We flew to Montreal and turned right, meaning we drove to the east along St. Lawrence River, we started on the North Shore and at Beau-Comeau took the ferry to the South Shore on the Gaspé Pen-insula or as the French say to Gaspésie. The North Shore drive was 684 km through French speaking Quebec Province, and is about half the length of St. Lawrence River, which is 1,287 km from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean. The further east we came, the less English was spoken; interesting in Canada both English and French are official languages, in Quebec Province French is the only public language and we did meet people who did not speak English! Signs are in French only.
We drove through many small villages along road 138, so we were at all times in contact with the river. We saw how gradually the shore on the other side got further and further away from us; and there were no bridges across the river as the distance got bigger - too big. We took the ferry across the river the distance from side to side was 66km, we could not see the other side.
St Lawrence was geologically established after the Glaciers melted about 12-10,000 years ago. In the upper part there is sweet water but around Tadoussac and downstream the water gradually has an increased saline content from the Atlantic Ocean.
Canada has the world's longest coastline of 243,042 km. So, if you want to sail and fish in a safe way many Lighthouses had been but in place. Looking at my photos I thought it would be interesting to document our tour from point of view of the light houses we saw on the way. I did not have that in mind from the beginning, but there is something special about lighthouses, they are very tall and stand out, many of them have vibrant colors; they have one purpose: to warn sailors of danger and treacherous waters, take care, be aware! Also, over times the light house keeper was often the first to help rescue people, who were unlucky and their boat or ship went down or was damaged.
When I was in high school, we read Homer’s Iliad and even then, lighthouses were mentioned. In history we learned among the seven wonders of the ancient Greek-Roman world one of which were the Light House of Alexandria in Egypt . That was built from 280-247BC and stood until a series of earthquake ruined it from 950-1323AD. That light house was built on an island in the Nile delta called Pharos, and that name is preserved in the French name for lighthouse = phare. Then they burned wood to produce light; only in the last 70 -50 years has electricity replaced the burning of various materials. But of course, many lighthouses have been closed because today you have GPS and satellite navigation. In Canada many light houses are preserved as historic monuments, as a past important way to protect the community.
Half way between Montreal and Quebec is Trois-Rivières, that is where we saw the first Light House and also in the port it is possible to see how big the ships are that get upstream to here and even to Montreal:
Big ships are on the St. Lawrence River
Big ships need help navigators and icebreakers in the winter
Montreal was nice but Quebec City much nicer
View over down town Old City Quebec, the port and the St. Lawrence river towards the east
Large ship with navigator at the back sailing west
Bridge when the river is narrow enough
At Tadoussac at the marine national park is where the river Saguenay enters St. Lawrence and from here downstream the water becomes gradually more saline closer to the Atlantic Ocean. A ferry is part of the road, but big ships enter also the Saguenay River.
No, they did not collide!
We took a sailing tour to watch whales, we did see belugas, the white whales, they come up to breathe for perhaps 5-8 seconds and then dive again; I got the back of one white whale:
The Prince Shoal Lighthouse (Haut-fond Princes Light) in the water at the mouth of the Saguenay River; a helicopter may land on it. Originally, there was a light station that was built there in 1902, but in 1964 the current lighthouse was built. In 1966, a bad storm attacked it with high waves, snow, and fierce winds for 48 hours, but it was able to withstand these conditions which were much worse than the structure had been built to withstand. It is currently an active lighthouse but not open to the public. The lighthouse is recognized as a Federal Heritage Building.
Hooded seals also in the marine natural park
Crossing the St. Lawrence to the other side took almost 3 hours, the distance is 67km. immediately when disembarking from the ferry we were met with Matane Light House:
The first lighthouse here was built in 1873 to help light the coast between the existing lighthouses at Poine-au-Père and Cap Chat. Due to weathering the wooden tower deteriorated, and in 1906 a new reinforced concrete cylindrical tower was built as we see today. The light was deactivated in 1951, and the lighthouse sold to the Historical Society of Matane for one dollar.
After a nice drive through the Chit Chat Mountains, we came back to the coastal road and saw Pointe-Metis Light House. The first lighthouse here was built in 1874 and then replaced in 1909 by the present structure, which is 25 meter tall, hexagonal, reinforced concrete tower placed on a cylindrical iron lantern with its base supported by concrete buttresses. Automated in 1972, the lighthouse ceased serving as an aide to navigation in 1999. The Pointe Mitis Lighthouse is a heritage lighthouse because of its historical, architectural, and community values.
If you are awake at 4:15 am you may see the sun rise over St. Lawrence
and sunset at 8:30pm; they said it is so red because of the smoke from the wildfires up north
La Martre Lighthouse is considered by some to be the crown jewel of the Gaspé lighthouses. Though fully automated, La Martre is the only light in Quebec that operates in a non-automated manner during the day, so that tourists can see the Fresnel lens rotating using the original system of weights and cables. The building from 1906 is an unusual octagonal wooden frame. La Martre Lighthouse was declared a Recognized Federal Heritage Building in 1988. We did not go in; these buildings are so much more beautiful from outside.
Next to this Lighthouse is the anchor from a Norwegian ship, the Feedjoff, that in 1890 sank here.
All day we were bothered with the smoke from the wildfires in the north of Quebec which was a pity because the coastal road of Gaspè is one of the most beautiful, I have been on:
The weird sun due to smoke from wildfires
Cap-de-Madeleine Light house
Built in 1908, it is the second lighthouse established on the site to guide commercial shipping. The building is a cylindrical reinforced concrete tower 17 meters tall, topped with a circular iron lantern and a dome roof. It sits at the tip of Cap de la Madeleine on the Gaspé Peninsula. It is a heritage lighthouse because of its historical, architectural, and community values.
Pointe-à-la-Renommée Lighthouse
Located on a mountainside, the lighthouse offers a stunning view of the sea. Its claim to fame is that it is the most travelled lighthouse in the world, since it was returned here in 1997 from the Port of Québec after 20 years of exile. This site was also home to North America’s first maritime radio station, the Marconi station, built in 1904.
About the name:
A language story: the literal translation of the French word “renommee” into English is “good reputation.” It is related to honor and living a life that is worthy of honor. In modern French, it can mean “fame.” One story is about a shipwreck in which many of the survivors died of starvation. The pointe was originally named Pointe-a-la-Faim (Point Hunger), then incorrectly translated into English as Point Fame, and then back into French as “Renommee.”
Another story is that it is named after a ship wreck of the Renommee in 1736. Owned by a man from La Rochelle, the vessel foundered off Anticosti. Only a handful of the fifty-four crew and passengers made it to the island. Half went in search of help while the others stayed in place without food or water.
Perce Rock
Canadian goose, quack
Sea gulls at Bonaventure Island
Razorbills
Colony of northern gannets, 110,000 birds nest at Bonaventure Island, a nature reserve
unknown light house
Dalhousie Light House built in 1870, called The ‘Bon Ami Point Range Front’ recognized as a Federal Heritage Building in 1991. To this day the lighthouse remains in operation and in clear weather, can be seen at a distance of 16 miles.
Next to the above mentioned light house is a solar clock
Big Shippegan Lighthouse was built in 1872 on a small island to the interior of the dune on the side of Le Goulet. Photographed from far with a strong zoom.
Portage Island Range Rear Lighthouse also in Shippegan at the main entrance to Inner Miramichi Bay
Unknown light house
In Fundy Bay Hopewell Rocks there is a huge difference in the level of tide - here low tide you can walk on the ocean floor.
High Tide - 6 hours and 25 minutes difference in time - up to 15 meter difference between high - low tide; ocean floor under water.
Ornaments in a fish restaurant in Halifax
Peggy Cove’s Lighthouse, this is supposed to be the most photographed lighthouse in Canada. Built in 1915 on the shores of St. Margaret's Bay, replacing an earlier building from 1868. On 2 September 1998, Swissair flight 111 crashed 6 nautical miles off Peggy's Cove, killing all 226 passengers and crew. The community of the small village was involved in rescue and salvage operations.
We arrived in rain, but it stopped for 10 minutes to allow for me to take a photo!
Digby Pier Lighthouse with light in the evening. Established 1887 as a lantern on a pole with red light, that was replaced in 1903 with a wooden tower. After the Digby ferry terminal was relocated in 1971, the pier fell into disrepair. Digby Pier Lighthouse was decommissioned, the tower was moved to the Saint John, Coast Guard Base, which had responsibility for all lighthouses on the Bay of Fundy. In 2012, with plans for the development of the town’s harbor, Digby Mayor decided it was high time Saint John gave the lighthouse back: so here it is.
On the ferry from Digby to St. John I saw these lighthouses from far:
a small one and a bigger one:
The Prim Point Lighthouse is a 13.9 meters tall reinforced-concrete tower with an attached fog alarm building. Built in 1964, it is the third tower on this site to mark the narrow passage at Digby Gut. Automated since 1993. It is a heritage lighthouse because of its historical, architectural, and community values.
St. Stephan Lighthouse on pier on the St. Croix River directly across from Calais, Maine, USA.
From here we continued to Maine and Acadia National Park and on to New Hampshire without access to the coast. We had a wonderful tour, disturbed by the smoke of wild fires for two days out of 17.
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