Sailing the Petitcodiac

In the early days of Moncton The Petitcodiac River was full of ships and sailboats coming in and out of the bustling port. As the river traffic started to slow down in 1920s it had disappeared completely after the causeway was built in the late 1960′s  That is until a French sailor traveled up the river and docked near the entrance Dieppe in 1986.

Many people thought the sailor, Marcel Bardiaux (76 at the time), was stuck in the mud, but the experienced sailor knew all about the mud and tides. He came to  Moncton to see the Petitcodiac, and to have his generator repaired. He ended up staying longer then expected while having to wait for a part to arrive.

Marcel passed away at the age of 88, but many people have fond memories of seeing his boat in the river and watching him drink wine and waving to people passing by during his short visit.

Photo credit: Suzanne Poirier

Ships in the Petitcodiac: