Party-filled evening at the Onondaga
The Onondaga, a historic submarine that was acquired by the Defense in 2008 and integrated into the wreck of the Empress of Ireland, offers a unique and educational experience in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region. Located at the Pointe-au-Père Maritime Historic Site, this 90-meter Oberon-class vessel is Canada’s first publicly accessible submarine.
Visitors can explore the control room, torpedo room, living quarters, and learn about the submarine’s engines and sonar systems through a self-guided audio tour available in multiple languages. The tour provides a vivid sense of what life was like for the 70 crew members who lived and worked in close quarters, sometimes for months at a time, onboard the submarine.
For those seeking a more immersive experience, spending the night on the Onondaga is an option. The night onboard costs $135 for an adult and $85 for a young person aged 9 to 17. The military-style program includes a "sailor's ration" and bedtime at midnight.
Captain Gélinas, dressed as a sailor, guides the visitors and shares anecdotes about the submarine. The Onondaga, launched from an English shipyard in 1965, served the Canadian navy from 1967 to 2000.
The Onondaga submarine experience is varied, with visitors ranging from locals to tourists from other countries. The region itself, Bas-Saint-Laurent, offers other natural and cultural attractions, reinforcing the submarine visit as part of a broader maritime historical experience.
While some accommodations are available nearby in Rimouski if you choose not to stay onboard, whether overnight stays directly on the submarine are currently part of the offering is not clearly stated in the sources.
In other news, Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch, which could bring heavy rain and wind gusts starting tonight.
On a somber note, Isabelle Vaillancourt, the general director of Publications BLD, has passed away on Sunday. Our thoughts are with her family and friends during this difficult time.
Lastly, Ghislaine Maxwell, former accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein, has been transferred to the Bryan prison camp in Texas. The reasons for her transfer are not disclosed.
Cultural exploration and travel experiences can be found on the Onondaga submarine, as visitors can delve into the submarine's control room, torpedo room, living quarters, and learn about its engines and sonar systems. Furthermore, the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, filled with natural and cultural attractions, serves as the perfect backdrop for an immersive entertainment and educational trip, making the Onondaga submarine visit part of a broader maritime lifestyle adventure.
