A sea strewn with islands or a land strewn with water? Hundreds of islands dot the Lower North Shore, a land of light and mist that is a real paradise for sea kayaking. A wild coastline that offers so many different route options to navigate through archipelagos, coastal tundra islets, fjord-like gullies, seabird sanctuaries, sheltered bays and the mouths of salmon rivers.
If the weather can sometimes be difficult in this wild and remote country, the many islands of this sector generally offer the possibility of finding sheltered passages from the open sea and the waves.
Arriving by sea, we will also have the opportunity to visit several villages still not connected by road to introduce ourselves to the Coasters way of life.
Fishing villages like Harrington Harbour, Tête-à-la-Baleine, Mutton Bay or La Tabatière, known for their picturesque character, with their colorful houses and wooden churches. These stops will sometimes be an opportunity to spend a more comfortable night in a lodge to regain your strength after several days on the move.
Getting to the Lower North Shore aboard the Bella-Desgagnés is a trip in itself. The trip is long, but allows you to have a great view. This is no ordinary cruise; the main mission of the Bella-Desgagnés is to supply remote communities and provide a maritime link for the inhabitants of these villages not connected by the road network. The nights on the cargo-passenger are in comfortable cabins (double occupancy), there is a restaurant on board.
Day 1 - Departure from Havre-Saint-Pierre
Early in the morning, around 5 a.m., we meet at the port of Havre-Saint-Pierre to embark on the Bella-Desgagnés in the direction of the Lower North Shore. The ship makes stops in Natashquan, Kegaska and La Romaine during the day, offering the possibility of short walking tours. We spend the night on the supply ship, in comfortable cabins.
Day 2 – Harrington Harbour
We arrive in the morning at Harrington Harbour, a fishing village located on an island, made famous thanks to the film La Grande Séduction. In the morning, we visit the village and its historical monuments on foot, walking along the wooden sidewalks, accompanied by a member of the village. In the afternoon, we will give our first paddle strokes in the Harrington Islands, then come back to camp near the village. In the evening, we will buy fresh seafood directly from the local fish market to make ourselves a good dinner.
Day 3 – Petit-Mécatina River
In the morning, loading of the kayaks and departure. A good day on the water awaits us. We will navigate towards the mouth of the Petit-Mécatina River, in order to set up our second camp there. This river is one of the largest on the North Shore, and falls flow directly into its mouth.
Day 4 - Tête-à-la-Baleine
By the end of the day, we will arrive by kayak at the village of Tête-à-la-Baleine, one of the only French-speaking villages on the Lower North Shore. We will spend a comfortable night at the Auberge de l'Archipel. We will also have the opportunity to take a guided tour of the village.
Day 5 - Providence Island
Off Tête-à-la-Baleine, several islands make up an archipelago where you could probably spend many weeks kayaking. We will head to Providence Island, where old buildings and a chapel date from the time when the inhabitants of the village moved during the summer to the islands for fishing. Wild camping on the islands, with a view of the open sea.
Days 6 and 7 - Archipelago of Many Islands
Further east, we will look for the passages between the islands. We set aside one more day to explore the area. We could, for example, keep the same camp for two nights in a row, to go on a kayaking trip without our luggage, or take a day off at camp if the weather is less nice.
Day 8 - Mutton Bay
A canoe portage allows to reach Mutton Bay without exposing ourselves to an exposed point. We will take a break to visit the village on foot, before continuing our journey to find our evening camp
Days 9 and 10 - La Tabatière
We arrive at our final destination: the village of La Tabatière. Our arrival will be rewarded by a delicious dinner of lobsters or seafood, caught in the same waters where we will have paddled during the last days. We will spend a night in a lodge, comfort well deserved after several days of wild camping. The next day will be the opportunity to make a last kayak trip in the morning or at sunrise. In the afternoon, a member of the community will take us on a guided tour of the village in a van, and a meeting-conference with the students of the school is also planned to tell them about our adventure. We will catch the Bella-Desgagnés late in the evening from La Tabatière on it's way back.
Days 11 and 12 - Return to Havre-Saint-Pierre
The way back on the ship will be an opportunity to contemplate the journey made from another point of view. We will spend two nights on the supply ship, before arriving in Havre-Saint-Pierre in the morning, after 12 days of expedition.
You will need to be able to paddle around 5 to 6 hours a day, with loaded kayaks. Previous sea kayaking experience is recommended, and general fitness is essential. If we generally remain sheltered thanks to the many islands on the route, we must also expect more difficult days due to changing sea conditions, mist, swell and waves during the few more exposed crossings. . Our progress will often depend on the weather, which is sometimes unpredictable in this region. A sea kayaking expedition in an isolated environment often involves a lot of unforeseen events and the active participation of everyone is required. It is also a very rewarding experience. Having a good ability to adapt and a taste for adventure are essential. Surplus days are calculated to compensate for stops in case of bad weather, or simply to take a day off and explore the surroundings of the camp.
We will be wild camping for most of the trip. We will be using expedition tents and a group tarp. Each evening, we will have the leisure to choose our campsites on the moss or the beaches among the islands. Halfway through, we will also have the opportunity spend a comfortable night in a lodge, before setting off again for a few days on our own.
Dates pour 2023
Du 7 au 18 juin