7th October 2023

It was early and still dark as we entered the small port of La Baie, situated 100 km along the fjord and one of three boroughs in Saguenay, Quebec. It lies off the Saguenay River, on the shores of the curiously named Ha! Ha! Bay. Due to the size of the Sky Princess, we had docked a 55-minute bus ride away from the main city.

La Baie has been significant for its logging, pulp and paper industries since the 19th and 20th centuries, and has been involved in aluminium production since the early 1980s. Its tourism industry began in earnest in 2008, when cruise ships first started calling at the port.

We had arranged a morning excursion which involved an hour-long ride on a traditional yellow school bus to the Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay for a hike. The Quebec government acquired the land surrounding the fjord on 8 June 1983, with the aim of protecting it from development. Today, it is a popular destination for hiking and water-based activities during the summer months.

By 7.15 a.m., we were seated on our rather basic transport, making our way through the neat riverside settlement and into the Canadian wilderness. As we passed through dense forest and alongside numerous small lakes and ponds, it was immediately apparent that autumn had arrived at this latitude. The deciduous trees were already preparing for winter, many adorned in their fleeting cloaks of vivid reds and yellows. A gentle flurry of fallen leaves could be seen drifting down as we sped by, stirred by the lightest of breezes.

Amid the seasonal beauty, sections of pine forest looked distinctly forlorn, stripped bare by needle-eating insects that are causing widespread damage and are a growing concern among local residents.

It was a cloudy day with a slight breeze, though within the forest, the air was still. After disembarking at the park headquarters, our group split into three: some chose to go kayaking, others joined a guided walk, and the rest of us, like Sue and I, opted for a spot of free rambling. As a gentle test for Sue’s sore knee, we decided on an easy 1.6-mile loop trail called Méandres-à-Falaises and set off along a pleasant mix of gravel path and boardwalk.

It proved to be a good choice. We paused often at the many viewpoints to take photos of the river and the surrounding mountainous landscape, ablaze with the vibrant colours of autumn. Wildlife was abundant, and if the tiny red squirrel darting unconcernedly around our feet, or the ruffed grouse perched on a low branch within arm’s reach, were anything to go by, the animals here seemed unafraid of humans. Moose, however, were conspicuously absent, understandably so, given that 30,000 of them are shot annually by hunters in Quebec’s parks. They, at least, have learned to keep their distance.

On returning to our starting point, we still had time to spare, so we set off along another trail that clung to the riverbank beneath towering, forest-clad cliffs. Several information boards proclaimed that whales can be spotted in these waters and advised kayakers to keep a respectful distance should they appear, but we saw none. Before long, the path began to climb steeply, its surface strewn with loose boulders that threatened to twist an ankle or strain a knee. Partway up, we met a couple who had persevered farther but had also turned back, warning that the route became treacherous beyond that point. Wary of Sue’s knee, heeding their advice, we retraced our steps to base camp.

The school bus was late picking us up, but we were back on the ship by 1.30 p.m. Sue decided to have lunch, while I made the mistake of staying in the cabin to watch England play Samoa in the Rugby World Cup. It was a dismal performance by England, who managed to scrape a win, 18:17, more through luck than skill.

While I was growing increasingly despondent watching the match, Sue had finished her lunch and disembarked to explore the retail outlets of La Baie. She finally found some maple syrup candy, which she had been searching for in vain since our arrival in Quebec. By the time the match ended, she had returned to the ship and persuaded me to join her for another stroll into town to stretch my legs.

On the quayside, a group of circus performers had been hired to entertain the cruise passengers, but as it was a Saturday, many local families with children had also come to enjoy the show. We followed the boardwalk along the shoreline and paused to watch a wedding party having their photos taken. To our European eyes, it seemed unusual: while the bride wore traditional white, the bridesmaids were all dressed in jet black. We had seen something similar in Quebec City and had assumed it was unique, but it now appears to be a common choice in the region.

We rounded off our walk with a stroll along the main street and a final browse through the tourist shops around the wharf.

The evening production show in the theatre was titled 5-SKIES. The plot followed “Gamer 1” on his quest to pass through five increasingly difficult levels of a virtual reality video game, with the ultimate aim of reaching the final stage and unlocking the realm of the Sky Princess character. The cast led us on a musical journey through a digital universe, filled with spectacle and sound, made all the more immersive by cutting-edge technology and graphics.

I was utterly spellbound and thought it was magnificent entertainment. Sue, on the other hand, was less impressed, dismissing it as “loud and rubbish.”

8th October 2023

The clocks went forward by an hour overnight. We awoke to Storm Phillip, with gusts reaching 50 mph. Fortunately, the Sky Princess’s stabilisers were working well, and it wasn’t until breakfast, when we looked out through the restaurant’s panoramic windows, that we fully appreciated the miserable sea conditions.

All the outside areas were closed off, so our usual brisk miles around Deck 17 were off the cards. Still, our normal shipboard routine continued uninterrupted.

While dressing for dinner, I happened to catch the final few minutes of Portugal beating Fiji in the Rugby World Cup. A fantastic result for a nation with little or no pedigree in the sport, and one that saw mighty Australia fail to reach the quarter-finals. Quite extraordinary.

RANT: Yesterday, Hamas launched an attack on Israel, a tragedy for innocent civilians on both sides. It is the bitter consequence of years of tension: fuelled by an intolerant, far-right Israeli government, and a militant, fundamentalist Islamist group committed to Israel’s destruction. Mutual respect for one another’s right to exist should surely be the foundation of any civilised society.

Dinner was a formal affair, though the worsening weather appeared to deter many, with noticeably fewer guests at both dinner and the theatre afterwards. The evening’s entertainment featured the immensely talented multi-instrumentalist Janice Martin, a multiple award-winning performer who has appeared on America’s Got Talent, The Big Stage, performed at the White House, Carnegie Hall, and as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Boston Pops. She delivered a brilliant show, an excellent end to the day.