Secrets of the St. Lawrence

The following pages describe the St Lawrence from Portneuf to Le Corps-Mort in terms of its shoreline, shoals, currents and waves.

This section contains maps and local listings describing the difficulties that mariners may encounter, depending on wind and sea conditions.

Markers

The effects referred to in the local listings are exactly the same as those described in the preceding pages:

• topography, on wind speed and direction
• wind, on sea height and behaviour
• shoals and currents, on waves

Guides

This listing should be used in conjunction with the following guides, which are essential to safe sailing:

• Sailing directions
• Marine charts
• Tide and current tables

By the way...

Vessels

• The comments regarding difficulties facing mariners refer to vessels under 14 metres.

Standardization

• Distances and depths are given in nautical miles, metres and fathoms, because these are the types of measurements appearing on the marine charts published by the Canadian Hydrographic Service.

Vive la différence!

Archipel = Archipelago
Baie = Bay
Banc = Banks
Battures = Flats
Brisants = Reefs
Chenal = Channel
De - du - d' = Of
Détroit = Strait
Haut(s)-fond(s) = Shoals
Île = Island
Îlets = Islets
Le - la - les - l' = The
Passage - Passe = Pass
Péninsule = Peninsula
Pointe = Point
Rivière = River
Rocher(s) = Rock(s)
Traverse = Crossing

Wind speed

In the following pages, the wind is assumed to be strong - 20 to 33 knots - except where otherwise indicated