Blue Sea Lake
Encyclopedia
Blue Sea Lake is a lake
in the municipalities of Blue Sea
and Messines, Quebec
, Canada
, about 90 kilometres (55.9 mi) north of Gatineau
. It is known for its crystal clear water and is surrounded by cottages on its shores.
The blue waters of Blue Sea Lake, together with its dimensions and the absence of significant relief
around, create the illusion of a sea. It feeds the Blue Sea River which empties into the Picanoc River
, in turn a tributary of the Gatineau River
. Its name first appeared on a map of Hull County in 1928.
Just over 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the west, in Cayamant
, is another, somewhat smaller lake called Lac de la Mer Bleue, which also means "Blue Sea Lake". To differentiate these lakes from each other, the English name is used for the larger one, even in French.
, located much further north. His "absence" has been explained by the increase of tourism in the region and, hence, the number of motorized boats travelling on the lake. The Algonquin of Maniwaki called this monster "Misiganebic" or Grand Serpent, who supposedly cut a trail between Blue Sea and Cedar Lakes and would have manifested itself in several surrounding lakes and rivers.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in the municipalities of Blue Sea
Blue Sea, Quebec
Blue Sea is a municipality and village in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada, and part of La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Regional County Municipality...
and Messines, Quebec
Messines, Quebec
Messines is a municipality in the Canadian province of Quebec. It includes the population centres of Messines and Farley.In 1840, the village of Messines was known by the name of Burbridge. The consolidation of this community, at the start of the 1900s, was thanks to the arrival of the railway,...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, about 90 kilometres (55.9 mi) north of Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
. It is known for its crystal clear water and is surrounded by cottages on its shores.
The blue waters of Blue Sea Lake, together with its dimensions and the absence of significant relief
Terrain
Terrain, or land relief, is the vertical and horizontal dimension of land surface. When relief is described underwater, the term bathymetry is used...
around, create the illusion of a sea. It feeds the Blue Sea River which empties into the Picanoc River
Picanoc River
Picanoc River is small river in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada. It is 95 kilometer long class/grade II river, with some sections gaining class/grade III difficulty . Its headwaters originate north of Lac Dumont in Pontiac County...
, in turn a tributary of the Gatineau River
Gatineau River
The Gatineau River is a river in western Quebec, Canada, which rises in lakes north of the Baskatong Reservoir and flows south to join the Ottawa River at the city of Gatineau, Quebec...
. Its name first appeared on a map of Hull County in 1928.
Just over 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the west, in Cayamant
Cayamant, Quebec
Cayamant is a municipality in La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada. The village of Lac-Cayamant is located at the north end of Lake Cayamant, west of Gracefield....
, is another, somewhat smaller lake called Lac de la Mer Bleue, which also means "Blue Sea Lake". To differentiate these lakes from each other, the English name is used for the larger one, even in French.
Geography
The town of Blue Sea is in the centre of what is known as the Upper Gatineau region and is surrounded by a number of other lakes, rivers, ponds, and wetlands — and true wilderness areas. Like so many other areas of Quebec, Blue Sea grew and prospered because of the forest industry, which in turn was dependent on the abundant waterways of the region, especially the Gatineau.Local folklore
According to legend, a monstrous snake-like animal with a horse head used to live in this lake. Presumably seen by several people between 1913 and 1930, this exceptionally long, large, and fast seahorse has no longer given any signs of life since, except around 1980 in the Baskatong ReservoirBaskatong Reservoir
The Baskatong Reservoir is a man-made lake in western Quebec, Canada. It was formed following the construction of the Mercier Dam in 1927 and has an area of 413 km2. It has no generating station at its dam, but the reservoir is used to control the flow of the Gatineau River for several...
, located much further north. His "absence" has been explained by the increase of tourism in the region and, hence, the number of motorized boats travelling on the lake. The Algonquin of Maniwaki called this monster "Misiganebic" or Grand Serpent, who supposedly cut a trail between Blue Sea and Cedar Lakes and would have manifested itself in several surrounding lakes and rivers.