On To The Gaspe Peninsula - A Spectacular Setting of Mountain And The Sea

Gaspe,  Quebec(58 degrees, windy, cloudy skies)

Bonaventure Island overlooking the Hole in the Rock

John and Jimmy walking the beach

We are now traveling along the coastline of Quebec and looking forward to our stay in the Gaspe Peninsula with great anticipation. After Quebec City we stopped at a Passport America campground in Cap Chet, a small coastal town. The campground was not so great (Camping au bord de la mer). It had poor electrical service and non existent WYFI unless you were close to the office but we did enjoy walks on the beach and a fun road trip to Parc National de la Gaspesie.

Our campground by the sea

Largest wind turban

Spring has sprung 

After a brief stay we continued along the coast to Gaspe Quebec. The coastal road was spectacular and wove in and out of small villages. The grades were steep at times (steepest 20 degrees) but John did a fine job.

Our route

We soon arrived at a one of the prettiest campgrounds we have ever stayed in. Our host Ralph at Camping Gaspe made us feel very welcome. Our sites overlook the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The electrical service (30 amp) and WYFI are great. 

View from the front of our site (Camping Gaspe)

The next day our friend Carl suggested we take a boat trip from Perce to Bonaventure Island. The 45 minute drive was very picturesque.

Heading to the town of Perce - WOW!

We boarded our boat and had an hour tour out to the Hole in the Rock formation in the gulf and eventually landed at the island. We went by nesting rockeries of Northern Gannets and Razorbills. This is the third largest nesting site in the world for Northern Gannets. The view from the boat was amazing as the birds flew all around us and could be seen nesting in the cliffs everywhere.

Our boat

Hole in the Rock formation

Nesting Northern Gannets

More Gannets

More Gannets

They are tucked in everywhere

Razorbills (look like little penguins)

We approached the island which in the late 1700's was a fishing port. We  were greeted by an English speaking park warden who quickly showed us a map with the  two walking trails. We then paid an admission fee to enter and climbed up a trail to head out to what is called  the colonies. We were complexity unprepared to see such a huge sanctuary of nesting birds.

Visitor center

Fee booth

As we walked through the forest we suddenly were able to hear the Northern Gannets (over 250,000) calling in the distance. We rounded the corner and this what we saw. You really must watch the videos to get an idea what an amazing sight this was for all of us.

The Norther Gannets establish a nesting site with a small perimeter around their one egg. The birds mate and are monogamous. How they recognize each other amazes me. There is no difference between a male and female gannet in outwards appearance. We found out they have an elaborate ritual of craning their necks and special calls. After the chick fledge the couple will separate but return each year to mate again and establish their nest in the same place. 

What an amazing experience. Afterwards we hiked back and talked with the very interesting park warden while waiting for the boat. It was a pretty trip back made even more special by seeing five Harlequin ducks at the pier.

Beautiful Harlequin Ducks

Afterwards we had a delicious dinner in Perce. I had my first lobster...one of many to come. Life is good!

Tragic News

Quebec City, Canada

Our friends who are traveling with our group, Fran and Randy, were contacted a few days ago. Their son, Scott, was involved in a  horrific accident. A women traveling at a high rate of speed crashed into a truck their son and friend were in. Their truck rolled several times due to the impact and Scott had to be cut from the wreckage and air lifted to a hospital in Florida. There is great concern due to a loss of feelings  in his legs from the knees down. He now has undergone two back surgeries. In one week he will be transferred to a special rehab center in Atlanta for several months. His friend also sustained several injuries. 

Fran and Randy have left our group and flew home to be with their family. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. We hope they can rejoin us again soon. Our hearts are so heavy. We miss them terribly and are so saddened by this terrible accident. We are praying for a miracle. 

Wild and Rugged Moutmorency and Canyon Sainte Anne Waterfalls

12 kms from Quebec City (62 degrees, blue skies)

Two spectacular falls are within driving distance of Quebec City. We were thrilled by our first stop at the Mountmorency Falls. It was much larger than expected and is 98 feet taller than Niagara Falls. The visitor center was very helpful and there is an excellent restaurant too. From the center you walk down  a nice boardwalk all the way out to a suspension bridge which goes OVER the falls. Of coarse, Randy and Fran found some cute warblers to show us along the way hiding out in the rugged rocks and trees. Powerful and dramatic are the best adjectives to describe the falls.

Visitor Center and restaurant

Here is the suspension bridge which goes directly over the falls. It was scary and thrilling all at the same time. 

Jimmy even came along to check out some new smells too. 

Front - Randy and Jann, Back- John, Fran, and Vickie

On the other side is a dramatic stair case which goes down to the base. It was about 360 steps down. We all decided to pass on that experience and thought it must have been very difficult to build. There is also an aerial tram which would take you up and down.We saw pictures in the gift shop of the falls frozen in the winter with a huge ice dome at the base - highest recorded at 126 feet. Spectacular.  Did I mention it gets really cold around here in the winter.

We had lunch at the restaurant in the visitor center. None of the meals came out as we imagined-due to everything being written in French with a translation. However, it was delicious! Everyone is really enjoying being together.

Afterwards, we drove with a slight detour by mistake :) to Canyon Ste-Anne Falls. This is a totally different experience. It's has a raw and less developed natural beauty making it all our favorite. The powerful water has carved its way through the rock. Trails wind you along the side of the falls and there are two suspension bridges at different levels to take in all the beauty. 

This is how it quietly starts...

The water gathers speed and plunges over the edge.

WOW!

The valley belo

Upper suspension bridge

Lower suspension bridge. Some of the group took the stairs down and went across. 

Mist of the falls in the air

On the way back we made a quick stop at the Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beupre. It's the largest church we have ever seen. It was originally built in the 1500's after some sailors prayed to St. Anne for safe passage during a storm. They built the original church in her honor for saving them. It is located in a quaint village and many people come here as a pilgrimage for healing.

Driving through the countryside in this area was so pleasurable. There are many snall village which are very picturesque. It was a great road trip made more special by sharing it with our friends.