PRACTICAL INFORMATION
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Innu:
Lower North Shore communities are the
result of a long history. Before European settlements, the area was
occupied by the nomadic Innu (known in Quebec as "Montagnais") who settled
in Summer villages along the rivers and travelled North to Winter hunting
grounds. Lower North Shore Innus are now concentrated mostly in two settlements : Kamatshenan
(La Romaine) and Pakua-Shipi (St.Augustine). They speak Innu and
French. In early August, Innus from many North Shore communities,
such as Betsiamites (near Baie Comeau), Sept-Îles ("Seven Islands"),
Mariotenam (Moïse River) and Nutashquan (Pointe-Parent) travel to
the Montagnais Festival. It is useful to take this into account as it may
affect the availibility of tickets for the Nordik which may be full especially
between Natashquan and La Romaine. A kayak trip may provide a unique
opportunity to discover local Innu communities and their culture.
English:
At least 25 years before Jacques Cartier's
arrival in 1534, the lower North Shore was visited regularly by European
fishing fleets (from Britanny and the Basque region of France among others)
who used it as a resupply point but left very few traces of their presence.
In the 17 and 1800's, the fur trade led to the establishment of trading
posts by the Hudson bay Company while whaling, fishing and seal hunting
brought settlers to the villages that are still here today. Many
villagers came from Newfoundland and the Channel Islands of Jersey and
Guernesey. This explains that, unlike most of Quebec's population,
all villages from Kegaska to Blanc Sablon are English speaking, with two
exceptions : La Romaine and Tête-à-la-Baleine ("Whale Head").
Be prepared, however, to be surprised by the strong local accent, not unlike
what one could find in Newfoundland.
French:
The first permanent European settlements
were established by French settlers in the 15 and 1600's but few still
exist. Subsequent French-speaking settlers arrived from other regions
of Quebec as well as from French-speaking areas of the Atlantic provinces
("Acadians"). They are now concentrated mostly in La Romaine and
Tête-à-la-Baleine. Exchanges between villages has resulted
in a certain degree of mixing of populations. As an example,
Walter Lavallée, born in St.Augustine, told us that his mother was
from Newfoundland and his father from La Tuque (North East of Montreal).
Jobs:
As the two major traditional economic activities disappeared
(cod fishing and the seal hunt), many residents now travel out of the region
every Summer to look for jobs elsewhere : on construction sites in Alberta
and Ontario, in lumber camps in Northern Quebec and Northwestern Ontario.
Some villages lose as much as 50% of the adult male population in the Summer.
Winter time is when the villages are the most vibrant. Several North Coasters
told us that they prefer the Winter season by far.
There is still some local fishing. Snow crab generates good revenues over a short season (there is one crab fisherman in St.Augustine and several in Kegaska and St.Paul River). Halibut fishing and scallop farms also generate some revenues. There is one commercial lobster fisherman in Napetipi Bay, East of st.Augustine. Several fish camps attract trout and salmon fishing enthusiasts as well as hunters according to the seasons (Norman Bobbitt on Gros Mecatina river, Leo McKinnon on Pagouatchiou Island in the Kécarpoui Archipelago and the Bilodeaus on Îles aux Chiens among others).
Relais Nordik : 1-800-463-0680 or 418-723-8787
Le Marin (marine hardware and equipment, nautical charts and topographical maps - Sept-îles) : 418-962-1434
Camping Grounds -
Érables (La Malbaie - Pointe au Pic) : 418-665-4212
Paradis Marin (Grandes Bergeronnes) : 418-232-6237
Minganie (Longue Pointe de Mingan) : 418-949-2320
Natashquan : open camping behind the Public Wharf (avoid the beach because
of 4-wheelers)
Kayak OPS (Kayak safety and information - Longue Pointe de Mingan) : 418-949-2877
Gîte La Chicoutée (Bed and Breakfast, Longue Pointe de Mingan) : 418-949-2434
Expédition Agaguk (guided tours of Mingan, equipment rental - Havre St-Pierre) : 418-538-1588
The Nordik Express is the principal link between the Lower North Shore and the rest of Quebec.
The Nordik carries passengers and freight on a weekly trip from April to December, leaving from Rimouski. Designed as a drilling platform supply vessel, this ship is very well suited to its current function. It can carry 276 passengers and is equipped with a hoist to load and unload the 20' containers used to carry vehicles and freight, It carries an incredible variety of merchandise from bags of chips to fire engines, to supply the North Shore villages that depend on it for all their goods. A shallow draft allows it to navigate the islands and "rigolets" which make this region a small craft paradise.
Cost:
Tickets must be reserved in advance.
Reservations made without deposit may be cancelled. Several cabin
styles as well as general boarding are available.
As an example, in 2001, a one-way trip from Natashquan to St.Augustine costs around CAN$80 per person while shipping a kayak (at the minimum weight of 100 lbs) costs approximately CAN$31.
Route :
Click here for
route detail and schedule.
(Source : 2001 schedule, Nordik
Relay - subject to change without notice)
Contacts :
Telephone : 1-800-463-0680 or 418-723-8787
(call during office hours)
Fax : 418-722-9307
e-mail : info@relais.nordik.desgagnes.com
Tundra dominates the coastal landscape, with a rocky ground covered by moss, lichens and the occasional low brush. Spruce trees grow in sheltered areas and away from the shore.
This ground cover is extremely fragile and slow to grow back when damaged. Foot prints and camp sites are visible even after several years.
Our approach was to apply, to the best
of our ability, "Leave No Trace" camping
principles :
- plan and prepare gear and food
in order to avoid environmental impact and reduce garbage
- camp on beaches or bare rock
wherever possible
- avoid walking on vegetation and
use existing paths if there are any
- leave nothing
- no fires (or restrict fires to
areas below the next high tide line)
- do not cut wood
For going to the bathroom we used a small foldable shovel to dig catholes, mostly under the high tide mark, and packed out all paper (which does not decompose and eventually reappears).
Preparations involved mostly getting rid of extra packaging and packing small bags to be used as garbage bags.
Wild life
We only saw a mink scurrying along the
shore at Havre aux Poissons, and it was as intrigued to see us as we were
to see it. We saw tracks of other small animals on occasion.
Black bears may be present but are not seen along the shore, mostly inland.
We saw no sign of bear. Two polar bears were reported in the St.Augustine
area this year. One was shot at the end of June, the other was last
seen in July. They probably drifted on pack ice in late Spring.
We saw no sign of small rodents.
There is a great variety of sea and shore birds, including the ubiquitous gulls, ospreys, terns, eider ducks and guillemots. The cries of gulls and terns as well as the song of the loons accompanied us throughout the entire trip.
We only saw a few sea mammals such as seals, porpoises and the occasional minke whale, although whale sightings are not uncommon.
Insects
Black flies, mosquitoes, deer flies :
be prepared to face them all from the end of June to the first frosts in
late August. Fly jackets or hoods and strong insect repellents are
a must for anyone intent on keeping their sanity... Some form of light
weight fly-proof kitchen shelter is on our list of things to find before
our next trip.
As a general rule, the only problem in finding a good camping site is that there is too much choice. There is not much choice in terms of types of ground : rock or moss. Finding shelter from the wind may also be difficult. In any case, it is essential to have the ability to install a tent without pegs
We attached small lengths of string at each peg location (around the ground sheet, fly sheet and for each stay). We then used stones to anchor them. The stronger the wind, the bigger the stones.
When camping on moss, we moved the stones back to a rocky area before leaving the site. The weight of even a small stone is enough to kill the moss and lichens after some time. This is a good excuse to build a small inukshuk as you leave the site.
Moss acts as a sponge and tended to be very humid. We used a tarp as an extra ground sheet under the tent.
We used Thermarest mattresses. Apart from being compact, light weight and comfortable, they also protected fragile soils by spreading our weight when we could not camp on bare rock.
Sleeping outside under the stars seemed attractive on more than one occasion. Prepare for heavy dew (especially if there is an on shore wind) and mosquitoes.
We had prepared food for a little more than 2 weeks. In practice, we were rarely more than 3 or 4 days from a village. Although the choice may not be fabulous, small general stores will usually carry all the essentials.
We did not fish but we should have. Bring a line and buy a permit.
Drinking water was occasionnally hard to find. Do not expect to find water at public wharves. There is some at Harrington Harbour and St.Augustine (if the wharfinger is there). There is no water at the wharves in Natashquan or Tête-à-la-Baleine. Look for streams along the shore. Water is often reddish in colour because of the soil. Bring a filter just in case.
We used four 4-liter containers as well as four 1-liter Nalgene bottles and never ran out.
Coastal navigation does not present any particular problem, although recognizing where you are can occasionally be a challenge. It is important to follow the map and identify bays and islands to avoid getting lost. Making a mistake is not dramatic and usually results in a "waste of time" and the discovery of a new landscape that would otherwise have been missed. On occasion, a mistake can result in a long backtrack as some bays are very deep.
In the case of fog, things get a little bit more difficult and some experience in navigation by dead reckoning is useful.
We used some large scale topographical maps (1/250,000) for an overall view. Each map covers an area of 110 by 140 km. Four such maps are needed to go from Natashquan to Blanc Sablon :
Smaller scale topo maps (1/50,000) are also available and would be very useful to identify coastal landmarks and geography that do not appear on nautical charts.
Maps and charts can be purchased locally in Seven Islands at Le Marin.
A GPS can be a useful tool in fog.
Tides
are not very high compared to the Saguenay, the bay of Fundy or the Maine
coast. It would be foolish to ignore them, however. During
our stay, tides reached between 5 and 7 ft, easily enough to allow a kayak
to gently float away while you're looking the other way... Tide
tables are essential but easily found.
Currents were a significant factor only in and around St.Augustine Bay. This enormous bay fills up and empties twice a day with the tides. The labyrinth of islands and passes around it creates noticeable currents that are not always easy to predict. We did not see any dangerous currents but suffered the consequences of bad timing on travel times.
From June to mid-August, normal temperatures range from lows of about 45°F to highs of 70°F. This means, among other things, that there is about a 50% chance that the weather will be colder...
Weather changes quickly with ever present risks of fog. Fair weather winds are often from the South West, getting stronger from about 10 am until sundown. As they cross the Gulf of St. Lawrence before reaching the Lower North Shore, these South West winds generate a good swell. With an oceanic climate, the weather is generally humid with rapid weather changes.
We got weather information from our VHF radio. Depending on our location, we listened to channels 25 or 83, or on weather channels 1 or 2. Weather reports may be in English or in French depending which weather station is broadcasting. Typically coastal weather is given for Chevery and Blanc Sablon. Marine forecasts are given for Anticosti North, North East Gulf and the Staights of Belle Isle. Wind speed is given in kph for coastal weather and in knots for marine forecasts (1 knot = 1 nautical mile per hour = 1.85 kph). 20 to 40 kph winds, equivalent to 10 to 20 knots, are about the comfort limit for a kayak over exposed waters.
When I asked a fisherman which was the best channel for local weather, he answered : "On the Internet!"
The two main dangers are the area's remoteness and water temperature. In both cases, the danger is not necessarily clear and present - as long as other events do not trigger dramatic consequences.
1) Isolation
In case of medical emergency, there is
one hospital in Blanc Sablon and another in Seven Islands. Villages
have limited medical facilities, usually with no resident doctor.
Moreover, communications are often difficult. Under these conditions,
medical emergencies are not easy to deal with. Medical evacuation
using Coast Guard helicopters may be necessary. Access to emergency
treatment may take 2 to 3 days, longer if weather conditions are unfavorable.
A first aid kit is a must and specific medical problems must be assessed prior to leaving with each trip participant. Inquire on emergency facilities and contacts for the area that you will be travelling into.
Evaluate your means of communication :
- VHF (see Pat's
Boating site for good tips on how to use your VHF radio) : All
vessels over 8 meters are equipped with a VHF radio as are all Coast Guard
vessels. The Coast Guard monitors emergency channel 16.
- CB : local fishermen and many fishing
camps use CB radios.
- Cellular phones : some areas apparently
get some reception from Newfoundland antennas. I would not count
on it.
- Satellite phones : should work well
in all exposed areas.
- Regular telephone : only in villages,
although public phones are not always available - you may have to ask for
permission to use a private phone - bring your calling card. Do not
expect to find a phone at the public wharf excepts during office hours,
which may only be a few hours a week.
2) Water temperature
The Labrador current cools the Gulf of
St. Lawrence. Expect 40°F waters anywhere downstream from Tadoussac.
Falling in will quickly result in hypothermia. Prepare yourself by
wearing protective clothing, practicing effective rescue techniques and
keeping whatever is needed to get warm quickly close at hand.
The following is a list of what we brought along (in red, mandatory equipment to be carried on small crafts of 6 m or less in Canada) :
- Two 17' kayaks (Boreal
"Inukshuk" and Wilderness System
"Epic"), paddles, skirts.
- For each kayak :
. PFD
with a whistle and serrated knife
. Bilge Pump
. Paddle float
. Towing roap on the kayak
. Floating
rescue rope (15m) in each cockpit
. Deck compass
. Maps and map holder
. Sponge
We also carried :
. One
spare paddle
. A compressed gas horn
. VHF radio
. Signal flares
. Radar reflector (not very
useful outside of the main shipping lanes as local fishermen do not have
radars)
. GPS
. Small compass (sightings
and map work)
. Repair kit
Paddling clothes:
. 3mm farmer john wet suits
. Booties
. Paddling jacket
. Quick drying synthetic
turtle necks
. Hats, neoprene gloves
Camping :
. 3-season, 3-person tent
in 2 bags (tent and fly-sheet)
. Summer sleeping bags (0°C)
. Thermarest mattresses
. Plastic tarp (ground sheet)
Kitchen :
. Multi fuel stove, 2 liters
of camping fuel (we used just over a liter over the 2 weeks)
. Spare stove (Camping gas
"bleuet" with an extra cartridge)
. 2 pots with lids,
small frying pan
. Light weight cutlery
. 4 "Nalgene" bottles (1
liter), 4 collapsible water containers (4 liters).
We haven't found the perfect can opener.
Our quest shall continue.
All clothing, toilet kits, medical kits, sleeping bags, mattresses, books and maps were stored in dry bags (total of 6 bags for the two of us). We also had two collapsible coolers for food as well as three large nylon bags, used to carry all the loose gear when loading or unloading the kayaks. We also brought one small backpack for day hikes. One last bag was used to store extra strings, ropes, tarps and survival blankets.
Food :
- Canned soups, lentils and tuna
- Seasonned rice and noodles; couscous,
instant porridge
- Soy milk (instead of milk), instant
coffee
- Cheese, dry sausage, canned tuna and
macquerel for lunches
- "Pumpernickel" black bread, tortillas
- Dessert treats (chocolate, fruit purees,
chocolate pudding...)
- Energy bars and mixed nuts
- Gatorade powder