Road Trip – Part 1.

Québec City & Baie-Sainte-Catherine (6/23-6/25)

We thoroughly enjoyed our family time in Burlington. We bid farewell to Carrie, Danielle, Conor and the new baby after hosting a Sunday boat brunch.

After a harsh winter, our boat needed some work. Some planned, some unplanned. We decided to get out of the way of the mechanics, plumbers and electricians. On Sunday afternoon, without much of a plan, we drove north, crossing into Canada and landing near the marinas at Port de Québec at dinner time. We found Hotel Port Royal, (via Travelocity) at the corner of Rue Saint-Pierre and Rue Saint-Paul. It had an award-winning on-site restaurant, “LōUISE.” Our seafood entrees were absolutely delicious! We walked off some calories after dinner, admiring the 18th century architecture and cobblestone streets. I definitely would like to return here! 

Monday morning, we set off early to travel further east. Our boating plan never did include Sagueney Fjord, a marine mammal sanctuary and breeding ground for several species of whales. At trawler speed, it was just too impractical. However, in a rental car, we could capture another item on our bucket list! 

We arrived to Baie-Saint-Catherine and made plans for a whale watch trip (the next morning) on a Zodiac boat. I made another last minute reservation at a bed and breakfast called “Gîte de la colline.” (This translates to “Cottage on the hill.”) We had some time before check-in, so made an attempt to visit Tadoussac. The ferry that crosses the Saguenay River was backed up due to some mishap, so we turned around and arrived to our B&B early. With no one there to greet us, we made ourselves comfortable in the Adirondack chairs on the lawn and waited for our hosts while snacking on wine and cheese. 

After an hour or so, Pete reached out to the hosts by phone. (It was after 3pm, the check in time.) The mishap I mentioned was a fatal accident at the Tadoussac ferry boarding ramp and all traffic was diverted the long way around (about four hours by car.) Our host was about 45 minutes away and very apologetic! We were quite happy to enjoy the bucolic grounds of this cottage and take in the views of the bay and town.

“Sylvain” arrived, in good time, with bags of groceries. We were shown our charming room, facing east and overlooking the bay and the St. Lawrence, and then given some recommendations for dinner. We chose “Café chez Sam,” where just about everything is grown on their property. Satiated with organic goodness, we enjoyed the setting sun while a couple of patrons played bocce ball just below our seats. I sketched our boat on a placemat and Pete made an origami bird for our server.

I’m glad we turned in early. The sun rose at 4:30 a.m., streaming though the open windows and ensuring an early start to our day. Our breakfasts were out of this world! Pete chose a traditional breakfast while I chose “crêpes aux baies.” (with berries) We ate on the sunny porch. (Picture bistro seating with umbrellas.) As if on cue, we were treated to whale sitings! Sylvain and Chantale were as excited as their guests! Out came the telescope and the stories of previous whale sitings. 

Before leaving, Sylvain gave us a map of a preferred and scenic route to the next destination, including places of interest and historical significance. 

The Zodiac ride was less thrilling than anticipated. The boat first takes on passengers from Tadoussac, giving them the preferred front section seats. The compliment of seating is behind the elevated bridge, obscuring the views for many Baie-Saint-Catherine patrons. The “English-speaking” guests were seated port side. Good visibility but hearing the tour guide, in either French or English, was problematic. We did get to see some whales, breaking the surface of the sea, but no breaches, and we stayed well beyond the regulation distance of 300 meters. Our photos aren’t worth publishing. What we did see includes Belugas, Fins, Minkes and at the very end, a Humpback whale.

Once off the Zodiac, we headed west. We followed Sylvain’s map and enjoyed learning more about this revered part of the Canadian landscape.

Stay tuned for Road Trip – Part 2.