JULY 25-27: MONTREAL TO ST. ANNE DE BELLEVUE

July 25:  Montreal to St. Anne: We left Montreal a few pounds heavier.  Oh well, it will have to be lettuce leaves not croissants for a few days to get back to normal.  The passage out of the Old Port was fast and furious but this time the current was with us and we hit 12 knots.  Once out of the area where the current is the strongest, we turned and headed up the St. Lawrence Seaway to Saint Lambert Lock which is the first of two commercial locks that we have to transit today.

Heading up the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Commercial vessels have preference in these locks.  So pleasure craft have to dock and wait for clearance to enter the lock.

This big guy jumped the queue ahead of us.  

Seen here entering the lock.

The lift in the St. Lambert Lock is 18 feet.  This gives a good idea of how long the lock is.  It is definitely made for the large commercial vessels that ply the St. Lawrence Seaway.  The second lock, the St. Catherine Lock has a lift of 32 feet.

The pleasure craft are packed in and rafted together three across.

Here is another big guy headed our way!  

We finally made it to St. Anne-de Bellevue at 6:00 p.m.  The entire journey was only 35 miles but it took us 10 hours due to long waits that we encountered at the two large commercial locks.   Fortunately, we found space at the lock wall despite the late arrival.

July 26-27:  St. Anne-de-Bellevue is a very popular spot with local boaters.  Both sides of the canal were jam packed with boats by early morning as the weather promises to be good for the weekend.

Not Notre Dame but a lovely church with much simpler ornamentation. 

We enjoyed the town with its numerous restaurants, boutiques and quaint architecture.

Several ice cream stores!