Montreal

The Richelieu River dumps into the St. Lawrence River at Sorel, Quebec.   The dramatic transition we make from a tiny canal just wide enough for Rock Chalk to pass through, to suddenly out into one of the world's busiest waterways, full of ocean going ships is challenging.   The going is slow as we fight a 2 knot current on our nose as we head southwest to Montreal.   It is only 35 miles but it took us 6 hours

We made the trip on June 30.   Canada Day is July 1, which is their equivalent to our Fourth of July.   The best marina in the heart of Montreal was booked, so we could not get in.   We did find a slip at the Marina de la Ronde, which sits at the foot of Six Flags over Montreal, on an island out in the St. Lawrence River.   So for two days we listened to screams and the clatter of several roller coasters  just yards away.

La Ronde

We could get into Montreal from this marina but it was a bit of a challenge.   We had to walk around the entire park to the front gate, about 3/4 of a mile.   There we picked up a bus which shuttled us 6 blocks to the Metro station.   From there we could take the Metro into downtown Montreal and all the sites.  

I am sure we would have enjoyed the city a good deal more if it had been easier to get there.   It is a nice city, and certainly full of all kinds of Canada Day celebrations.   

The beautiful churches of Quebec

From Montreal we continued west up the St. Lawrence River  to its junction with the Ottawa River.  That junction is at St. Anne de Belleview.   This is a beautiful village at the crossroads of all the transportation lines into Montreal.   There are many railroad tracks here, two interstates cross the Ottawa here, and the Montreal International Airport is just minutes away.  But the village feels peaceful with so many restaurants and ice cream shops along the banks of the lock.   This lock takes a boat up just 3 feet from the St. Lawrence to the Ottawa River.   We stayed on the lock wall but enjoyed this small town.   

The only other lock on the Ottawa River is the lock at Carillon.   It is a 65 ft. rise at this lock.  It is like a giant cavern once you are inside the lock before you start up.  

The Carillon Lock on the Ottawa River

Internet connections have been very rare in Canada.   That makes it hard to keep up with our bill paying, communications, weather reports, and of course this blog.   But once we do find a connection, we try to get it all done at one setting.   

Tomorrow we will be in Ottawa Canada, the Capital of Canada.  This is the start of the famous Le Canal de Rideau.   There will be more posts from there.  Marc