Saguenay Fjord

John and I were fortunate to visit Saguenay Fjord National Park as part of our cruise with Blount Small Adventures. A fjord is a long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs and I always thought they were exclusive to Norway. We joined the cruise in Oswego and left at 4 a.m. We were out on the lake to see a glorious sunrise.  I would have liked to have sailed closer to the shore so I could make out more places I know such as Mexico Point Park.  The cruise continued through the St. Lawrence Seaway to Montreal and Quebec then up the Saguenay Fjord. 

Sailing between the high hills was beautiful.  I realized that it was part of the deep sea water when I saw ocean-going cruise ships at the cruise dock in Chicoutimi.   Luckily the cruise ship and its 1000s of passengers was just leaving. We were greeted on the dock by costumed ladies, jugglers, and, inside the terminal, a duo provided music for the shoppers – yes, there were plenty of kiosks offering souvenirs and locally made products.    

John and I enjoyed a hop-on bus tour of Chicoutimi that stopped at La Petite Maison Blanche (The Little White House). The small square house was constructed in 1900. When the nearby dam overflowed due to an employee mistake (there goes his bonus) the house remained but the big flood came in 1996.

The dam overflowed causing widespread destruction to the town of Chicoutimi and wiped away every building surrounding the Little White House.   The flood waters raged all around the base of the house for four days and when it was over, the Little White House remained for all to see. It is a symbol of perseverance. The house is now a museum and a small park has been built around it. 

In 1893 several citizens of Chicoutimi visited the World’s

Colombian Exposition in Chicago. They were mesmerized by the “electricity faery.” They wanted Chicoutimi to be the “Chicago of the North.” One far-thinking citizen was able to convince the local government to modernize the city with electricity and public water. That in turn led to the creation of the Compagnie de pulpe de Chicoutimi, the paper company that brought prosperity to the region. There are sign boards telling about the rise and fall of the industry. 

There were other things to see but I was most enthralled as we

sailed back down the fjord and saw beluga whales. Beluga whales are my favorite whale because their bright white color made them easy to spot. There were other whale watching boats which were very crowded; our ship was not plus we had an on-board authority

who showed a video the night before about the belugas.  The belugas are called the “sea canary” because they make a variety of sounds from whistling to barking. They have a well-developed hearing because they cannot see well in the darkness of the deep water. 

Lighthouse lovers will enjoy seeing the unique Prince Shoal Lighthouse which serves as both a lighthouse and buoy. Also unique is the statue of the Virgin Mary high on a cliff that was erected by a merchant as a thank you for having his prayers answered.  He fell through the ice on the frozen Saguenay River and implored the Virgin Mary to save him only to become very sick as a result, and he again turned to the Virgin Mary for help. Prayers answered. 

Visiting Quebec with Blount Small Adventure Cruise

I thought the Plains of Abraham referred to a Biblical site. A bus tour of Quebec City was part of the Blount’s “Lakes, Legends and Canals” cruise John and I took. One place the bus stopped was high above the city at the Plains of Abraham where we learned that in 1759, during the Seven Years’ War, the British victory led to France losing possession of Canada. Most likely it is named after Abraham Martin who moved to the area in the 1600s.  Located high above the St. Lawrence River it was easy to see why the area was of military significance. It was called the “Gibraltar of the Americas.” The Citadel is located nearby. We learned about the war and enjoyed a great view.

The tour started in Old Quebec which was like wandering an old French town.  There is a full-wall mural that depicts many aspects of Old Quebec.  It made a great place for the guide to explain various aspect of the old city. Someday I want to stay at the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac Hotel which towers over the old city. There is a funicular connecting the lower city to

the upper city.  The tour included a side trip to Montmorency Falls. The falls were named for Samuel de Champlain who was the Duke of Montmorency and the falls are 98-feet higher than Niagara Falls.  There is a cable car to the top of the falls and a hiking trail but we didn’t have time for either. The tour covered all the highlights of the city and ended at the Marie-Guyart building where we went to the 31st floor for great views of the city. There were interactive multimedia displays that covered Quebec City’s history. A great place to end the tour.

After the tour we returned to the cruise ship (it only had 31 passengers – I liked that) there was time for us to walk the short distance back into town to the Museum of Civilization. We wandered through “The People of Quebec – Then and Now.”  It was a great multimedia presentation that traced the history of Quebec from the earliest days to the present with more information on how the French colony became British; however, the French culture is alive and well in Quebec. I was especially interested in their section of the museum dealing with what the Canadians call “The First People” and we call Native Americans.  At one time there were Iroquois villages along both sides of the St. Lawrence. There was also an interesting Egyptian exhibit.

Before our cruise vessel left port to head up the St. Lawrence to Montreal John and I went to the Navel Museum of Quebec.  It was literally just steps from the ship.  While small it was still interesting and had facts and images about the Battle of Oswego during the War of 1812.  

Exploring canals with Blount's Small Ship Adventures

I have always been intrigued by rivers. The Hudson, Mohawk, and St. Lawrence Rivers made NYS the Empire State. The waterways were used by the Native Americans, explorers, armies, and settlers. Not only was it a key to the development of New York State but to the expansion of the United States;

and, it still is. Traveling the length of the NYS’s waterways was at the top of my bucket list.  I didn’t think it was possible until I learned about Blount Small Ship Adventures’ “Locks, Legends, and Canals.” The two-week trip from Montreal to New York City via the St. Lawrence, Lake Ontario, NYS Canal System, and the Hudson was a dream come true.  For two weeks John and I made our home on the Grande Caribe, a purpose-built vessel designed to make it through the narrow and shallow waters of canals. 

On our first stop, Quebec, we signed up for the four-hour excursion of Quebec City, with a walk in Old Quebec and other highlights of the city including a side trip to Montmorency Falls, which is higher than Niagara Falls. In Montreal Blount provided a shuttle into Old Montreal where we wandered the cobblestone streets. 

While we were asleep the Grande Caribe set off for Ogdensburg going through three of the locks of the St. Lawrence Seaway. The vessel is amazingly quiet.  In Ogdensburg, after customs, there was a tour of the Frederic Remington Museum. We had been there so John and I followed the Revolutionary War sign boards and learned about the city’s part in the war. On the way

to Clayton we locked through the Snell and Eisenhower Locks. From the St. Lawrence we were raised 570 feet to the level of Lake Ontario. Very impressive. We stopped for a tour of Singer Castle on Dark Island to learn how the rich and famous spent the summer in their “hunting lodge” with 28 rooms and secret passages. In Clayton we docked at the Antique Boat Museum where the staff was ready to give us a personal tour. 

I was hoping to traverse Lake Ontario from Clayton to Oswego during the day; but, alas, due to the winds we left late in the evening arriving in Oswego at 2 a.m. While in Oswego the crew lowered the pilot house so the Grande Caribe would fit under the “low bridges” of the NYS Canal System.  I was hoping the passengers would have a chance to see Fort Ontario and Safe Haven but we started along the Oswego

Canal at 7 a.m.  The weather was glorious and the leaves at peak.  We crossed Oneida Lake and continued on the Erie Canal with a stop in Rome so some of the passengers could visit Cooperstown.  I stayed aboard marveling at the beautiful scenery and serenity thinking that the people in cars and trains whizzing by didn’t know what they were missing.

At Troy the crew raised the pilot house signaling that we had completed the NYS Canal System and were heading down the Hudson River to NYC.  There were two excursions on the Hudson: Hyde Park and the fortress-like U.S. Military Academy at West Point.  The weather was outstanding as we cruised passed by the World Trade Center and the Statue of Liberty to Pier 59.  On our last day we took the Blount-organized tour of New York City with time at the 9/11 Memorial.  An incredible cruise.