Tall Ship Expeditions Canada

is a genuinely amazing place. There is a magic held in these places, where the relics of history stand as tangible reminders of the joys and hardships of time gone by. The weathered bones of old dories and homes rise up as ghosts out of long grasses dotting the bays; a testament to the endurance of the human spirit.

This voyage has been unlike any other our little ship has undertaken before. This voyage, this place, and the friendships forged during this expedition will be with everyone who sailed on the St. Lawrence II for the rest of their lives.

A heartfelt thanks to everyone who took part in this amazing journey, and to everyone who donated and supported the voyage - we couldn’t have done it without you. 🙏🏼

.voyage .restoration .canada and countless others!

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Vibes: Immaculate.

NL 2024.



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Exploring Newfoundland, 2024.

We have run programs for youth between 15-26 this summer, much of which is subsidized through donations to our bursary program. Youth from across Canada have come together aboard the historic St. Lawrence II to explore, learn, and grow together.

We’re working to make Canada a better place for all of us through transformative youth programming focused on understanding, challenge, and exploration.

If you support enabling deserving youth to access our life changing programming, please consider making a donation today!

https://tallshipexpeditions.com/donate

📷: (look for Alistair’s ground breaking project coming to life this fall!)

The circumnavigation of Newfoundland has been an unbelievable experience. Marine life, icebergs, and amazing seascapes and shorelines to explore.

So grateful to our amazing crew, Captains, participants and supporters who are enabling this once in a lifetime adventure to take form.

📷: J. Soper

Departing St. John’s Harbour through The Narrows a week ago. What an inspiring image!

Sailing vessel departing St John's on a foggy July morning.

Credit: Julie Mullowney/NL Maritime

Good time in the old town! St. Lawrence II made her first visit to St. John’s to kick off our 2024 youth summer programs. The ship was sailed from Lunenburg by our first post-secondary aged group of the year.

A solid crew who made the vessels first ever visits to Newfoundland and explored the hauntingly beautiful south coast of the island.

Good 📸:

Other photos: Chris and his iPhone

The St. Lawrence II is about to make her first ever landfall in Newfoundland & Labrador in her 70th season.

Ian, an Inuk from Cambridge Bay, NU takes a turn on the helm as she sails across the Cabot Strait. Canada has changed so much over the past 70 years, and our program has changed right along with it - and often at the forefront.

I am quite sure this image would make Francis’ heart sing, to see the beauty, freedom and adventure his little ship has provided to so many!

Here we come Channel-Port-Aux-Basques!

St. Peter’s Canal!!! Back for the first time since 2017!

Making our first REAL trip through the Bras d’Or!

A couple of our crew members from Nunavut got to sail on the today! It was an awesome experience, huge thanks to Phil, Erin and the whole gang! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

We still have space for the sail departing on June 9th from Lunenburg to St. John’s - and we have TRAVEL SUBSIDIES available!

Don’t miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure! Apply today!

Something that is unlike any other aboard the St. Lawrence II are the sunsets! Golds, burnt oranges, every shade of red, we get the whole sunset experience. Join us aboard the St. Lawrence II this summer and you too will get to savor these stunning moments.

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To learn more and to register: https://tallshipexpeditions.com/sailing-schedule-2024

📸 A Beverley Photography

Coming up in a few weeks is Course 1 of our summer 2024 east coast expeditions! We will traverse some of Canada’s east shore of the North Atlantic Ocean as we sail from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, to Saint Pierre & Miquelon (France), to St. John’s, Newfoundland.
The length of Canada’s Atlantic coastline is approximately 42,000 km. The coastal ecosystems of the Atlantic include sandy beaches, rocky shores, mudflats, salt marshes, pebble beaches, fjords, bogs, islands and dramatic cliffs. The Atlantic connects to the Great Lakes through the St. Lawrence River Basin. Northern bottlenose whales swim in The Gully, off the shores of Nova Scotia, and are an endangered population of Northern bottlenose. You may also sight other whales including belugas and humpback, as well as harbor and gray seals. The Atlantic Ocean is vital to Canada’s economy, providing over 55,000 jobs, and make up the economies of about 1,000 coastline communities that depend on fisheries and related industries. Though once imagined as a place of boundless resources, the health of the Atlantic Ocean is threatened from pollutants such as pesticides, herbicides, detergents, sewage, other toxins and microplastics that have accumulated in the ocean. They are consumed by marine animals and then affect the food chain. The warming waters and rising sea levels impact both human and marine life, such as affecting the migration routes of Atlantic fish and then affecting the fishing industries and the entire marine ecosystem. Sailing brings us closer to nature, and as we experience first hand its power and appreciate its stunning beauty, we can’t help but acknowledge that it is a place to be conserved and taken care of, to protect both the coastal communities and marine ecosystems.
For more information and to register for our courses, visit our website at
https://tallshipexpeditions.com/sailing-schedule-2024

Course 1: June 9-29, for ages 18-25

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📸 A Beverley Photography

Source:
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/atlantic-ocean-and-canada

Looking for an awesome sailboat AND a way to support TSEC-Brigantine? Well, here's your opportunity!

Amazing condition 1977 Soling for sale!

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details.html?adId=1693405588&siteLocale=en_CA

“This was my first year as a petty officer and it was interesting being the one in charge of teaching people this year. I also discovered that being on the month-long course last year meant I was actually a little more experienced than some of the other petty officers who had been on the boat for more years, which was crazy.”- Participant, summer 2023
Signing up for our month-long courses may seem daunting, but it gives you valuable experience if you are interested in pursuing a career in the marine industry and/or outdoor education, provides you with loads of sailing experience, and is for everyone who seeks adventure!
Course 1 (June 9-29th) and Course 4 (July 22nd-August 21st) are our longer courses this summer, and both guarantee a fantastic opportunity to gain sailing experience on an ocean voyage out east while experiencing an extended time aboard the St. Lawrence II!
For more information and to register, visit https://tallshipexpeditions.com/sailing-schedule-2024

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📸 A Beverley Photography

On Course 4, we will sail through the Labrador Sea from St. Anthony up to Makkovik and down to Corner Brook, Newfoundland. The sea is between Labrador and Greenland, and the Labrador Current carries thousands of icebergs southward, most from the glaciers of western Greenland and some from the Arctic. Many early explorers passed through the Labrador Sea while searching for the Northwest Passage, the long-sought after route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, finally traversed entirely through sea in 1906 by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. We will join countless other sailors and seafarers from centuries past as we navigate some of the the Labrador Sea on Course 4, running from July 22nd-August 21st.

Course 4: St. Anthony- Battle Harbour- Makkovik- Corner Brook, July 22nd- August 21 , for ages 15-23. Register at our website, https://tallshipexpeditions.com/sailing-schedule-2024

Photo: St. Lawrence II crew enjoying the watery vista from last summer's course! 😱



Sources: https://www.britannica.com/place/Labrador-Sea , https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/northwest-passage

📸 A Beverley Photography

The St. Lawrence II is a custom built Tall Ship, designed in 1953 in the Kingston Shipyards especially for youth sail training in Kingston (marking 2024 our 71st year of operation!). Francis MacLachlan and Mike Eames designed the 72-foot (22 m) ship, which was built to create teamwork, community, and cooperative effort between participants. The ship was originally built for young new naval officers, but has since become a platform for a top-notch outdoor experiential adventure program for youth. An extraordinary sea-worthy ship, the St. Lawrence II has a full modern navigation suite and can host 25 crew (an “it’s bigger on the inside!” situation). The rig is a brigantine, two-masted sailing ships with square rigging on the foremast and fore-and-aft rigging on the mainmast. The term originated from two-masted ships which were powered by wind and oars. Pirates terrorized the Mediterranean on these ships in the 16th century (often we hear that the St. Lawrence II looks like a pirate ship- they aren’t wrong!). You might not have seen the St. Lawrence II silhouetted against the skies of the Portsmouth Olympic Harbour recently. On June 9th, 2023, the ship headed out on a more than 700-km journey through the St. Lawrence Seaway to Maritime Quebec (summer 2023) and Newfoundland and Labrador (summer 2024). Spaces for this summer aboard the St. Lawrence II are still available for youth ages 15-25. Consider donating to the F.A. MacLachlan Sailing Access Fund to sponsor youth to sail aboard the ship this summer to help us offer barrier free access to our programs (link in bio): https://tallshipexpeditions.com/store/maclachlan-donation

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📸 A Beverley Photography

Sources: https://tallshipexpeditions.com/about-the-ship
https://www.britannica.com/technology/brigantine
https://www.thewhig.com/news/st-lawrence-ii-departs-kingston-for-two-years-in-eastern-waters

Birds on the boat! We sometimes get feathery visitors aboard the St. Lawrence II. Anyone know what species of birds these are?
This summer, we are sailing through Canada’s east coast, visiting places including St. Pierre & Miquelon (France), Newfoundland, and then down through the north shore of Quebec. We will be keeping our eyes open for the Atlantic puffin (the speedy Olympians of the Atlantic, small but mighty!); the Arctic tern might make an appearance (the bird with the longest migration in the animal kingdom!); we will be sure to see the Osprey (a flying beast for fish!); maybe the yellow-billed Common eider, and perhaps the rosy or yellow/gray Pine grosbeak (called the mope by Newfoundlanders). If we are lucky we might lay eyes on the endangered red crossbill in Newfoundland.
Birds are always quite the sight when sailing in the middle of the sea, and the variety of species around Canada’s coasts are stunning! What a treat to be a bit closer to the wonders of the natural world 🦅
Registrations for our summer courses are open on our website, bursaries available: https://tallshipexpeditions.com/sailing-schedule-2024

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📸 A Beverley Photography



Source: https://www.adventurecanada.com/atlantic-canada-sable-island-and-gulf-of-saint-lawrence/eighteen-birds-to-spot-in-atlantic-canada

Course 5 sails to Iles Mangan, off the coast of the St. Lawrence. The St. Lawrence River is a unique site, where throughout the French regime (1534-1763), shipwrecks show the lengthy history of navigation down the river. It has been a path for exploration, a route of transport, settlement, and a place for trade and development. The route was known as perilous and difficult, and sailors did not venture out on the St. Lawrence at nightfall, at the start of May or after the end of November.

We will be sailing through Iles Mangan on Course 5, our final summer course for the summer, running from August 24th-September 2nd.
https://tallshipexpeditions.com/sailing-schedule-2024

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📸 A Beverley Photography

Percé Rock, Quebec, Summer 2023
Percé Rock in Quebec is named for its unique pierced hole. It is one of the world’s largest arches over water. First mapped in 1844 by Canadian geologist Sir William Edmond Logan, the arch is large enough for a small boat to pass through at low tide. Over 150 different fossilized species of plants and animals make up the rock, which was originally a part of the mainland.
There is a spooky legend about the makings of Percé Rock… Many years ago, a young new recruit of the French army named Chevalier Raymond de Nerac was in love with a young lady named Blanche de Beaumont. They were deeply in love and were to marry, so to be closer to her love Blanche de Beaumont traveled to Quebec to meet him. On route while passing Newfoundland, her ship was raided by Spanish pirates and she was captured. The captain proposed that she would be his wife, though let her lay eyes on where her love was once more by sailing by the army base in Quebec. Before the ceremony, she jumped ship, and the boat suddenly became engulfed in thick fog. The next day, the crew were face to face with an enormous rock, where they say they saw Blanche’s ghost. They say she cursed the pirates and they crashed into the rock. The locals tell of a rock that appeared like a ship under sail…
This summer’s voyages are fast approaching! Course 1 starts June 9th from Luneburg to St. John’s Newfoundland and the ship will be passing through Quebec once more on Course 5 to Iles Mingan and Rimouski. Adventure awaits! Register today at our website: https://tallshipexpeditions.com/sailing-schedule-2024

Source: https://www.beautifulworld.com/north-america/canada/perce-rock/
📸 A Beverley Photography

“Highlights of my adventure were… riding in the helicopter in Harrington Harbour, seeing the mountains in the Saguenay fjord, Belugas swimming under our boat, belaying half of the crew up a cliff edge and spending so much time with amazing people.”- Participant, summer 2023
Our summers of sailing are full of memorable moments, sailing through stunning natural landscapes, meeting marine life, and spending time with (accredited) amazing people!
Registrations are OPEN for this summer, starting June 9th with courses running to September 2nd. Check out our courses and register on our website.

https://tallshipexpeditions.com/sailing-schedule-2024

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📸 A Beverley Photography

Good morning from Lunenburg, NS!

Looking forward to pt. 2 of the Material Matters workshop.



.restoration

In for the .restoration & Material Matters Workshop!

Thanks to all the Bluenose II alumni & crew who helped us on the sail over from Bridgewater!

Rimouski, Quebec, our final stop on course 5, marks the end of the summer 2024 courses. Located in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region at the mouth of the Rimouski River, the name Rimouski most likely came from a Micmac word meaning “land of the moose.” Founded in 1696, the city has a rich history of a maritime industry. In 1900, the port became important for mail tenders for transatlantic liners. The city is also home to many marine research centers and the St. Lawrence Global Observatory, an inter-institutional group that provides access to data and information on the global ecosystem of the St. Lawrence to promote sustainable management.

The Pointe-au-Père Maritime Historic Site shows visitors what life was like aboard a Royal Canadian Navy Submarine, the Onondaga. Travel back in time and learn about the devastating shipwreck of the Empress of Ireland, the famous transatlantic liner that disappeared off Point-au-Père in 1914…

One of the tallest lighthouses in Canada also makes its home here. Registrations are open for Course 5, running from August 24-September 2: https://tallshipexpeditions.com/sailing-schedule-2024

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Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rimouski, https://tourismerimouski.com/en/

📸SL2 photo: A Beverley Photography

The Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve is situated at the waters of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The archipelago is a major heritage site in Quebec, and is a mid-Nordic natural environment. This rich natural environment is home to about 200 species of birds, and is a refuge for many mammals, seals, dolphins, porpoises and whales that can be seen in the surrounding waters. The waters surrounding the Mingan Archipelago are the hunting grounds for these cetaceans as they are attracted to the huge shoals of plankton and fish in the cold waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This area is also a haven for puffins and other sea birds who congregate in nesting colonies.
Course 5: Corner Brook- Iles Mingan- Rimouski, Aug. 24-Sept. 2
Registrations are open for our summer courses! Sign up today on our website:
https://tallshipexpeditions.com/sailing-schedule-2024

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Sources: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/qc/mingan
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/mingan-archipelago-canada-park

The Mingan Archipelago is located on the North Shore of Quebec, and is a dramatic destination with its erosion monoliths (largest concentration in Canada!), whales, seals, and thousands of islands with arctic-alpine flora and bird colonies. Monoliths, naturally forming single upright blocks of stone in the shapes of pillars or monuments, are dramatic in their towering forms. The sedimentary rock formations date back almost 500 million years ago when a warm, shallow tropical sea covered what is today’s St. Lawrence Lowlands region. From over tens of millions of years of accumulated fine marine sediments and animal shells, the bottom of this ancient sea gradually turned into rock. Over time, with the shifting of the continents and sea recession, the soft and soluble rock started its process of erosion, where rivers started to snake through the land and carried away many materials, leaving behind rocky mounds. These rocky mounds became unique islands. The sea continued to carve away at the rocky mounds creating the monoliths, cliffs, arches and grottoes we see today!

For thousands of years, the Innu knew of this rich marine life and frequented the area to collect sea bird eggs, berries, and for seal and bear hunting (still part of the Innu traditions today). Since the 16th century, Spaniards, Portuguese and Basques exploited the marine industry of the coasts, and excavations by Parks Canada found a stone oven used by the Basques to melt blubber, used in the seventeenth or eighteenth centuries. The Innu First Nation of northeastern Quebec and Labrador have been watching over the land for thousands of years, and it is known to the Innu as “Nitassinan”, and in French the “Mille Petite Enfants” (Thousands of Little Children). For over 30 years, the Innu First Nation has partnered with Parks Canada and UNESCO to protect the traditional lands.

The Mingan Archipelago is only accessible by boat… and hey, we have a boat! Registrations are still open for Course 5, running from August 24th to September 2nd (for ages 15-23): register at https://tallshipexpeditions.com/sailing-schedule-2024

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Sources: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/qc/mingan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mingan_Archipelago_National_Park_Reserve
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/mingan-archipelago-canada-park
https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/innu-conservation-quebec-labrador-1.4193663

📸SL2 photo: A Beverley Photography

We are getting closer to this summer's courses and we are so excited for our epic journeys throughout Newfoundland, Labrador, Nunatsiavut and Saint-Pierre France!
We have spots available for registration in all of our courses, so if you or someone you know is between the ages of 15-23 (course 1, 18-25), apply today and join us on our summer ocean voyages.
Registration: https://tallshipexpeditions.com/sailing-schedule-2024

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