1
OutdOOr
explOits
ExplorE pristinE
WildErnEss
hidden sea caves off the magdalen Islands
sWiM in
sEa cavEs
seA CAve: AuBerGe LA sALICOrNe; DOGs: rAPhAeL OueLLeT/TQ; sKIer: sTeve DesChêNes/TQ
By ClArke ThomAs
Normally I’d feel a little odd wearing a
wetsuit on a bus. Fortunately on this day
I’m not alone: 20 other passengers are
similarly attired, and we’re all about to
have a most unusual adventure.
In the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec’s
Magdalen Islands have a well-deserved
reputation as one of Canada’s top aquatic
playgrounds. The archipelago boasts worldclass sea kayaking, sailing and windsurfing,
but one outfitter, La Salicorne, also gives
visitors the chance to try something rather
less expected: swimming in sea caves along
the Ile de la Grande Entrée’s sandstonecliffed coastline.
Our bus arrives at the beach and we pull
on life jackets and helmets before hitting
the water. The jackets and wetsuits make
us super buoyant, so our guides provide
tips on propelling ourselves through the
Book it!
For your next
Quebec getaway,
find what you need
at CAA Travel
heaving ocean swell. Then we splash our
way along the shore to our first cave.
Getting past the entrance isn’t easy—
incoming waves carry us in through the
opening, then outgoing waves drag us
back out. Once we’ve struggled inside, we
can relax and explore the cave’s quiet, dark
interior. Then we push through the surf
to the bright sunshine outside.
We visit more than a dozen distinct
caves during our two-hour tour. The
aptly named Washing Machine spins us
around as though we’re on a rinse cycle.
We access the Confessional by swimming
underwater through a mostly submerged
entrance hole.
For me, the most memorable cave is the
Dragon’s Lair, the deepest one we enter.
It eventually narrows into a thin crack,
and then, after a tight squeeze lasting
about six metres, widens again into an
eerily black chamber. Just half a minute
passes before claustrophobia forces me
to leave. For a few seconds, as I squirm
back through the slim passage, I’m feeling
a little panicked. But then I see the light
again, and I’m ready for another cave.
Stay Lay your head
at one of many CAA
rewards partner hotels
in the Quebec area,
which offer discounts to
CAA members
Drive Tool around the
province in a midsize car
for about $50 a day. CAA
members can earn CAA
Dollars and save up to
20% on rentals from hertz
Northern Quebec has
vast unspoiled territory
to discover. But you’ll
need an expert navigator.
Try a nine-day trek
with Inuit guides in
Kuururjuaq National
Park, one of Nunavik’s
most scenic spaces. Following in the footsteps
of their ancestors, the
guides help guests cross
the tundra by dog sled,
snowmobile, skis and
snowshoes while reconnecting with nature
at its most rugged.
MakE an ExtrEME
dEscEnt
With more than twodozen rugged peaks at
least 1,000 metres high,
the Chic-Choc Mountains
present a challenge for
skilled downhillers. From
December through April,
the Matane and ChicChocs wildlife reserves
and Gaspésie National
Park open up to backcountry skiers seeking
the thrill of carving
through deep virgin snow.
tour see Old Quebec
on a city tour along the
st. Lawrence river, with
sites such as Place royal,
Plains of Abraham and
Place d’Armes. From $42
start planning your trip
now with a CAA Travel
consultant. Call 204262-6000 or 1-800222-4357, or check out
caamanitoba.com/travel
CAA MANITOBA
FALL 2016
31