Monday 4th Oct – Cruise Day 3 – Sept-Iles

Docked on time and made history.  We are the first ship to dock at the newly built cruise ship pier and there were civic celebrations welcoming us to the town.  Prior to this, the rare cruise ship visitor was tendered from the ship to the dock.  I understand that our ship “The Norwegian Spirit” put Sept-Iles on the cruising map.  Sept-Iles is the largest town on the North Shore of the St Lawrence River and was discovered by Jacques Cartier in 1535.  It got it’s first pier in 1908 and it’s first road down to Quebec in 1951.  It’s population is about 25,000 so we weren’t sure what to expect.  But like Northwich, it came up trumps and our tour of “The highlights of Sept-Iles” took us to an early trading post of the Hudson Bay Company and two museums where our coachload had personal tours.  One gets the impression that it’s not really a tourist destination.  It was originally a centre for hunters and trappers with beaver fur the main items traded by the native Innu peoples who are the indigenous inhabitants of Eastern Quebec and Labrador.  Half of Sept-Iles is now a reservation for these people.  We toured around the reservation which just looked like a modern housing estate!

Then it was back on board for a 3 o’clock sail away.  We decided to delay the sail away cocktail until sunset and then pretend.  So then it was more eating until tonights show-time.  It was the turn of “Just Magic with Jorgos”.  Jorgos is a global star and we were very privileged to witness his show.  Joking apart, it was good fun and we enjoyed it.  Oh dear, are we getting old and becoming easy to please?

Then more food and 2 for 1 wine!  We’re off to Charlottetown on Prince Edward Town where we dock at around midday tomorrow.  We had to put the clocks forward an hour to a time zone I’ve never been on before – I’m not even sure what it’s called.  So we’re now only 4 hours ahead of the UK.

Here’s the pics…………