{"id":56589,"date":"2023-05-25T15:15:25","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T19:15:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fondationrivieres.org\/?p=56589"},"modified":"2024-03-14T11:50:24","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T15:50:24","slug":"canot-riviere-petit-mecatina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fondationrivieres.org\/en\/canot-riviere-petit-mecatina\/","title":{"rendered":"By canoe on the Petit M\u00e9catina river"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Story of the first canoe descent recorded on the entire Petit M\u00e9catina river\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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This 800 km expedition which should take us from New Quebec, via Labrador, to the Lower North Shore in the summer of 1977, originated on a rainy and cold day on the Red River while Alain and I was going down the \u201cVingt-et-un-Milles\u201d. This is where the idea arose of doing an expedition together lasting at least a month and which would also constitute a \u201cgreat first\u201d.<\/p>

Alain wasted no time in providing me with an itinerary. After multiple checks and a few modifications, we arrived at a final route. This itinerary admirably met our criteria: having an estimated duration of 37 days, being a \u201cfirst\u201d and being economical, that is to say accessible without a plane. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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From left to right: Jean Masson, Serge Th\u00e9or\u00eat, Sylvain Beaudry, Jean Lauzon, Alain Chevrette and Guy Garand\n<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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We intended to descend the Petit M\u00e9catina river over its entire length, i.e. 384 km. (Editor\u2019s note: the Petit M\u00e9catina river is more than 545 km long according to the Quebec Toponymy Commission<\/a>). But to reach its source, there were 416 km to cross, 416 km where it would be necessary to change watershed twice and go up a distance of 75 km of rivers punctuated by multiple rapids.<\/p>

The winter was spent drawing up a list of equipment, composing the menu and recruiting four members. Three months before departure, everything was ready. One team would be made up of Guy Garand and Jean Lauzon, a second of Sylvain Beaudry and Jean Masson, graduates at C\u00c9GEP Montmorency, and the third of Alain Chevrette, professor at this C\u00c9GEP, and myself, professor at Polyvalente Deux-Montagnes<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Days 1 to 7: Montreal to Sept-\u00celes <\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It was with feverish excitement that we loaded our canoes and luggage onto the Quebec North Shore & Labrador Railways train in Sept-\u00celes this morning of July 8.<\/p>

Let's go! We will get off at Oreway, 298 km further north, or almost, since the driver forgot to stop the train at the right place. We will be left with an extended portage of a few hundred meters. Phew! Already, at the first portage, the 50 kg bags are felt heavily! Fortunately, they will become lighter over time...<\/p>

We must first cross a series of lakes: \u00e0 l'Eau-Claire, Pas-D'Eau, Jospeh, K\u00e9pimits, Atikonak, connected by the rivers \u00e0 l'Eau-Claire, K\u00e9pimits and Sans-nom. From the first days, emotions are strong. Alain and I must ensure that the other young people, who lack experience, acquire it as quickly as possible without taking unnecessary risks in the 14 rapids that we encounter. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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