47.42 | -70.49
A spot in a bay of the St. Lawrence River, at the mouth of the Rivière du Gouffre, in Baie-Saint-Paul (Charlevoix region, Québec). Across the water lies Isle-aux-Coudres, connected to Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive by ferry.
Water access via the Baie-Saint-Paul wharf area: the Club nautique de Charlevoix, at the mouth of the Gouffre, has a boat launch ramp. Beach and Boisé du Quai nearby.
This is the middle estuary of the St. Lawrence, in brackish water (freshwater / saltwater mix). A spot little documented by the kite community — the established commercial spot in Charlevoix being Isle-aux-Coudres, across the water.
Suroît Aventures (Isle-aux-Coudres, across from Baie-Saint-Paul): the only kite operator in the area — kitesurfing, snowkiting in winter, paddle. Based at Halte des Piliers.
Club nautique de Charlevoix: boat launch ramp at the mouth of the Rivière du Gouffre.
Québec kite community: forum kiteforum.ca. Note: Baie-Saint-Paul is not among the sites approved by the Fédération Québécoise de Kite (FQK).
Open all year round
Beginner
Brackish water, cold even in summer (~14 °C upstream, chilled by the Labrador Current downstream) — wetsuit required. At low tide, vast sandstone flats and mudflats are exposed: shallows, rock and mud.
Plenty of space. Free. Baie-Saint-Paul wharf area (nautical base, Club nautique de Charlevoix boat ramp).
Fairly rare. Very good in South-West, 3h before high tide.
The river runs NE-SW through Charlevoix. Note: the local weather station no longer reports reliable data — check conditions by direct observation (iKitesurf / Windy) before travelling.
Little water at low tide: large flats/mudflats are exposed.
Strong tides: tidal range of about 6 to 6.5 m, among the largest on the St. Lawrence. Powerful tidal currents (Isle-aux-Coudres area) — risk of drifting and being stranded on the flats on the ebb.
Cold water (~14 °C in summer): hypothermia risk, wetsuit essential.
Ferry Isle-aux-Coudres ↔ Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive: marine traffic to cross in the channel.
Belugas: Baie-Saint-Paul (Battures aux Loups Marins) marks the upstream limit of the protected habitat of the St. Lawrence beluga, an endangered species listed under the Species at Risk Act (SARA / Fisheries and Oceans Canada). Do not disturb.
If you notice any outdated information:
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