We had heard about a trip that involves taking the ferry from Lachine Canal to Isle St Bernard, from where we can cross to Chateaugay and lovely cycle routes. The last ferry of the season is Labour Day, so despite the iffy weather forecast, we decide to chance doing this 82km ride.
Since it is a public holiday, the ferry is pretty busy, the ferryman tells us how the ferry won't be running again until Jean Baptiste day (next June) and the last ferry back is 5.30pm. No worries, we won't be on the return journey, we have a circular route planned out.
I'm feeling pretty bright and chipper today! Looking forward to the ride!
The ferry docks at Isle St Bernard (no cycling on the island, it is a nature reserve) and from there we cross the bridge over to Chateaugay. We probably cycle about 15 -20km along the shore, past some beautiful houses (which I should have photographed, but didn't!) Instead, I first get off my bike to take a photo of the rather less picturesque power station. We're crossing a bridge over the St Lawrence Seaway, and I'm amazed to see a power station has been built right over the water. The river is flowing under this building.
A few minutes later, Stuart wants me to stop and take another photo. At first I thought he wanted to show how he had to take his sun glasses off as he was about to cycle through the tunnel. Odd photo I think, only after I had taken it did I realise that had I been looking more carefully through the viewfinder I would have noticed a huge ship passing right over the bridge. Stuart thought it was pretty funny that I hadn't seen the ship, but who expects a ship on top of a bridge?
We double back and cycle to the top of the lock to get a good view of the ship, it is indeed huge!
Next part of the journey we need to find a way back to the mainland. We've heard that you need to cross a barrage and we manage to find this OK
However, this only gets us half way across the water. We cycle further along a spit of land wondering how to cross the remaining bit of water. (Last ferry back is 5.30pm, I recall). No sign of any bridges, but fortunately Stuart spots an unusual looking sign. On further investigation we find that you have to turn the sign around and the ferryman will come and collect you!
There is a wonderful ferry dog on the boat that personally greets every visitor on board.
We're now en-route to Vaudreil and I finally manage to take a picture of one of the pretty houses
We also pass through Anchor Park at Pointe des Cascades. A very pretty park which has many old ship anchors located around the park.
We cycle on to St Anne-de-Belleview, where we stop for lunch (although it's now about 5pm!). By the time we finish we probably only have about 1 hour's ride back to the car (and 1 hour of daylight left). We put in some speed on the way back, but the storm that has been threatening all day finally turns up, and it's a monster. We've only 8km to go, but now it's really dark, the rain is torrential and the roads are starting to flood. The drains can't cope with all the water and as we cycle our feet plunge into water on the low point of every revolution. When the forked lightening bolts start landing around us I finally decide that it's time to take shelter! Stuart disagrees on the need to take refuge - see video.
We have to wait out the storm for about an hour, and by the time we finally get back to the car I don't think that I'm looking as bright and chipper as at the start of the day!
My magic rain jacket which wards off bad weather is duly fired!
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