ADVENTURE

CANADA

MIGHTY
SAINT LAWRENCE

MIGHTY
SAINT LAWRENCE

2015

JUNE 1JUNE 10, 2016

ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR
We're kicking off our 2016 sailing season with one of National Geographic Traveller's 50 Tours of a Lifetime! This voyage
incorporates the stunning coastal regions of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, including the Gasp, the Magdalen Islands,
Cape Breton, and Saint-Pierre.
Marine mammals should be plentifulsome of the best whale watching in Canada is concentrated between the high cliffs
of Saguenay Fjord. Forillon National Park and le-Bonaventure Provincial Park offer spectacular wildlife opportunities,
including numerous migrating seabirds. The Magdalen Islands' mix of Acadian and English influences and a history of
more than four hundred shipwrecks are among their unique features. They are also home to endangered bird species,
including the piping plover and roseate tern. A stop at Cape Breton, famed for its rocky shores, glacial valleys, and barren
headlands, is sure to be a highlight. Well also visit Prince Edward IslandCanada's smallest province, and the birthplace
of Confederation.
We bring our voyage to a close at Saint-Pierre, the last remaining outpost of New France, where fine wine, good cheese and
French fashion are to be foundjust off the coast of Newfoundland.
This itinerary features some French programming.

HIGHLIGHTS
Experience Qubecs unique history and culture
Search for the largest animal on earththe blue whale
See one of the worlds largest gannet colonies; over 50,000
pairs
Enjoy the natural beauty of Cape Breton Island
Sail the Saguenay, spectacular feeding ground for marine
and bird species
Photograph the famous red cliffs of the Magdalen Islands

PROPOSED ITINERARY
Day 1: Qubec City, QC

CHARTER FLIGHTS

Day 2: Saguenay Fjord

Outbound:

Day 3: Lower Saint Lawrence

Saint-Pierre, FR to St. Johns, NL

Day 4: Forillon National Park / Gasp

June 10, 2016

Day 5: le Bonaventure Provincial Park

Early-afternoon arrival

Day 6: Prince Edward Island

$350 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees)

Day 7: Cape Breton Island, NS

or join us for an optional overnight cruise from

Saint-Pierre to St. John's aboard the Ocean Endeavour!
Contact us for more details.

Day 8: Magdalen Islands, QC

Day 9: Expedition stop, NL
Day 10: Saint-Pierre, France

Passengers are responsible for arranging their own transport

to Qubec City and from St. John's.

DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Qubec City, QC
One of the oldest European settlements in North America,
Qubec takes its name from the Algonquin word meaning
where the river narrows. The city that Champlain founded
in 1608 was the capital of New France, and later, of British
North America. Today, the proud capital of the province
of the same name boasts the old-world charms of Vieux
Qubec, the world-famous Chateau Frontenac Hotel, and
the only remaining intact citadel walls in North America.
Cultural riches, superb cuisine, and an incredible view
over the river make Qubec the perfect place to begin our
voyage.

the famed Reford Gardens. The gardens are home to a

sculpture park, art installations, and an array of unique
floral walks and enclosures.
Day 4: Forillon National Park / Gasp

Day 2: Saguenay Fjord

The Saguenay drains fresh water from Lac St. Jean, but the
greater part of its volume is salt tidal water from the Saint
Lawrence Estuary. The result is an ideal habitat for marine
mammals including four species of whalesfin, minke,
blue, and the famous (and endangered) Saguenay beluga
population. Saguenay-Saint Lawrence Marine Park and
Saguenay Fjord National Park both protect the regions
vast natural riches.
Day 3: Lower Saint Lawrence
Today we will be exploring the south coast of the Lower
Saint Lawrence. Our stop is weather-dependent; ideally
we will have favourable conditions for an excursion to

The Gasp Peninsula, also known as Gaspsie, separates

the mouth of the Saint Lawrence from Baie de Chaleur.
Dominated by high cliffs on the north shore, the Gasp
includes the eastern tip of the Appalachian Mountain
chain and offers amazing views from its highland regions,
which jut above the treeline.
The first National Park in Qubec, Forillon, is an important
bird and marine mammal habitat. Forillon also preserves
human history in the Grand-Grave National Heritage Site,
telling the story of the fishing families who once made
their homes here. The park contains Canadas tallest
lighthouse, and fortifications remaining from the Second
World War, when German U-boats threatened Allied
shipping.

Day 5: le Bonaventure National Park / Perc

Parc National de l'le-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Perc is the
formal name of the park at the eastern tip of the Gasp
Peninsula. But most Canadians are more familiar with its bestknown feature, the awe-inspiring Perc Rock. The areas flora

leaving a massive column at one end. Fin, minke, humpback,

and blue whales ply the nearby waters of this magnificent
coastal outpost.
Day 6: Prince Edward Island
Canadas smallest province in both size and population, Prince
Edward Island is known by several other names, including
Garden of the Gulf (for its lush agricultural lands) and the
Cradle of Confederation (referring to the Charlottetown
Conference in 1864). It is a realm of rolling hills, wooded glades,
ocean coves, and famously red soil. The islands landscape has
a strong bearing on its inhabitants, and Prince Edward Island
often abbreviated as peiretains a slow-paced, old-world flavour
in its small, rural settlements. The island was made famous
by Lucy Maud Montgomerys Anne of Green Gables (and its
sequels)and to this day the Cavendish farmhouse described
in the book is a popular destination for visitors.
Day 7: Cape Breton Island, NS

and fauna are world-renowned, including famous colonies of

northern gannets: the largest is on Bonaventure Island and
comprises nearly 50,000 pairs.
Named by Samuel de Champlain, Perc itself is an internationally
famed marvel, a huge natural arch within a mass of reddish
limestone and sandstone. A second arch collapsed in 1845,

Today we call in at picturesque Cape Breton Island, an island

comprising rocky shores, rolling farmland, glacial valleys,
barren headlands, mountains, woods, and plateaus. A day of
memorable hiking and cultural experiences awaits us here.
Day 8: Magdalen Islands, QC
Long frequented by Mikmaq people, likely walrus hunters,
the Magdalen Islands (les les-de-la-Madeleine) in the Gulf of
Saint Lawrence were first sighted by Europeans when Jacques
Cartier sailed among them in 1534. Today, although closer to

Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, they form a regional

municipality of the province of Qubec.
However, the islands have a history distinct from that of
mainland Qubec. When the British expelled the Acadians
from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the Magdalene Islanders
remained, and to this day take great pride in their Acadian
heritage. There are also long-standing English settlements, and
a percentage of the population can claim descent from survivors
of the many shipwrecks that have occurred among the islands.
Iconic red sandstone cliffs are among the islands most striking
features.
Day 9: Expedition Stop, NL
Newfoundlands south coast offers many surprises, including
vast stretches of virtually uninhabited wilderness. Fjords, cliffs,
and islands offer excellent Zodiac cruising territory and terrific
birding opportunities. We will be availing ourselves of all the
area has to offer and may be stopping in any of several possible
destinations depending on conditions.
Day 10: Saint-Pierre, FR
On a trip that traces the history and geography of New France,
its appropriate that we wind up in France. Saint-Pierre remains
an official territory of the French Republic, albeit only a few
dozen kilometres off the shore of Newfoundland.
You will have an opportunity to explore the town before
transferring to our charter flight to St. John's, NL.

Clayton Anderson

PHIL JENKINS
AUTHOR AND MUSICIAN
Phil is a newspaper columnist, travel
writer,
author,
and
performing
songwriter. He has been a freelance
columnist for the Ottawa Citizen since
1991 and writes for magazines, including National Geographic
Traveler, Equinox, Canadian Geographic, and Toronto Life.
He has written the non-fiction bestsellers Fields of Vision, An
Acre of Time, River Song: Sailing the History of the St. Lawrence,
and Beneath My Feet: The Memoirs of George Mercer Dawson.
Phil teaches and lectures at Carleton University.

JAY INGRAM
AUTHOR

FEATURED STAFF
PIERRE RICHARD
NATURALIST
Pierre grew up in Qubec City and has
travelled extensively along both shores of
the Estuary and Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
It was there that he developed a lifelong interest in marine mammals, and in particular, whales.
He has co-authored two field guides on eastern Canadian
marine mammals and spent thirty years working as a biologist
and research scientist for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Jay hosted cbc Radios science program

Quirks and Quarks, Discovery Channel
Canadas Daily Planet, and has written
twelve books, most of which have
been bestsellers. He is Chair of the Science Communications
Program at the Banff Centre. Along with Mary Anne Moser, he
is co-founder of the arts, science, and engineering happening
Beakerhead, which launched in September 2013. Jay is a
member of the Order of Canada.
*This is a small sample of our talented team of Resource Staff
for a more complete list, please visit adventurecanada.com.