TEXAS RANGER: Chambly, Quebec to Sorel, Quebec, to Quebec City, Quebec July 5--7

We were to leave Chambly at 0900 when the locks opened, but it was actually later before they got us locked through. The last three locks of the Chambly Canal are stair-stepped—i.e. the exit gates for one lock are the entrance gates for the next, so three locks which drop you 35 feet only have four gates. They basically let you into the highest lock, then send your water on ahead of you into the next lock. After departing the locks, we crossed the wide Chambly Basin, then headed down the Richelieu River towards Sorel. We passed Pont Boleil, a very narrow very low bridge accompanied by rapid current, with about three feet to spare on each side of the boat. Many neat, small communities with nice houses, well-manicured lawns, and impressive old churches, three cable ferries, and one larger lock (St. Ours Lock) were along the way. We reached Sorel, passed out of the Richelieu River into the St. Lawrence River, and headed into the islands of Lac St. Pierre. We anchored up a nice channel, and had a quiet, peaceful evening in 25 feet of water about 50 feet from the shore.

Chambly Church

Fort Chambly

Stepped Locks 3, 2, 1 at Chambly

One of Many

He's Coming to Meet Us!

And He's Off!

Bridge Opening to the Left

Low and Narrow...Rear View

Not all Churches...Stacked Silos

Sorel

The following morning we were off downriver to Trois-Rivieres. It was quite windy, with west wind being sucked into the low pressure remnant of Hurricane Arthur in the North Atlantic. We arrived, navigated the narrow channel into the marina, avoided the unmarked sandbar (they say their markers blew away in the last day or two), and docked. Just before arriving, we had visited by radio with another K-K 48—Alizann—anchored just around the corner. Later that afternoon Marty & Suzanne came around in their dinghy, and we had a great visit! We explored the marina area, and found muskrats scampering around the grounds waiting for a handout. The marina is adjacent, but upwind, to a paper mill. It reminds Kay of East Texas. Those of you who have ever lived near a paper mill will understand the importance of the upwind logistic! The next morning we were underway for Quebec City. Again, there was a lot of current and moderately strong wind, but we traversed the 68 nautical miles in about 8 hours, entering the outer harbor, passing through the lock into the inner harbor, and docking at the Quebec City Marina about 1730. The view of this historic city from the marina is awe-inspiring. We will be tourists here for several days.