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Buoy marking the border between
U.S.A & Canada |
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| Canadian Customs |
We took our time getting underway this morning. We had coffee, bacon, eggs, & toast. The wind was around 10 knots this morning from the South. With our stern to the South our aft line and aft spring line were taught. With the help of our slip neighbor, Klause, the aft lines were released and we quickly drifted out of the slip a little after 10:00. We arrived at the Canadian Customs quay just 30 minutes later, and were greeted with the statement that “we brought the sunshine”. Linda had all our documents ready for the agents. All they wanted was verbal answer to ‘do you have any firearms or devices for protection,’ and our passports and vessel registration. Linda had a written list of all food products ready for the agents, but it wasn’t needed. We obtained our pass and we were underway in 10 minutes. Sweet! As we motored along we noted how flat the territory was compared to Vermont. The part of the Richelieu River south of Lock 9 is very similar to the Inter-coastal Waterway (ICW) - natural areas, then small cluster of homes along the shore. It is not as narrow as the ICW though. We had planned to stop at Marina Gagnon, 10 NM from Gaines Marina, but we were feeling good and pressed on to Marina Le Nautique, 20 NM down river and just before Lock 9, the entrance to the Chambly cannel. In route we passed Fort Montgomery just beyond Rouses Point. This fort is for sale if anyone is interested. We also passed by Fort Lennox in Canada. This fort was built by the French in 1759 and taken by the British on Île aux Noix (Walnut Island) in the middle of the Richelieu River to protect the Canadian colony from an American invasion. In the 1820’s, the United States and Britain’s relationship were shaky ( just guessing that may have been due to the War of 1812) and Britain must have gotten wind our ‘War Plan Red.” This war plan was for the possibility of war with the United Kingdom. It was retired in 1839. Anyway, back to the voyage. We saw many displays
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| Ft. Montgomery |
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| Ft. Lennox |
of the Quebec flag vice the Canadian flag. We also saw displays of, what Linda calls it, “Cowboy Boating.” The Canadian boaters we’ve encountered have no regard for their speed, their wake, or their proximity to other boaters. We saw several boats at least 35+ feet cruise quickly by fishermen in a small boats nearly swamping them with their wakes. Even sitting here tided to the dock we’ve nearly been clipped by two Canadian boats. Once we were safely (using the work loosely) docked. We went for lunch at the marina’s restaurant Blue Marin. Our waitress spoke enough English that we could order a gluten free meal for Linda - Salmon on vegetables. Brian did fish and chips again — yawn. Afterwards, Linda went back to the boat and Brian went to a local bank to exchange for Canadian dollars and then to a grocery store to purchase staples — like wine and rum. We relaxed the rest of the afternoon and evening.
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Place publique du Vieux-St.-Jean
or Public square of Old St. Jean |
