Early this spring, my husband and I joined five other couples, each towing an Airstream travel trailer, on a grand adventure to the wilds of northeastern Canada.
Our route would follow the famous route called Expedition 51°, which is pictured in the first two photos of this post.
We timed our trip to be early enough to avoid black fly season and forest fires, and to see some spring icebergs, but late enough that night time temperatures would be above freezing and gravel roads would have firmed up after spring thaw.
THE ROUTE:
This is a remote 1,700-kilometer (1,050-mile) road trip and tourist route that takes drivers through some of the most rugged and remote wilderness in Quebec and Labrador.
The epic loop spans from Baie-Comeau, Quebec, on the St. Lawrence River, up through Fermont, and traverses Labrador from west to east along the Trans-Labrador Highway before ending near Blanc-Sablon on the Lower North Shore, overlooking the Strait of Belle Isle and the island of Newfoundland.
The route features a mix of raw boreal forests, untamed rivers, UNESCO World Heritage sites, and remote coastal villages.
Because of the vast distances between amenities (up to 400 km or 250 miles between gas stations), travelers are advised to heavily prepare with spare tires, emergency supplies, and satellite phones.
Ten percent of the journey is on gravel roads, all of which lie between Baie-Comeau and Labrador City.
GETTING THERE:
First of all, our group had to get from Ontario to Baie-Comeau. On May 18 we set off on an easy 1,300 km (800 mile) journey that we spread out over the course of a week.
We enjoyed visiting Peterborough, Montebello, Trois Rivieres, and Tadoussac along the way.
After crossing the Saguenay River by ferry at Tadoussac, we camped in a beautiful spot overlooking the river (shown here), and enjoyed a whale watching cruise.
The north shore of the St. Lawrence River is gorgeous and the curvy highway swoops over and around rugged, rocky hills.
One afternoon, we took a side trip in our truck up along the Saguenay River and really enjoyed seeing the Laurentian Mountains in their spring finery (pictured here).
THE EXPEDITION:
We headed north from Baie-Comeau on Hwy 389, into the wilds of northern Quebec, passing several hydro-electric projects including Manic 5. This photo of our truck and trailer approaching the famous structure, the world's highest multiple-arch-and-buttress dam, was taken by a friend on the caravan.
Standing 214 meters (703 feet) tall and stretching 1,314 meters (4,311 feet) long, the colossal engineering marvel creates a massive reservoir inside a 214-million-year-old meteorite impact crater.
As we crossed the Hart-Jaune River, I took this photo from the truck. We saw countless lakes, rivers, rapids, and waterfalls during our trip.
Seeing these water systems made me realize the Canadian Shield is a massive, impermeable rainwater collector, funneling water toward the oceans. It is easy to understand why northern Quebec and Labrador have so many hydro-electric dams.
On Hwy 389, which is a mix of paved and gravel sections 565 kilometers (352 miles) long, there were no campgrounds in which to stay.
Shown here is our group parked for the night at a truck stop called Relais Gabriel, near the half way point.
Being without utility connections or cell service, but with full fresh water tanks, propane tanks, and batteries, we all spent a comfortable night. Our Starlink Wi-Fi service was invaluable - providing internet access to upload my photos to secure cloud storage, work on emails, and watch our favourite YouTube channels. This was the first of many cozy 'boon-docking' experiences on this trip.
At the end of the second day of travel on Hwy 389, we were excited to reach the Quebec/Labrador border, where the Trans Labrador highway begins. The sign reads "Welcome to the Big Land".
Even though we drove carefully at 35 to 50 kph (20 to 30 mph) on the 150 km (95 mile) long gravel sections of Hwy 389, we still had some wear and tear to repair on the Airstream when we reached Labrador City. My husband refastened our under mount kitchen sink to the countertop, re-secured our microwave oven into its cabinet, and reattached our lower kitchen cupboard to the wall. We were all set for the road again!
Stay tuned for the next phase of our adventure as we journey across the vastness of Labrador and witness the unique beauty of The Big Land.
I'd love to hear what you think of my travel story. Please click the Leave a Comment button at the top of this post to share your thoughts.
If you would like exclusive early access to new paintings, studio updates, travel tales, watercolour tips, and notice of upcoming exhibitions, I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter.
