Post from Tuesday, June 19, 2012 

This morning we departed the St-Ours village dock heading north on the Richelieu River.  Our destination was the Parc Nautique de Sorel Marina where the Richelieu ends and converges with the St. Lawrence River.  Sorel is a very busy commercial shipping area and the tranquil village landscape abruptly changes.  I was prepared to do the laundry and walk into this quaint little town  

When we arrived and got our slip assignment, we were told the depths were 4' which will work for our 4' draft.  However, we were kicking up mud and there was grass all around so it was too shallow and we had to back out between two piles of rocks in 15 kt. winds.  We were filling our water tanks at the gas dock and were advised they would move a "broken boat" from another dock and we could tie up there.  Before moving again the Captain took his hand-held depth finder to the dock and checked the depth.  It was 3'5".  We took on the water we needed and said good-bye. 

From Sorel we made a sharp bend to the left and headed south down the St. Lawrence River toward Montreal.  We arrived at the village of Contrecouer in the early afternoon and anchord out.  Our friends from "Charlene Rae" had planned to stop at a different island and visit a winery but much to their dismay, the winery was no longer there and they also continued on to Contrecouer and anchored.  We walked into the town, found the bakery, of course, then stopped for an ice cream.  We invited Chick, Walter and Jessica to our boat for dinner and so enjoyed their company and we had lots of lively conversation.

Sleeping overnight at anchor near the meadows off of Contrecouer was Bug City!  We have screens on all the windows and on the large bow hatch and over the salon doors, and in the aft cabin door -- thank you Val, for such a magnificent job on the screens they are wonderful!  We shudder to think how many gazillion more bugs we would have had in the boat without them.  Of course, my staying up late catching up on posting with the light of my laptop screen attracted them.  I finally gave up and went to bed.  Here are some pictures of our day yesterday:

Richelieu River heading north

At Sorel the landscape abrupty changes to a commercial one

Parc Nautique de Sorel Marina

The Captain checking the depth -- 3'5" -- too shallow, we draw 4'

Village of Contrecouer

Oh boy!  Ice cream!!

Chick, Walter and Jessica from "Charlene Rae" anchored near us came over for dinner

Last night's back yard

Near Contrecouer