Navigating the Saint Lawrence Seaway

[Barkingmad]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

If you want more possible anchorages I can probably dig some out. We sailed to NL from Lake Ontario and only stopped in two marinas the whole way. Finding decent anchorages wasn't always easy, but it is possible.

I believe I have it pretty much figured out after Montreal with a combination of marinas a couple of times to re-supply and anchorages.
Thanks to covid I've had near two years to plan the route, I was supposed to leave last spring.
It's gone from a pleasure cruise to an all out get there ASAP before the fall wave hits and everything gets shut down again.

[Kurplunk]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

If you want more possible anchorages I can probably dig some out.

Mike, we are looking to make the Down East Circle as soon as we are welcomed back into Canadian waters (hopefully next summer! ). I am familiar the Eastern side of Lake Ontario and the 1000 Islands, but further down river will be all new waters to us. I would love to look at your notes and plots for that area.

Steven

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Kurplunk

Mike, we are looking to make the Down East Circle as soon as we are welcomed back into Canadian waters (hopefully next summer! ). I am familiar the Eastern side of Lake Ontario and the 1000 Islands, but further down river will be all new waters to us. I would love to look at your notes and plots for that area.

Sounds like a grand trip Steven. I'm happy to share my memories and anchorage waypoints. Past the Saguenay I doubt my anchorages would be of any use to you since we kept to the north shore of the River. You'll likely remain on the south shore since you're heading around the Gaspé. We went north around Anticosti Island and then over to Newfoundland.

I've exported my waypoints from iNavx into a .kml file. This can be read by Google Earth. For some reason I can't attach it here -- CF keeps giving me an error even though it looks like it should be allowed. So if you PM your email address I'll email it to you.

[Svsumurun]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Sounds like a grand trip Steven. I'm happy to share my memories and anchorage waypoints. Past the Saguenay I doubt my anchorages would be of any use to you since we kept to the north shore of the River. You'll likely remain on the south shore since you're heading around the Gaspé. We went north around Anticosti Island and then over to Newfoundland.

I've exported my waypoints from iNavx into a .kml file. This can be read by Google Earth. For some reason I can't attach it here -- CF keeps giving me an error even though it looks like it should be allowed. So if you PM your email address I'll email it to you.

I'd love that too Mike, as when we leave (next year maybe- with covid, etc.) that is the way we are going too!
PM on the way with email address!

[longjonsilver]

Mike's notes are good. i was gonna do the trip but the deal for an SR31 near Trenton fell thru.

jon

[EarlWer]

I just crewed on a sailboat from Lake Ontario to Montreal, so here are a few notes:

The Canadian locks use a reservation system. You can reserve a time and pay online.
https://greatlakes-seaway.com/en/rec...ckage-booking/

The Iroquois schedule was wrong when we passed.
https://greatlakes-seaway.com/en/rec...e-craft-guide/
They seem to have corrected it now.
It was scheduled at 11:00 but they let a bunch of boats pass through earlier.
If they see a bunch of boats, they will probably let them through.

The 2 American locks take $60 Canadian (at par). It's $30 cash for each lock.

Before you get to the Beauharnois locks, you need to cross under 2 lift bridges.
The Valleyfield bridge is very busy and keeps to their schedule.
https://greatlakes-seaway.com/en/rec...yfield-bridge/
We got there just as they were closing and had to wait 1.75 hours ;-(

The next bridge will open if you contact them on VHF (Ship to ship channel?)

At Beauharnois, we had a reservation for 16:30 but just joined the boats going through at 15:00

Apart from a few hours before Kingston, most of the trip was motoring. Narrow channels and no spinnaker...

[Barkingmad]

It was an easy trip. Really no big deal braindead powerboats aside. Nothing like getting the finger from a Frenchman for pulling to starboard so two on coming boats under power can pass port to port

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by Barkingmad

...rest of the trip will be "solo", I don't trust the dog to stand watch.

Originally Posted by longjonsilver

Isn't he naturally suited for the dog watch?

Barking should be close to Shelburne by now, but for those who might be interested here's his picture from crossing the Bay of Chaleur.
LW77

EDIT: Ahhh! See you made it. Well done! Hope you don't mind my sharing the pic. It's SO gorgeous.

[Barkingmad]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

Barking should be close to Shelburne by now, but for those who might be interested here's his picture from crossing the Bay of Chaleur.
LW77

EDIT: Ahhh! See you made it. Well done! Hope you don't mind my sharing the pic. It's SO gorgeous.

Still some ways to go. Pictou tonight on a mooring ball, Pugwash last night.
Pugwash is a cool little place, friendly! Took me an hour to get off the docks once I got there!
The entire trip isn't too hard, the stops are determined by where you CAN instead of where you want to stop.
Avoid Riviere du Loup unless you like sitting in mud until you can get out again at high tide, Rimouski is a better bet. Ile du Bic is a great place to spend a night at anchor. Ile aux Coudre isn't great but you are lacking options, I anchored right near the ferry terminal.
Take advantage of the Quebec pleasure craft docks in the working harbours, great resource!