Sailing Newfoundland & Labrador Part1 - Lake Ontario to Bay of Islands, Introduction

Jayne and I had always considered Newfoundland one of our ultimate sailing destinations, with careful planning and preparation, our goal seemed not easy but within our ability. We would have to give up idyllic weekends spent enjoying the sun, winds and anchorages of Eastern Lake Ontario, at our home port of Picton and the Prince Edward Cruising Club, what lies beyond the blue horizon intrigued us more.

We decided to set out for the west coast of Newfoundland, on the first leg of what would be a multi season journey. Easy down river sailing to start, we could re-visit part of the familiar route we sailed during Down East Circle. The St. Lawrence River & Seaway to Montreal, Quebec City and then on to explore the Saguenay’s fiord.

After investigating the Saguenay we would cross to Rimouski, and make our way east to Matane, and St Anne Des Monts, on the south shore of the St Lawrence.

At St. Ann Des Monts we would cross the river to the port of Sept Isles, on the St Lawrence’s much less traveled and remote North Shore. From Sept Isles we would sail east along Quebec’s rugged and beautiful Côte-Nord-Duplessis region, to the fantastic Mingan Archipelago, and it’s lovely Acadian port of Havre St Pierre.

Each stop further east on Cote Nord would take us to smaller ports, less travelled but no less interesting, Baie Johan Beetz, Natashquan, and then a 175 mile overnight crossing, of the Esquiman Channel, to Bay Of Islands, on Newfoundlands west coast. We would haul-out and over winter our Niagara 35 sloop Phantasia, outside Corner Brook, with the friendly assistance at the Bay of Islands Yacht Club.

We planned to take about 60 days to complete this 1000-1200 miles of sailing, during the high summer months of July and August.