An account of the last day of our expedition, farewells to the Côte-Nord region and winter, and a succession of goodbyes throughout the day...
First goodbyes
The last day is a day that seems to float between two spaces. Baie-Comeau was our gateway to the North. When we left, the wind was cold and biting, and the snow was still crunching under our feet.
Spring has definitely sprung in Montréal. What a change! Just 48 hours ago we were still covered in snow…
Our group is slowly dwindling, but the friendships will remain. After Jo and Ben, the guides we left last night, it was Mario and Jessica’s turn to say goodbye. Then Fred and Coralie took back the equipment we had in the bus, and we said goodbye to them too.
Farewell to the Côte Nord
We set off in the early hours of the morning with the sun shining. At Tadoussac, we bid farewell to the Côte Nord as blocks of ice drifted in the current around the ferry.
In Quebec City, after a last meal together, we left Gabrielle with her sister and Marie-Pier… who immediately set off in the opposite direction, towards Rimouski. We were a pan-Quebec and Ontario team.
Now it’s time to go to the airport to make sure we don’t miss the flight to Toronto. In Trois-Rivières, it’s Lysianne’s turn to head home, before embarking on new adventures.
Separated but still together
There’s always plenty to talk about on the bus. Experiences with the medical system and other people’s views of the disease take up a lot of space. People confide in each other about their families, relationships, friends and pets (there are lots of dog owners in this group!).
That’s the beauty of floating days. We’ve developed deep friendships, forged in the shared challenges before and during the expedition, and in this bus speeding along the highway it seems so natural to confide in others, knowing that these unique moments are an exclusive privilege.
Tomorrow we’ll be separated but still together for a long time, whether we see each other again or not. It’s during the floating days that we wonder if it was all real. Everyone shared their memories in the travel logbook. “We’ll stay in touch, that’s for sure!”
Until next time
We are now in Montréal, with the bleak industrial landscape around Autoroute 40. The Groulx Mountains seem far away. The snow has been cleared from the streets and the winter theatre has been swept away.
Tomorrow the Tip of the Toes team will return to Chicoutimi. The equipment will be checked, cleaned and put away. And then we’ll get ready for the next expedition!
Valérian Mazataud, volunteer photographer and blogger for the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation
Translated by Lorraine Gagnon
In pictures
