Tag Archives: Soulanges Canal

The Red Sail is here

The world’s biggest Viking ship, Draken Harald Fairhair. (Jan Kaare Ness / NTB Scanpix / AFP)

The Draken Harald Hårfagre has left Newfoundland and is sailing up the St. Lawerence. We can follow it thanks to a tracker installed on the ship ( have a look here ) and via Facebook. The ship will arrive June 15 in Quebec City as posted by the Captain on Facebook. Opportunities to see this beautiful ship are coming our way as it heads towards Montréal.

My hope is to see and sketch the ship. For now, here are some of my sketches from the past two weeks.

watercolour, Derelict Lock, Soulanges Canal, Pointe Cascades, QC, 2016

watercolour, Pointe Claire Yacht Club, 2016

watercolour, Pointe Claire Yacht Club, Qc, 2016

watercolour, Pointe Claire Yacht Club, QC, 2016

watercolour, Dollard des Ormeaux, Qc, 2016

watercolour, Centennial Park, Dollard des Ormeaux, Qc, 2016

Angels and Fishermen

Linda Denis, Three Fisherman, Coteau Landing, watercolour, 2015

I continue to sketch at the Soulanges Canal. Early morning and late afternoon the

one of four on lawn of St. Clet Church, Qc

fisherman take up their favourite spots.They tend to be still for several minutes, making them ideal models. The next best models are the four stone angels on the front lawn of the Catholic Church at the junction of Cité des Jeunes and the #201 highway.

Linda Denis, Abandoned Light House, Pointe des Cascades, watercolour, 2015

Yesterday at Pointe des Cascades, a few daring souls where jumping off the locks into the pool of water below. I looked only after I heard the big splash.

Looking West, Coteau landing, watercolour

Linda Denis, West Point, watercolour, 2015

Earlier in the week I sketched the west point of the canal looking towards the great expansion of sky in the far distance. I was thinking about Jeff and I know he made the journey. It was a sad day Tuesday; we said our final goodbyes. His religion was to live and die without regrets.

Soulanges Canal

The Soulanges Canal (1891-1958) bypassed the rapids of Cascade, Rocher Tendu, les Cédres and les Coteaux which made it a major shipping lane between Upper and Lower Canada. In 1958 the St. Lawrence Seaway opened and the canal closed. Many locals want to rehabilitate the canal to be used as a throughway for pleasure crafts. For now, the bicycle path following the canal is very popular and many use the water to fish and others to dive for relics underwater at Point des Cascade.

Le Petit Pouvoir, Electric Power House south side

Linda Denis, South side of Electric Power House, watercolour, 2015

The red brick electric power house designed by Alfred Arthur Cox (1800-1950) often called “le petit pouvoir” was built between 1899-1900 to supply the locks and lights on a 24 hour basis. No longer in use, it is located about midway on the canal and can be seen from highway 338 on the north side or the south side from chemin du Fleuve. To see it close up, the bicycle path is the best choice.

Linda Denis, North side of Soulanges Canal Electric Station, watercolour, 2015

Linda Denis, Derelict Canal, watercolour, 2015

Coteau Landing, passage beside locks, watercolour, 2015

Linda Denis, Water Passage alongside Locks, watercolour, 2015