August 15                             Taduassac, Canada

We left the marina on a beautiful sunny day heading for Taduassac at the headwaters of the Saguenay River and the focal point of an enormous marine conservation area with a population of seals, turtles, and whales.  We have always ignored whale watching tours because of the expense and the uncertainty of seeing whales.  However, the guests of Robert Williams had rhapsodized about their experience in this area.  They reported seeing numerous whales and porpoises.  We decided to try a whale watching trip and bought tickets as we registered at the marina in Taduassac.

Returning to the boat from the office, we observed for the first time, the shredded Bimini top of our boat.  Somehow we had not seen the cover for the bridge area which had been destroyed as a result of the storm and winds of the previous day.  Further inspection showed that the dinghy had been moved more than two feet from its stand and its cover was hanging precariously off the side.  I mounted the console of the bridge and managed with scissors and zippers to untangle and remove the Bimini top.  We hired help to aid us in restoring the dinghy to its proper position.  To our dismay, the repair in Quebec had been unsuccessful and the dinghy was once again deflated.

Our whale watching trip was not very successful.  We saw the fins of several whales but nothing surfaced to amaze and awe us.  The three hour trip became very boring and the short excursion into the Saguenay Fjord produced no memorable sea animal sights although the scenery was awesome.   Dinner at the marina restaurant was not a memorable event.  We could have done much better with snacks on the boat. We sighted a small yellow boat with a canopy top that reminded me of Monet's little boat used for painting in plein aire (except this one had a motor).

Taduassac is a charming community surrounding a beautiful and active harbor.  A magnificent red-roofed hotel is the focal point of the scene but lovely and impressive homes dot the adjacent verdant hillsides.  As with all the Canadian villages we have seen, a large steepled church dominates the scene and commands the attention of the spectator.