Even so, if you look carefully, it’s always possible to spot a lone walker, as in the photo above. Most people take the marked trails for ease, but others, like the individual above, venture out on snowshoes near the Jacques-Cartier River, which is completely covered in snow at this time of year.
Jacques-Cartier National Park’s landscape, Winter 2024.
Approximately three kilometres from the Discovery and Services Chalet is a bridge. From here, the hiker can capture some very beautiful scenes. In winter, an interesting effect can be achieved by positioning yourself close to the banks.
November in the Jacques-Cartier National Park in Quebec, 2023
This scenery relaxes me so much, yet there are no spectacular elements. Rather, all the components are in perfect harmony: reflections in the water, some bluish snow here and there, brushes and a few leaning trees lit from the side by a soft late afternoon light. As the large trunks occupy the majority of the scene, I chose a vertical format for the photographic composition.
Photo of the Jacques-Cartier national park, Winter 2024.
Above, the landscape attracts the eye with its combination of horizontal, vertical and oblique lines, as well as its alternating black and white in the foreground. I positioned myself to include in the scene a large branch that enters the photo from the top right-hand corner.
The foreground features open water, snow-covered ice, pure ice and snow-covered ice again. In the middle ground, coniferous and deciduous trees. In the background, a forest revealing the snow on the mountain floor. I’ve left only a hint of sky, as the latter offers no particular interest on this cloudy February day, other than to add some white to complete the alternation of colours.
Students from Singapour visiting the Jacques-Cartier National Park during winter 2024
During my hike in the Jacques-Cartier National Park today, I met some French people, a Polish woman and seven students from Singapore. They are part of an exchange program with Canada and are currently studying at an Ontario university. They are taking advantage of their reading week to make a little trip to Quebec.
A group of students from Singapour on a trail in the Jacques-Cartier National Park winter 2024
You couldn’t ask for a better day for the long excursion they’ve planned. It was -13C early this morning, but a new air mass entered Quebec and by the time I took these photos, we’d already reached +1C with beautiful sunshine and almost no wind. But I reckon they’ll have much walking to do to complete their excursion before the park closes for the evening.
Birds on a window at the Jacques-Cartier National Park winter 2024
Bird decorations are glued to the windows of the Discovery and Service Center at KM 10. I attempted a photo from inside the building, while including the forest in the background.
On the way to Matane, a stop at Parc national du Bic is a must. The unique morphology of the region immediately catches the eye. We photograph this scene from the promontory set up at the park entrance. In early September, the deciduous trees take on an orange hue. These colors provide an interesting contrast to the bluish background.
The movement of ice broke these wooden stairs on the beach in Matane, Québec 2023
A wooden staircase recently built along the Matane beach could not withstand the onslaught of storms. The same thing happened at Percé several years ago, when ice movement quickly destroyed a superb promenade erected for tourists.
Damages caused by the movement of ice in Percé.
We need to rethink seaside construction in the light of climate change.
Some forty birds move together in search of food on this Matane beach. I captured the scene with aCanon EF 11-24mm f/4 USM zoom lens. When motionless, these birds blend in perfectly with the surrounding rocks, as shown in the photo below. There are no fewer than thirty-four of them on the ground.
34 birds on the beach at Matane. Try to find them…
A beach in Matane in fog in 2023.
A final shot shows the river’s discharge onto the shore at each tide. I imagine that someone could make use of these sea products by transforming them into something marketable. Bretons are already doing this successfully on Ouessantin France for certain types of seaweed.
First accumulation of snow and ice of the river. Jacques-Cartier national park, Québec 2023.
Jacques-Cartier National Park during a light snow shower, Québec 2023.
Every week brings a slight change in the vegetation and snow cover of Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier. Earlier this week, I was there as a light snow fell on the region. The ice doesn’t yet completely cover the river, but you can see in the first photo that it now surrounds the rocks in the middle of the stream.
While in L’Islet, a stop at the Musée maritime du Québec is a must. Above, the icebreaker Ernest Lapointe, responsible for clearing the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Trois-Rivières for 37 years.
The Bras d’Or hydrofoil at the Musée de l’Islet
Also on the grounds is the famous HMCS Bras d’Or. This hydrofoil was created in Canada during the Cold War to monitor Canadian waters against possible Soviet submarine intrusion. As this museum boat explains, “it was compulsory to have a dual pilot’s licence for aircraft and navigation in order to operate this self-supporting winged craft“.
HMCS Onondaga submarine museum in Pointe-au-Père, Québec 2023
A little further east, we reach Pointe-au-Père, in the Rimouski region. Here you’ll find Canada’s only submarine museum.Visitors can tour the interior of the HMCS Onondaga, used until 2000. Travelers pass through 17 stations to learn about life aboard a submersible.
Inside the canadian submarine HMCS Onondaga in Pointe-au-Père
The mechanic worked for periods of two months at a time, monitoring the engines in this noisy, diesel-smelling environment. A German spy disembarking from a submarine at night in Gaspésie was spotted in a bus because it smelled strongly of diesel.
Empress of Ireland museum in Pointe-au-Père, Québec 2023
Above, a shot of one of the rooms in the Museum of the Empress of Ireland. Her sinking in the St. Lawrence River was the second most costly in human lives after the Titanic. Among all the objects recovered from the wreck is this porcelain skeleton that one of the passengers had in his cabin.
The photograph shows a view of the fertile land along the St. Lawrence River in the Kamouraska region. A public observatory allows visitors to admire the panorama.
Sea kayaking on the St.Lawrence Seaway near Rivière-du-Loup
In the evening, in Rivière-du-Loup, these two kayakers enjoy the tranquility of the St. Lawrence River as they indulge in their favorite sport.
The St.Lawrence Seaway seen from Rivière-du-Loup
This HDR shot of a unit at the Auberge de la Pointe in Rivière-du-Loup features seven superimposed photos, for a total of 354 megabytes of data. This ensures that the sky is correctly exposed and that the rooms in the foreground are not completely obscured.
Ferry towards St-Siméon in the province of Québec 2023
The journey takes us to Saint-Siméon on a calm seaway. A Canon EF 11-24mm F/4 USM wide-angle zoom lens captures the scene without exaggerated distortion.
Île-aux-Lièvres and the St. Lawrence river, Québec 2023.
Auberge la Châtelaine Saint-Laurent, La Malbaie 2023.
Here’s a shot of one of the corridors of the Auberge Châtelaine, in La Malbaie. One of the reasons to stop by is the excellent breakfast included after a good night’s rest. No fat bacon or greasy potatoes here: just homemade bread and jams.
Sea kayaks at Saint-Laurent-de-l’Île d’Orléans 2023
On Sunday, September 24, 2023, the company Quatre Natures organized a certified level 1 sea kayaking course the St. Lawrence River, starting from Île d’Orléans. As registration was done well in advance, we had to be a bit lucky during the activity, as it would take place as much in good weather as in bad.
So, I take a chance. Fortunately, an incredible day awaits the six students: full sun and twenty degrees Celsius. How should we dress for the circumstances? We know that the human body temperature is 37 degrees Celsius. The kayaker adds up the water and air temperatures and compares the total to the temperature of the human body. With the river that day at 18 degrees and the air around 20 degrees, this gives a total of 38. As this figure is slightly higher than normal body temperature, we can wear normal clothing for water activities, rather than a wetsuit.
The morning is used to cover theory. No one sets foot in the water. The instructor discusses what the kayaker must have on board, the relative quality of different equipment, preparation, communications and radio frequencies, safety and hypothermia prevention, and so on.
Sea kayaking activity at l’île d’Orléans (photo Vadym Kravchenko)
After lunch, the kayaks are placed on the lawn and the vocabulary related to each part of the kayak is learned. The student then settles into the kayak and learns how to adjust the footbraces, hold the paddle, install the spray skirt, and so on. The boats are then brought to shore and kayaking begins.
First, we learn the basic maneuvers. How to embark and disembark, the trajectory the paddle should follow in the water depending on whether you want to go forward, backward or turn. We discuss the correct position of the body, arms and wrists on the paddle, and the importance of rotating the pelvis to force the paddle properly. We quickly realize the influence of side winds on the kayak, especially when it has no centerboard or rudder.
The river is considered level 2 for kayaking. The current is strong, and we have to deal with three-metre tides. The wind around the island is also stronger than in Quebec City. Level 1 kayakers are encouraged to seek out Level 1 locations to gain experience, and never to set off alone at this stage of their learning process.
During the exercises, you can see the container ships and the various pleasure boats offshore. The larger vessels generate waves that take between five and ten minutes to reach the shore. When these approach, the instructor warns novice kayakers to turn to face the wave, so as to limit the effects on the boat.
The container ship Hapag_Lloyd Quebec Express and the container ship MSC Paola are sailing around Île d’Orléans near Quebec City.
The BBC Manila carries wind turbine blades on the St.Lawrence Seaway near Quebec City.
Then come the emergency maneuvers: what’s the procedure for getting out of a kayak that’s just capsized? How do you help someone who has capsized?
I didn’t have time to get to this stage of the course. I capsized before. I don’t remember how I managed to extricate myself from the kayak and get back to the surface, but we’re not talking about an approved method here. The brain immediately detects the danger and organizes itself so that the body gets out of the kayak and the head doesn’t stay underwater for too long.
In the minutes that follow, the instructor teaches us how to perform the classic exit from a capsized kayak. We work in pairs. At Level 1, there’s no question of using the paddle to force the kayak to turn.
To obtain KDM 1 certification, everyone must lean sideways so that the kayak tips over. Once submerged, the student leans forward, unhooks the spray skirt attached to the kayak, and slowly taps the kayak’s hull three times to signal that he is in control of what he is doing. The instructor wants to avoid unpredictable reactions. We then push ourself out of the kayak by placing our hands at hip height on the coaming. As soon as we are out of the water, it’s imperative that we hold on to our kayak, thanks to the lifeline. It only takes a few seconds. Here and there, you can hear a little coughing as the student surfaces, but nothing more. A good sip of St. Lawrence River boosts the immune system.
Next comes the recovery of the person in the water. As we work as a team, the kayaker in difficulty clings to the front of our kayak and stays there until we catch up with his or her kayak, lift it onto our boat, empty it of water, turn it over and position it correctly.
Sea kayaking course level 1 with Quatre Natures (photo Quatre Natures)
The person clinging to the kayak then releases his or her grip, and depending on the method taught, climbs back into the boat while the latter is being held securely. The important thing here is to keep the center of gravity as low as possible. If the person doesn’t hurry and proceed step by step, the operation is a success every time.
A few more exercises follow, and it’s back to the beach on Île d’Orléans a few hours later. Once all participants have dried off and put on their warm clothes, the course concludes with a few weather notions, including the need to consult weather forecasts and radars, and to return quickly to shore when storm cells are present.
We also cover tide calculation (rule of 12) and how to attach a kayak to a car roof. How many attachment points? What equipment is available to make the job easier? Where should harnesses go to avoid breaking the kayak? Etc.
The KDM 1 certificate is awarded approximately eight to nine hours after the start of the course, depending on the instructor’s assessment. I noticed that on the way home, in the heat of the car, I really didn’t feel like rushing on the road. But you quickly come back to reality when you see how fast the cars are coming up behind you.
An Old Quebec view with the Château Frontenac in the distance using a Canon 11-24mm zoom lens.
Luck plays a significant role in the acquisition of an original shot. To put chance on our side, we need to go on photo expeditions frequently, whatever the weather, and seize opportunities when they arise.
For this outing in Old Quebec, I thought I’d use a Canon 11–24mm f/4L USM super-wide-angle zoom lens. It allows you to get very close to a tall building and obtain vertical lines without the top of the structure disappearing.
Indeed, many high-performance zooms require the utilization of image-processing software to produce an almost perfect vertical effect. But doing so cuts off the top of the edifice.
So, I was looking for a different perspective to shoot the Château Frontenac. I saw it more in the background, as a point of arrival for the eye, rather than taking up all the space. Even as a small edifice in a photo, you recognize it before any other structure.
To do this, I chose an architecturally interesting building as my starting element. It reminded me vaguely of the Flatiron Building in New York. Naturally, it’s not as high and offers that rounded effect when captured in wide-angle format.
I’ve observed a lot of representations of Old Quebec so far. However, I don’t recall previously noticing the street and the old edifices in this way. Usually, the building in the foreground is partially visible.
Lost in the analysis of the ideal angle, I heard a strange engine sound. On my left, a vintage car was moving slowly and would pass in front of the Canon 5DSr lens in a few seconds.
I quickly lifted the camera and placed it in the right spot. The auto was already gaining speed and I had to seize the opportunity. This vintage car blended perfectly into the scene. Only the slightly more contemporary station wagon indicates a more recent picture.
Modernity and the past still come together in harmony in a developer-protected Old Quebec. To capture interesting pictures, you need to get out into the old town frequently.
Comfortably seated on the new terrace of Quebec City’s Station de la Plage, I wrote this article sheltered from the elements.
Phase 3 of the Promenade Samuel-De Champlain in Quebec City will have cost around $190 million. A site foreman confides: “The most complex part of all this was complying with the actual government requirements. We had to do a lot of digging and install infrastructure to prevent wastewater from being discharged into the St. Lawrence River. We also had to deal with the sudden increase in inflation: to avoid a $50 million overrun, we had to shorten the width of the children’s romper and cut where it had to least impact “.
While out cycling, I took the opportunity to snap a few shots of the construction progress around what will develop into the “station de la Plage”.
Construction of the stairs at the “station de la Plage”, Quebec City.
The picture above shows the production of the reinforced concrete for the main staircase.
Below, the finished steps can be seen. What will become the swimming pool (on the left of the photo) receives its first coat of paint. A modification to the pool’s depth necessitated the installation of a fence.
Painting the swimming pool at the “station de la Plage” and installing the fence.
It can disappear completely into the ground as soon as swimming is allowed. However, its operation is currently causing serious problems, as with all novelties. When the motor exerts too much force to raise a section of fence, it falls back down on its own. The presence of sand in the vicinity may have been ignored, or at least its effect underestimated, when the railing was designed. Sand is inserted into the gears with each day’s activity. And there’s no question of using grease to make it easier to raise and lower the panels: the sand would stick to the lubricant and further complicate operations. A technician has been working for weeks to rectify the situation.
The “station de la Plage” is almost completed.
The pool has now received a coat of blue paint. This creates a clear demarcation with the color of the river water, an effect that will also benefit photographers. Only a few preparations remain before the population can officially access the site. The Commission de la capitale nationale de Québecwants people to be able to bathe just in time for the Fête nationale des Québécois, on June 24.
From now on, the incredible popularity of the site with the public will have to be managed. Indeed, in their eagerness to access the beach, few individuals bother to read the current regulations. This task will fall to the security staff, who will have to utilize their teaching skills and diplomacy to get the message across.
In fact, the “station de la Plage” and “station de la Voile” are so popular that the planners had to quickly rethink parking management. On sunny days, thousands of people come to relax on the sites. Cars arrive laden with children and beach equipment, and everyone hopes to find a space for their vehicle. But by 10 a.m., there’s nothing left.
The two beach and building attendants have their hands full observing everything that moves, correcting habits and arguing with people. Because, in addition to the scarcity of parking spaces, pedestrians are not tolerated strolling alongside their bicycles, either near the beach or on the elevated terrace.
Raised deck at “station de la Plage”, Québec City.
However, the rules and regulations posted on the National Capital Commission’s website are confusing. They stipulate that you must walk on the site and that bicycle traffic is prohibited. You might think that a person walking with his bike at his side would be complying with the requirements, since he’s not straddling it, but that’s not the case.
A month into the operation, a security guard tells me: “We’ve already notified over 400 visitors who were walking while holding a bike”. He wants the word to get out. But the facilities for accommodating bicycles are not keeping up with demand. The tree trunks near the main building help out, and serve as a place to put a padlock on busy days.
Trees used to lock bikes at the station de la Plage in Quebec City.
What’s more, with bicycles becoming increasingly expensive, many cyclists are reluctant to leave them unattended for a few hours, even when locked. Experienced thieves are notoriously quick. This first year of operations will therefore require some modifications to procedures and installations.
