July 10, 2025 We make it to Quebec

 July 10, 2025   Trois-Rivieres Anchorage to Marina Port De Quebec   78 miles and 7.2 hours

Trois-Rivieres is about where the tidal influence of the St. Lawrence River begins with roughly a foot of tide.  This compares sharply to Quebec just 78 miles downriver where they have a 16'-18' tidal difference.  With this much tidal difference there is a significant current if trying to go outbound during an incoming tide.  The next 200 miles or so of river have long passage days between stops so timing the tides to avoid fighting currents as well as arriving to your next port at relatively slack time of current is critical.  Our guide books provide details which say to leave Trois Rivieres 6 hours after high tide in Montreal to arrive at slack current and low tide in Quebec.  This translates to us leaving at 8 AM to arrive at 3pm while traveling at our normal speed of 1300-1400 RPM.  It's mostly correct but our GPS keeps showing us arriving early making us idle for the last hour to arrive at 3. 

The church on the shores of Trois Rivieres as we depart

The cruise is mostly uneventful.  Cloudy with rain in the forecast for later so we start the day on the flybridge but after a few hours switch to the lower helm as radar keeps showing pop up showers around us.  We hit a few but nothing too bad.  Mostly we watch more ships head upriver.  The terrain begins to change with higher riverbanks and more hills in the distance.   There is a 2-mile stretch called the Richelieu Rapids where the river narrows to .25 miles wide and the outgoing current increases dramatically.  Water is plenty deep but swirls are evident and we get pushed around a bit.  Our normal 10 mph speed increases to an invigorating 16 mph.  Thankfully, there are no ships to deal with while we pass this section. 

Multiple big ships pass in the morning fighting their way upriver

River excursion boats run between Trois Rivieres and Quebec

Starting to see more cliffs along the riverbanks

Nasty looking storm on the horizon. 
 We got lucky and it moved off before we got to it.

Starlink is working amazing for us.  "Otto" steers the ship
while I tune in to a videoconference from our financial advisor.

As we approach Quebec we see the twin Interstate and railroad bridges that cross the river.  Placed here as the river is only .5 miles wide resulting in a short period of once again very fast current.  Once past the bridge the hilly point of Cap Diamant comes into view on our port side with it's landmark church.  Finally you round the bend where the impressive Chateau Frontenac looms tall and imposing from within the old walled city.

There are three major landmarks as you approach Quebec. 
First are the twin bridges

Then the E'glise Saint-Michel de Sillery built in 1852

And finally, the impressive Chateau Frontenac.

We arrive at the Marina Port De Quebec.  Interesting setup that gets you out of the strong currents.  You power off the river between two breaks in a huge seawall and enter the outer basin getting you out of the current. This area is primarily used for docking smaller commercial vessels like tugs along the bulkheads and as a staging area for entering the marina. Next you pass through a lock and lift bridge to move you up into the upper basin where the pleasure craft marina is located.  Timing is perfect as the lockmaster is preparing the lock for another waiting boater.  We get tied to the floating platform inside the lock, rise up 15 feet and enter Louis Basin and the marina proper.  It's a large marina - well over 400 slips.  Our slip comes with a view of the lock and bridge and the city in the background.   The marina is extremely convenient to old town Quebec - just a 15 minute walk. We have reservations for a five night stay to take full advantage of exploring the city.

View of old town Quebec from the marina

Journey for July 10, 2025