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A scribble of islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Upon arrival, our appetite was quickly whet with views of rolling seas of grass, red sandstone, and ocean expanse gave one the sense of the unique geography and the feeling of Canada “at the edge of the world”
Auberge La Salicorne, our accommodation for the duration of the trip
An exceptional site with the ocean as the horizon. La Salicorne is well situated at the east end of the Magdalen Islands, in the colorful village of Grande-Entrée. Located on a hill, the setting allows you to see a panoramic view of the ocean from both sides
Doesn't basking in the ocean breeze seem like a good way to relax?
There were many different seating areas around the site
Bunchberry graced the deeper shaded sections of the trails around La Salicorne.
Labrador Tea thrived in the wet, sunny, and acidic areas of the stunted boreal forest trails.
Black Spruce and Douglas Fir dominated the treed landscape, albeit in a stunted form due to being fully exposed to wind.
Black Spruce
Sperm Whale Exhibit
Contemporary Art Exhibit
Island History Exhibit
La Grave on the island of Havre-Aubert (Harbour Aubert)
La Grave, the cradle of the Îles de la Madeleine's settlement and fisheries.
It was the first settlement and fishing hub of the Islands dating back to the 16th century.
Named after the pebble beach that borders it, grave comes from "grève", meaning “pebble beach”. Can you spot the two green hills in the distance? That's where we hiked after lunch. See later photos.
Designated a historical site in 1983, due to its history and cultural importance.
Today, La Grave is a cultural and tourist attraction, with many restaurants, shops, museums and events.
This is the Acadian flag, scene throughout the island. La Grave was home to many Acadian refugees in the 18th century.
The Buttes des Demoiselles is a natural reserve.
Composed of two rounded hills that overlook the sea and offer breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes. This is looking towards La Grave.
The name means "The Maidens' Hills" in French and refers to a legend about two sisters who drowned in the sea.
Group shot!
An ever present seaside grassland guide, the Savannah Sparrow.
You can get tired of walking, but can you really get tired of views like this? Rolling seas of grass, red sandstone, and ocean expanse.
Short-tailed Swallowtails danced in the breeze. I caught this one while it rested.
The higher hill (left) is called the Demoiselle, while the lower one (right) is called the Butte de la Croix, where a cross was blessed by Bishop Plessis in 1811. The cross marks the site of a chapel where religious ceremonies are held on August 15th in honor of Our Lady of the Assumption, the patron saint of the islands.
The rolling seas of grass sway in the breeze, A gentle green contrast to the red sandstone cliffs. Beyond the edge, the ocean expanse gleams in the sun, A vast and endless blue that mirrors the sky. This is a land of beauty and harmony, Where nature's colors blend in a perfect symphony.
La Cote (The Coast) Beach and Etang du Nord (North Pond) Harbour
The harbour has a rich history and culture, as it was the site of several shipwrecks and battles during the colonial era.
A tempestuous isle of 1,000 shipwrecks. While visiting Corfu Island Beach, we saw one of the shipwrecks from the shore. But a few wrecks are still visible from the beach, such as the Corfu Island, once owned by Greek magnate Aristotle Onassis, which sank off the shore of the Magdalen Islands in 1963 and lies aground on the beach, its hull stuck in the sand.
You can quite see it from the photo, but a double rainbow graced the Salicorne
Sunset from La Salicorne
Normally skulking bird, a singing Mourning Warbler garnered my attention singing amongst scrubby deciduous trees behind La Salicorne.
The Mourning Warbler is so named because their gray hood and black chest make them seem like they’re in mourning.
Pointe de l’Est National Wildlife Area
Lead by our enthusiastic local guide, Ophelia, we explored the flora through dunes, crowberry barrens, saline meadows, coniferous forests, marshes and ponds.
Sheep Laurel
Crowberry Barrens are fascinating habitats that support a rich diversity of life.
Common Tuberous Grass Pink Orchid
Pointe de l'Est National Wildlife Area (NWA) was created in 1978 to protect habitats that serve as stopovers for migratory birds and breeding grounds for endangered species such as the piping plover and the horned grebe.
More than 150 bird species frequent the reserve, so one must stop and look to see what they can find!
Grande Entrée Wharf
Quebec's lobster fishing capital
It is the largest lobster fishing wharf of Quebec and the home of more than 100 brightly coloured fishing boats.
We walked down the pier to absorb the sites, sounds and smells.
We even mingled with the fishermen, learning about their craft
A surprise Faces of the Fisherman art exhibit upstairs of a boutique gift shop near the wharf
Group photo among the red sandstone at Plage de La Pointe
Plage de La Pointe
Norman the local lobster fisherman teaching us about the traditional and vital activity that was passed down to him.
Sunset down the hill from La Salicorne
Anglican Parish-The Magdalen, Grosse-Île
Grosse-Île cemetary
In the middleground you can see a pile of tetrapods, a form of wave-dissipating concrete block used to prevent erosion caused by weather and longshore drift, primarily to enforce coastal structures such as seawalls and breakwaters. Apparently these costs an arm and a leg, but protecting this island is priceless.
The Grande Échourie Beach The beach itself is a long and wide stretch of fine sand that reaches 10 km in length, making it one of the most impressive beaches in Quebec.
Singing sands! The grains of sand actually squeak or “sing” when you drag your feet or rustle the sand with your hands. It’s actually the high content of silica and quartz in the dry sand particles that rub together and create the “music”, if you can call it that.
Fog seemed to greet us whether we were atop a hill or on the beach. It added an eerie, mysteriousness to the whole trip.
The beach was beautiful but the air and water temperature weren't quite warm enough for our bikinis and speedos.
We hiked, made sand castles, relax, and even made a sand angel.
The quest for the endangered, beach-lover, Piping Plover bird
Success!
At the Musée des Vétérans, we were gripped by the heartfelt stories of the wars and the people that were apart of them.
Oyster Tasting! Some enjoyed it more than others!
Northern Gannets, the largest seabirds in the North Atlantic, with a wingspan of up to 1.8m and a body length of up to 1m. They breed in large colonies on offshore islands with steep cliffs. They feed mainly on fish, which they catch by diving into the sea at high speed from heights of up to 40m. They can dive as deep as 22m and stay underwater for up to 30 seconds.
Hiking up and through the fog on Entry Island
Four-spotted Skimmer Dragonfly
Savannah Sparrow
Harrier Hawk carrying a meal
Mature Black Spruce Cones
A broad black mask lends a touch of highwayman’s mystique to the male Common Yellowthroat
Relax dude, it's a compliment
Yellowthroats are vocal birds, "witchety-witchety-witchety" songs reveal their presence easily, one of our most numerous warblers.
This beaming, ray of sunshine is known as the Yellow Warbler
The 19th century naturalist William Brewster inspired by the rich song of breeding Fox Sparrows in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, wrote: “At all hours of the day, in every kind of weather late into the brief summer, its voice rises among the evergreen woods filling the air with quivering, delicious melody, which at length dies softly, mingling with the soughing of the wind in the spruces, or drowned by the muffled roar of the surf beating against neighboring cliffs.”
o La Fumoir D’Antan had a fantastic presentation, rich smokey aromas, and a parting gift of a delectable skewer of smoked scallop, salmon, and mackerel that disappeared quickly.
Smoked Herring
o Pied-du-Vent Fromagerie, had another fantastic presentation. Sylvie was excellent and had the group in stiches laughing. The cheese was tasty too!
Pied-De-Vent, an Acadianism, directly translating to "foot of wind" but meaning "the sun's rays piercing through the clouds". It is also their signature cheese that is so delicate that it melts in your mouth like a gentle breeze
Ile-du-Havre-aux-Maisons Lighthouse at Cape Alright is actually pretty great!
Colourful houses dot the island. It makes you wonder how we've succumb to less creative houses and neighbourhoods.
The well-travelled Blackpoll Warbler has one of the longest migrations of any bird, flying up to 20,000 km roundtrip each year. This bird likely flew from South America across the entire North American continent to reach its nesting grounds in the Magdalens. In late summer, it then makes a nonstop flight of up to four days and 2,900 km over the Atlantic Ocean back to its South American wintering grounds. .
