Les pilotes / The pilots

Navigating the St. Lawrence was extremely risky, so European explorers quickly came to rely on skilled pilots early in the French Regime. Over time, piloting became an established and more professionalized occupation. The first official pilot station opened at Le Bic in 1762. During the 19th century, Pointe-au-Père emerged as a rival, especially after the Montreal Ocean Steamship Company built a lighthouse there and based its pilots there. In 1905 the official station moved to Pointe-au-Père, where it remained for 54 years. Since 1960, navigation piloting service has been provided from Les Escoumins on the north shore, continuing a tradition several centuries old. For half a century, pilots were ferried from land to their assigned ships by dinghies and then schooners. On shore, they used a small shelter called a watch house. Conditions improved in the early 1900s after the wharf was built and pilot boats began arriving around 1905. A few years later, the second lighthouse was converted into pilot living quarters.

Quebec · Canada