SHIPS OF THE SAINT LAWRENCE

The Saint Lawrence River, known to the Vikings as early as the 11th century, is a major gateway to the North American continent on the Atlantic coast. It was named by European explorer Jacques Cartier, who happened to sail into the river’s estuary on Saint Lawrence’s feast day in 1534. Over the next several centuries sailing ships plied the river as settlements were established, with Quebec founded in 1608 and Montreal in 1642.

In 1809 steam propulsion was inaugurated operating between Quebec City and Montreal. By 1900 the latter port, dredged to a depth of 30ft, was handling over 1.5 million tons of cargo annually.