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Matane to Rivere-Au-Renard
Our day starts early as indicated in the previous post. It is crucial to be able to exit the marina at high tide for at low tide there is absolutely no water at the entrance to the marina basin.
It is a bright and sunny day even at the early hours of 4:30 am. Engine check, oil check and of we go into a new day of adventure going east towards the Canadian Maritimes.
As we ride we pass by quaint little towns and large farms of windmills. As we learned they are about 1.5 mil each and locally produced. May the future of our planet be of more such items that generate clean energy utilizing natural resources that are available to all and should be free for all.
As the day progresses and we continue our journey going east, north-east we encounter the already witnessed catatonic winds coming down from the mountains and gusting through the valleys and on to the surface of the water beneath it at sudden gusts up to 30 – 40 knots creating confused seas and sudden drops in temperature. Thank God we are not on a sailboat through this encounter!
The coast line is beautiful and not very populated yet lined with mountain ranges in the background that gently slope down into each other while being covered with pine trees primarily, and yet showing quite a bit of erosion towards the coast line. It is impressive to see the different layers of soil and rock formed and layered on top of each other and finally topped with a rich dark coat of very fertile soil on which in lower areas dairy farms seem to exists amidst fishing villages.
Riviere-au-Renard (Fox River) has a major fishing fleet in their marina and their primary catch are Nordic shrimp which are small in size yet ah so sweet and tasty.
Riviere au Renard is a small town with a great marina thanks to the great shrimp fishing fleet that calls it their home base. A big part of the industry is fishing and processing. We took full advantage of that and delighted our taste buds on some fresh northern shrimp, muscles and local lobster. There is nothing better than real fresh seafood!
I hope I have intrigued your flavors for seafood and encourage you to come and taste it right here at it’s source! Bon nuit! Sweet dreams!
St Lawrence river and going east
Now a new chapter of our journey begins going further east towards the northern Atlantic and into the Canadian Maritimes. There are a few stops that we will make for it is a great distance that we have to cross. As we learned from some local mariners there are some lovely spots and areas with small towns to see and experience. This area will require very detailed planning for fuel is not readily available in most of these remote marinas that we are planning to stop in.
A new adventure is about to begin and may it be a great and safe one too!
It has been a long day on the water and not much of excitement for which I would say, thank you!
Most of our run was fighting the oncoming current of the incoming tide. The water has changed in consistency. It seems and reminds me more of ocean water from the residue of the spray which contains lots of salt. Nevertheless, as the day progressed it got warmer and it was actually pleasant to sit on the bow and enjoy the sun and the ride. I even got some yoga in which has not happened in a while. Contemplation, meditation and prayer is the task of the day.
A lovely lunch on the go and before you know it we have arrived at our destination for today, Matane. The area is known for windmill production and there is a whole valley full of them all along the river going towards Matane our resting place for tonight.
The entrance to the marina is amidst these two huge stone formed walls that guide and protect the channel going into the marina. Just before the bridge we make a hard turn to port side and enter the marina sitting in a well protected basin.
Once we arrived we could physically witness the incredible drop of the tide in the basin and later on at the beach itself. Climbing up the walkway from the marina became almost a rock climb or a slide going down. The beach broadened by the hour whereby at 8 pm at it’s lowest, the water had moved so far out to sea exposing a great deal of land with rocks, debris and grass all to the delight of the seagulls and children playing with the mineral laden rocks.
What a fabulous setting for a majestic sunset and that it was. A sunset and sunrise over water are spectacular and we had the privilege to witness both at Matane.
At the marina they have a replica of an original Viking boat that was built for a recent anniversary celebration held at Bay of Gaspe. Now it sits on land and is a nice addition to the marina’s display. Our dinner at the local restaurant Resto was lovely and the muscles as well as the north sea shrimp, which are of small size yet very sweet and tasty were our preferred choice of food tonight.
We also met Curtis a lonesome sailor that sail by himself all the way from the far end of Minnesota through the lakes and is heading to Maine. Quite impressive and courageous he is I must say. 
Since our marina and the area are so connected to the extreme tides we have to plan an early departure, therefore an early evening of rest too.
As we go to rest our Contessa is literally sitting in mud till the water returns and she can easily float away at 4:30 am.
contessagoesnorth 