Scenic Sailing - Gulf of St. Lawrence

The seas were a little rough when Tim and I got up, and the weather forecast was accurate. We will not be visiting Cap-aux-Meules today.

A Little Rocking and Rolling Going On

The passengers seemed to be handling the rocking and rolling, but, unfortunately, there was one casualty. The mannequin in the Nordic Shop fell and even lost his head. Not to worry, though. He received immediate medical attention and was back to his old self by late afternoon.

Casualty at Sea

Viking always offers lots of lectures and other enrichment activities, and I especially enjoy them on sea days. Today, I attended Specialist Todd Miller’s talk on “The 49th Parallel – History and Highlights Along the Canada – U.S Border.” Todd is a great speaker, and I learned all about the history of the world’s longest undefended border.

The 49th Paralled

Although we could not stop at Cap-aux-Meules today, we did sail close to the island. Cap-aux-Meules is the second largest of the Magdalen Islands by area, a low-lying expanse ringed by rugged shores that was inhabited by the Mi’kmaq tribe when they came on a seasonal walrus hunt. The first European to step on this land was Jacques Cartier in 1534. Today, some islanders are descendants of shipwreck survivors and live in houses built out of wood retrieved from the waters.

A Few Views towards Cap-aux-Meules

After another delicious dinner, Tim and I attended a lecture, this time by guest lecturer Donna Sinclair entitled "Forgotten Stories of the St. Lawrence Seaway.” The motto of Quebec, “Je me souviens” or “I remember,” was the theme that ran through the cultural and historical narratives she presented about the intertwined Indigenous, Canadian, and American histories of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Stories of the St. Lawrence Seaway

Donna and her daughter Sarah are on board to add a social science perspective and gather feedback as they develop an app that will tell the stories of the St. Lawrence. Interactive touchscreens are available that allow guests to access content that includes video, audio, and images. Donna has been available every day and has asked for feedback on preferred topics and media formats.