Lake Champlain: Pelots Bay, North Hero Island & Long Point State Park, Tredwell Bay

One benefit of changing course has been spending time on Lake Champlain.  We are both very taken by the beautiful clear water, ringed by forest and the Adirondack Mountains of New York on one side and the Green Mountains of Vermont on the other.  We have crossed paths again with four other cruising couples we met earlier in the trip – all have changed plans from our first meeting.  The weather continues to be changeable.  Even on the days the forecast shows zero percent chance of rain, we can’t count out a short downpour.  Some days we can see rain on the New York side of the Lake and it is clear on the Vermont side. 

After leaving the marina at Rouses Point, we took a slow cruise to anchor in Pelots Bay.  The Bay was larger and more expansive than we had envisioned, enough to hold 100 boats or more.

You've read about sitings of the Loch Ness Monster.  I think we found "Champ" in Pelots Bay.  We were awakened in the morning by a very strange sound passing our boat!  Here's the video ...

Next we moved to an anchorage on Treadwell Bay at Long Point State Park.  We took the dinghy over to the park dock and walked some of the trails through the woods to the Point and then down to the beach on the far side.  Although the anchorage appears very expansive in the photos below, it was really much more intimate than Pelots Bay. 

We have run into very few Americans on the water, everyone on this part of the Lake seems to be from Montreal!     

Long Point State Park:

We found a sister ship, her name is MYKINOS, from Montreal

Long Point anchorage: port view

Long Point: starboard view

Through the Chambly Canal

Setting out from Montreal, we traveled 25 miles down the St Lawrence and anchored off the village of Contrecouer and true to the prevailing weather pattern; we had a cloudburst just as we were setting the anchor.  After a short time, it cleared and we enjoyed our dinner of grilled salmon and a peaceful night’s sleep.  It was lovely to be on the hook again.

On our second day, we traveled another 25 miles to St Ours where we tied to the dock outside the St Ours lock and adjacent to a park.  Ironically, looking at a map, St Ours is almost directly across from Contrecouer.  However, you must go down the Seaway and into the Richeleau River at Sorel.  The path of travel looks like a giant hairpin.  It was a gorgeous day and for once totally rain free and low humidity.  Typical of the seaway, there were numerous small go-fast boats, a very large private yacht, m/v Blue Moon, two freighters underway and one at anchor.  We left the commercial traffic behind after Sorel on the Richeleau arriving at St Ours mid-afternoon with time to enjoy the rest of the day in the cockpit with an adult beverage and then a walk around the park to look at the rapids on the other side that are being by-passed by the lock and canal. 

The following morning we locked through St Ours.  It is only a five-foot lift and you use your own dock lines to tie to a floating dock inside the lock chamber.  The three female lock tenders are cat people and each in-turn had to come and see Clio.  It was another beautiful clear day and we motored slowly to enjoy the scenery along the way passing homes and farms, wild flowers and cultivated gardens and our first glimpse of a mountain in the distance.  Arriving Chambly, we decided to again tie to the canal dock and wait to lock through next day.  This gave us a chance to walk around town both on the river walk and down the main street.  

The Chambly Canal House

Santorini first in line at lock; Fort Chambly in background.

View across Chambly basin from our dock at sunset.

We had our last dinner in Canada at a nice restaurant, made even better by dining outside and with Virginia, our wonderful server, guiding us through the French menu.  Karl decided he could not leave Canada without ordering Poutine as an appetizer.  For those uninitiated, Poutine is French fries, topped with a brown gravy and cheese curds.  Karl ordered with an optional topping of pulled pork!  We both expected the cheese curds to be melted.  They were not, and they tasted like string cheese.  Donna did not expect to like the gravy but it was rich, excellent and home made.  The pork was also excellent.  Taken all together, we enjoyed the experience but are not hankering to repeat it.  Karl also doesn’t regret passing up the opportunity to buy a tee shirt in Montreal.

Another fabulous day of sunshine!  Might this be a new trend?  (Alas, no, the forecast for the next two days was rain.)  There were many boats expecting to lock through in both directions so we were very lucky to be in the first group southbound.  The Chambly is a National Heritage Site and the nine locks are small and operated by hand.  For those who have taken a canal barge trip in Europe, you will recognize this type of locking.

A little snug!

We left Canada, locking and canals behind for now and have entered beautiful Lake Champlain, clearing through US Customs.

O Canada!

With glowing hearts we see thee rise, the True North strong and free!

View of our border (old fishing pier with gap in river) with Canada as seen from Gaines Marina, Rouses Point NY on Lake Champlain -- US Customs trailer (white) can be scene in background on the left

We look forward to a few weeks of exploring Lake Champlain on both the New York and the Vermont side of the Lake.

Merci Montreal !!

Montreal is an island city, like Manhattan.  Montreal is only slightly more populous but significantly larger in geography.  In 2009 it was named a UNESCO City of Design.  Montreal is full of antiquity AND youthful exuberance. We mentioned previously that this is the 150^th year celebration of the Canadian Federation.  Well, it is Montreal’s 375^th birthday and Montrealers really know how to party!   Summer is always a cause for celebration here in the North Country and this summer there are even more events.  Canadians are very conscious of their history and the land European settlers appropriated from the First Nations and the attempt to decimate their culture.  Many of the special exhibits center around the history of Montreal in museum exhibits and in light shows projected on the face of two government buildings at night.  At one time, the English and French settlers lived in different neighborhoods and even today as you walk around the City, you will hear predominately English spoken or predominantly French.  Almost everyone is bilingual. 

We loved everything about Montreal!  The people, the architecture, the culture, public art, street musicians, museums and galleries, sidewalk cafes, fashion, flowers, pocket parks and cathedrals everywhere and the food – Oh la la!  Montreal is a very diverse and safe city.  Many Montrealers are well traveled and love experiencing the culture of other countries but they definitely are proud Canadians and are totally in love with their city.

Port of Montreal, circa 1979

Port of Montreal, July 2017

This is a great place for families!  Adjacent to the Old Port is a promenade with a river walk, a Ferris wheel, zip line, Pirate ship with physical activities appropriate for every age, paddle boats, a train ride, science museum with special CSI activities for kids, and vendor stalls selling food and gift items. There are double-decker bus tours, Duck boat tours and river/rapids cruises.

The clock tower is a memorial to the soldiers and sailors of WWI

 

 No swimming, but here is where Montrealers go to the beach.

 

Atwater Marche

View of Atwater Marche from across the canal.

Service levels in Montreal are exceptional, from the marina staff, to restaurant servers to shop keepers and the hair stylist.  Montreal is a civilized city where many day-to-day tasks seem more like a joyous ritual.  For example, a trip to Atwater Marche which is a very large farmer’s market both indoor and out with many stalls of fresh fruits, veggies, flowers, butchers, bakers and chocolatiers seemed like a special occasion.  There are many specialty grocery items and ready-made foods.  It is a feast for eyes and stomach!  Another example was our trip for haircuts.  The salon was in an old building with beautiful architectural features and also clean and simple elegance.  The staff will brew you an Espresso or Cappuccino served in a real cup and saucer.  If it is afternoon, there is also champagne!  

The Canal Lounge.

Every summer since 1985, Montreal hosts the most prestigious and largest of international fireworks competition, twice a week from late June until early August.  Pyrotechnical companies from different countries present a 30-minute pyro musical show.  Approximately 6000 fireworks are set off during each show.  We were lucky enough to see two shows, the first by Poland and the second by Germany.  We had the best viewing area – sitting in chairs on Santorini’s cabin top with a celebratory glass of champagne.  The second presentation was on our last night in Montreal and the magnificent display appeared to be especially for us … we are fortunate to live a charmed life!

                                                                                                                                       
Here are a few more pictures that we hope will give you some flavor of Montreal.

St Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal.

Old Fire Station #1, established 1903

People of all colors are welcome in Montreal!

Restaurant Barroco - YUM!

Notre Dame Basilica.

Philly isn't the only city with love.

The clock tower at night, as it greeted our arrival.

We should have stopped for massages.

Habitat, 67 are stacked concrete boxes, designed by Israeli architect Moshe Safdie when he was 23 years old.  Built for Expo 67, the Montreal World's Fair, they are now apartments.

A tug boat at the beginning of the Lachine Canal.

The current is VERY fast!

Salut! Montreal, a bientot. (so long, Montreal, see you later)

Changing plans

July 16  Best laid plans of mice and crew:

A good part of every day is sunny and almost every day we also get clouds and a rainstorm. Coastal flood conditions are not supposed to abate until after the summer and a measureable amount of rain falls almost daily.  As a result, the dams on the Seaway open to let water flush out to the Bay of Fundy on a continual basis and are causing very swift currents in the already fast moving water of the navigation channel.  It is quite a ride and certainly conserves fuel! 

Past Montreal we will leave behind fresh water for even faster current and carefully timing the fifteen-foot tidal swing – a real issue if current and tide is opposing!  Additionally, the unpredictability of the weather and daily check of wind and wave forecast for the North Atlantic -- waves usually 2-4’ or 4-6’, and wind gusts of 25 or stronger -- resulted in us reassessing our plan.  We decided that after Montreal, we will go as far on the Seaway as Sorel, Quebec and then down the Richelieu River and Chambly Canal to Lake Champlain.  This route will take us back to the US through Canadian canals to Lake Champlain, Vermont and New York State, through the Champlain canal and back to the Hudson River at Troy, NY.

Everyone we meet, mentions this is an unusual weather season.  Reading other blogs from 2015, it seems that was an unusual weather season.  This begs a question, is there ever such a thing as a usual or average weather season???