Halifax to Lake Superior - Any Planning Advice?

[WindchaserPY23]

While I am currently sailing salt out of Halifax, NS, I originally learned to sail on Lake Superior. One day this past summer it hit me: Why not sail back home?
Although a lot of folks around here have sailed down to the Caribbean, nobody I know has ever gone up the Saint Lawrence Seaway.

Anyone out there ever done this? Any advice? With a Paceship PY23, I'd be what they call "gunk holing", sticking pretty close to the coast and parking when convenient. On the high side of 50, I don't intend on making this a race or endurance contest.

[sailingdog]

I think the St. Lawrence, with its current will be an issue for a 23' boat. Also, rounding Nova Scotia will probably be a PITA in a boat that size. It might make more sense to sail southwest to NYC, visiting Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Long Island Sound along the way and come up the Hudson River, which is a shorter route IIRC.

Also, the route I'm recommending is probably more well populated and in warmer waters, especially once you get south of Cape Cod.

[PaulfromNWOnt]

I suppose it cOuLd be done, but like SD says, there may be some issues with currents. IIRC there is some good current coming out of Beauhornois lock which takes you around the LaChine rapids. Whenever we anchored in the river around Montreal, we were required to use 2 anchors due to current.

I'd look into it though, as there's a load of breathtaking scenery along the way.

Another option might be to take the Erie canal upbound, then run through the Seaway downbound.

I do envy you though, it's been fifteen years since I made that trip (once every couple of weeks) on a freighter and it would've been nice to stop at different places at my leisure.

[killarney_sailor]

It is doable but would take a long time (which is not a bad thing if you have it). Don't know if you have radar, but until Quebec City, fog can be an issue and it can be cool even in July. As you likely know, fog is a problem on lake Superior too. The length of the trip and weather area a problem since you cannot start too soon but need lots of time.

Going up the St Lawrence is slow but you can use the tide until almost Three Rivers. We had one very long day where we carried the tide and did 103 miles in 18 hours. At one point we were doing 10.5 knots (upstream), but you really get used to doing 2.3 over the ground much of the time.

As was suggested, you have other options - going up the Hudson and returning down the St Lawrence makes sense but that would be a two summer trip as would going up the river if you intend to return. Another possibility would be trailer your boat to the lakes and sail it back. If you do not have a trailer you might be able to borrow or rent one. You might also be able to ship your boat to Ontario with one of the boat transport companies that is already taking a boat west and has room for your boat on the same trailer.

[KnottyGurl]

I am looking into going the otherway from lake Ontario, up the seaway and down the east coast to the bahamas, in reality it would be spring 2012 when I would be in a position to do this. This year will be crusing lake Ontario.
I am doing the info gathering and tons of links to view for prepping and getting the feel for the trip. lots of info to comb through and sort out.

a side note, thanks to those that have contributed thier logs and ideas and experience, those that have not done long hauls can have a better idea of what is required.
Bill

[RXBOT]

I think you should take that Paceship (fixed or drop keel) at least up to Bras Dor lake and around Cape Breton to P.E.I. and New Brunswick. After that you should have a feel for if you want to tackle the seaway. Also not sure how the Quecbecoise in the eastern townships northside will treat you. They are not known for being to receptive to Anglos.

[KnottyGurl]

there not to happy with any english speaking person, hell they even have issues with the brunswick french people.

[captbillc]

made the trip, lake superior & back a couple of times , but on a 50ft on deck topsail ketch. from quebec city we took the south channel. outgoing tide 7 1/2 kn . incoming 7 kn . we anchored to wait for the change. a northeaster in the gulf is like a northeaster on lake superior. we went between nova scotia & cape breton island. there is a lock at port hawkesbury that stops the tide from rushing through. we stopped at the madeleine islands for lobster. the lighthouse at cape gaspe is something to see. there are a lot of small harbors on the southern coast of gaspe peninsula i would like to make the trip again on my 30ft nimble express.

[skerrybuilder]

I have made the trip downstream twice. Once in 1976 in a Contessa 26 and again in a C and C 38 in 1983 both on trips that eventually got us to the Bahamas. I made a round trip in between from Brockville to Gross Iles (below Quebec City . It is an interesting part of the world and past Quebec City, it was mostly workboat oriented (although there were yachts in Tadoussac and Rimouski). The river gets pretty broad past Rimouski. There is a lot of tidal current that has to be taken into account below Quebec City. It gets less as the river broadens out. We didn't anchor more than once or twice which had to do with tidal range, current and exposure but there were little harbours where you could tie up (It was free then). You could pick them out by the presence of a nearby church. I recall the weather was much more boisterous than the Lake Ontario and upper St Lawrence. We always seemed to have lots of wind on the Gulf of St Lawrence. I recall being cold and wet on the Contessa, but the larger C and C was faster and drier. (Also by that time, I was better at choosing my weather). You are from Halifax so you are more familiar with the typical weather conditions of that part of the world and are more used to tidal currents than we were on our first trip.