South Shore Sortie

October 21, 2023

South Shore Sortie

Laura Snowball, Frankie Nelson and G. T. Bishop embarked on the EXO train to Ste Catherine with, amazingly, a rail car with toilet facilities and a conductor who was actually doing his job!

Before they knew it, the members were exiting on to the platform at Ste Catherine and following green space and hydro corridors to the shore path at the Cote Ste Catherine lock. A very informative installation of fish types caught the members interest briefly but the call for coffee sent them eastwards.

The day was warming nicely as the members stopped at Café L'apostrophe where Frankie extolled the virtues of a Cortado coffee over cappucinos or flat whites. The ambiance was so relaxed and the chairs so comfortable, the members were loathe to depart but the fixture must move on.

Returning to the shore path, the members continued through La Prairie and on to the path snaking through the hydro corridor towards the Champlain bridge. Unfortunately, this was to be another fixture where construction attempted to block the way but Laura was confident, in great A. T. tradition, that the members could find a way through. Finally, the members were able to slide past temporary fencing by doing a 'Malcolm' and regained the path at Rome.

Before long, the members were on the bridge and enjoying the views.

Descending on to Nun's Island with Laura Snowball leading the way, the members enjoyed a lunch break in the Autumn sun outside Mamie Clafoutis' before heading on a circuit of Nun's Island, following, as much as possible, the shoreline.

The members stopped briefly at the Mies Van der Rohe Gas Station (now community centre) to look at the information panel.

Finally, leaving Nun's Island, the members had to detour a second time and followed Wellington into Point St Charles before parting ways at the Lachine Canal. G. T. headed east to the Old Port where the end of the Lachine Canal season was clear and the rare visit of a Canadian Navy vessel was observed.

For those wondering about the yelllow boom floating around the HMCS Glace Bay, the navy has had such a bad record of spilling oil, especially in Halifax Harbour, that it became standard practice to install an oil boom around Canadian Navy vessels just in case!

Also, for those wondering, the flags streamed from bow to stern of the vessel is called 'dressing the ship' and is done for ceremonial occasions. In this case, the First Lieutenant needs a dressing down for having slack in the lines carrying the flags. Not very ship-shape or Bristol-fashion as the 'old salts' used to say.

Total distance for the day around 50K.