’W [Yellow light]

Lights at the ends of the breakwaters and a line of leading lights at 82° V indicate the entrance channel of this large commercial basin 5.5 miles east of Rivière-du-Loup. The northeast portion of the basin provides well-sheltered anchorage and the bottom will hold your anchor well. The water is 5 to 7 m deep. The site is, however, accessible to pleasure boaters only in emergencies. To put in here, you must first get the harbour master’s permis-sion by calling 418 867-1784 or 418 868-9920.

Service berths

FerrySilting

Harbour master’s permission required

Gros-Cacouna harbour

54 from quebec city the ottawa river - escale … the ottawa river harbour accessibility between...

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