The st. Lawrence river might just as well be ocean for the purpose of driving along the shore road in winter, in the middle of a snowstorm like that it really makes you wonder what the hell you were thinking of driving there in winter.
I went there to visit a huge VAT ('eggbeater' or Darrieus rotor windmill), I should have kept a better eye out for the weather reports rather than to keep on driving, and I only caught the tail end of it. Live & learn...
Calling -20@100 km/h winds 'a bit rough' should qualify for the understatement of the decade if there is such a thing. I've been out in weather like that and it cured me of a desire to see snow and ice for a very long time. I've seen it be below -40 on St. Josephs Island a couple of nights every year and that was definitely quite strange. As long as the wind wasn't up it was doable, even the slightest breeze and you'd be crazy to go out (or you'd have to feed the stove...).
That's what I was thinking, about the paddles. Five minutes by motorboat in clear weather ought to be at least manageable even if the motor's out and the weather's terrible, so long as you've got paddles.
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=cap+chat+quebec&oe=utf-8&aq=t...
The st. Lawrence river might just as well be ocean for the purpose of driving along the shore road in winter, in the middle of a snowstorm like that it really makes you wonder what the hell you were thinking of driving there in winter.
I went there to visit a huge VAT ('eggbeater' or Darrieus rotor windmill), I should have kept a better eye out for the weather reports rather than to keep on driving, and I only caught the tail end of it. Live & learn...
(someone else's picture of the windmill: http://www.flickr.com/photos/libraryman_76021/555075211/ )
It's an interesting experience to try to dig out your car before the next snowplow comes along.