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Secrets of the St. Lawrence
The Secrets of the St Lawrence
The Secrets of the St. Lawrence (PDF; 1.79 MB)
The St Lawrence is one of the largest airways in the world. The large air masses that generally cross the continent from West to East also travel the St Lawrence.
If you consider that both water and air masses literally hug the ground and follow all its contours and surfaces, it's easy to understand just how much variety there can be in wind and sea conditions.
In both cases, you must understand how they will behave in different situations. But the water forms a screen that hides its secrets, and the air, well, it's simply invisible!
For mariners, the wind is all important. And that wind is the result of shifting air masses, rising warm air currents and incoming cold air currents, as they rush up against, around and down obstacles.
The 6 dimensions
Every mariner must be aware of what there is to the left, the right, behind, in front, under the water and in the sky. It's a 6-dimensional environment!
And like truckers, seasoned mariners can tell from the sea and sky where the weather conditions are generally better or worse.
They have learned some of the sea's secrets by penetrating the mysteries of its bays and capes.
The trio
For safe and pleasant sailing, you need:
- to know the wind and sea conditions
- to have the most up-to-date marine charts and sailing directions available
- to pay attention to the most recent weather forecasts
- 1. Fore to aft
- 2. What Cartier missed out on
- 3. Conversion
- 4. The Secrets of the St Lawrence
- 5. The wind in your sails - Hard a-port!
- 6. The wind in your sails - Fast or slow?
- 7. The wind in your sails - The wind's paths
- 8. The wind in your sails - Against the wall
- 9. The wind in your sails - Solar energy
- 10. The wind in your sails - Under the stars
- 11. The wind and the waves - The windway
- 12. The wind and the waves - Wave wars
- 13. The wind and the waves - Graveyards
- 14. The wind and the waves - Conflicting seas
- 15. Symbols
- 16. The St Lawrence, from 1 to... - Legend
- 17. The St Lawrence, from 1 to... - Calling all sailors
- 18. The St Lawrence, from 1 to... Hot spots
- 19. Local listings - Québec - Pointe-des-Monts
- 20. Local listings - Pointe-des-Monts - Cap Whittle
- 21. Local listings - Cap Whittle - Blanc-Sablon
- 22. Local listings - Gaspésie - Baie des Chaleurs
- 23. Local listings - Îles de la Madeleine
- 24. Sailors take warning - White-outs
- 25. Sailors take warning - The sky above us
- 26. Sailors take warning - Keeping a weather eye
- 27. Sailors take warning - Fair weather and foul
- 28. Sailors take warning - The unexpected
- 29. The four seasons - Wind aplenty
- 30. The four seasons - Vessel icing
- 31. The four seasons - Ice cycle
- 32. Extra - Beaufort
- 33. Extra - Handy references
- 34. Extra - Old Salts and Sea-dogs
- 35. Extra - The crew
- 36. Extra - A to Z
- 37. Extra - Stations
- 38. Extra - Areas
- 39. Credits
- Date modified: