Brock and Becca: Sailing On A Tall Ship

By Lois W. Marlatt

Brock and Becca help Quebec City celebrate its 400th birthday. There are tours to all the famous places and they learn about the big battle between the English and the French on the Plains of Abraham under the commands of Generals Wolfe and Montcalm. Then they spend a week on the tall ship, Caledonia, in the St. Lawrence and Saguenay Rivers. There are many trips ashore from the Caledonia, and even a chance to go horseback riding. When they are back in Quebec City they go to a big fireworks display and to a large aquarium. Your children will learn about Canada while being entertained with interesting and exciting stories in the Brock and Becca series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Books for Pleasure
• Release date: Oct 5, 2014
• ISBN: 9781553491002

Book preview

BROCK AND BECCA

SAILING

ON A TALL SHIP

Written by Lois W. Marlatt

Illustrated by Gil Agis

Copyright Lois W. Marlatt 2012

All rights reserved

ISBN: 978-1-55349-100-2

Published by Books for Pleasure at Smashwords

CHAPTER 1

Mom, guess what my teacher told us today? She said Quebec City was four hundred years old and that they are having a year-long party to celebrate. I like a birthday party so I think we should go.

Maybe you are thinking it would get you out of school for a week, Brock.

No, I replied, and then I laughed. That was exactly what I had been thinking.

No more was said about Quebec City until we were eating supper that evening. It was Mom who did the talking.

Brock suggested we go to Quebec City this year on our vacation. I think it’s a good idea. It is the oldest city in Canada, and I’m sure there would be lots to see and do. What do you think? She looked at Dad.

I guess it would be fun, Dad replied. I’ll book some time off in July or August so we don’t have to take the kids out of school.

He looked at me, and I tried to look sad.

Will we have to speak French? I asked.

I hope not, Mom replied. I haven’t used my French since I left high school. I think I can still read most of it, but I would be lost if I had to speak it.

Dad settled the question. Quebec City is a big city. I’m sure they must speak English as well as French.

I’ll get busy on the computer tomorrow and see what they have to offer in the way of things to do, Mom said.

The subject was dropped, and it wasn’t until a few weeks later that Mom suggested we sit down after supper and go over the list of things going on in Quebec City.

That way we could pick out what we would like to do when we got there.

There were some tours Mom wanted to sign up for, and I wanted to visit the aquarium. Dad said he would like to spend some time on Île d’Orléans. It is an island in the St. Lawrence River and there is a bridge leading to it from Quebec City. Becca said she wanted to stay in a hotel that had a swimming pool. Well, I did too.

Mom got our okay on the tours and she said she would order them from home.

I thought we were finished until Mom added, "Now, I have a real surprise for you. How would you like to go on a tall sailing ship for a week’s cruise?

The tall ship, the Caledonia, will be at Quebec City on the 13th of July. The crew is taking her out for a week into the St. Lawrence and Saguenay Rivers and we could go. The write-up about the trip says there is something interesting to do every day. We can go ashore to the small towns along the rivers, and there are bicycles and kayaks you can use. It sounds really interesting and I would love to sail on one of those big ships. What do you think?

She looked at the three of us.

I didn’t know what a tall ship looked like, but I had never been on one and I like to do different things so I was the first to say, Count me in.

Sounds interesting, Dad said.

Becca, of course, had to be silly by saying, I will only go if Krissy can go.

Krissy is her dumb doll and she takes her everywhere. She even takes her to bed at night.

Of course she can come with us, Mom said.

Then Dad spoke up. Do you think there will be enough for the kids to do? I thought those cruises were for adults. You had better find out if they take children. I’d love to go, so maybe we could leave the kids at home with your parents and we could go by ourselves.

I want to go to Quebec, Becca wailed, and Mom had to tell her Dad was only teasing.

I knew that. He always teases.

Two days later Mom informed us she had our airplane tickets and our tours booked. The following day she ordered our hotel and a week on the Caledonia was arranged. A taxi would take us to and from the airport. She did not book a rental car. We might not need one.

The day we were to leave, Dad went into work for part of the morning. Becca probably did nothing. I packed my own backpack, and Mom did the suitcases.

We had an early lunch and were ready to leave when the taxi arrived to pick us up.

By 3:15 p.m. we had our luggage checked and had gone through security at the airport. Becca and I keep our backpacks because that is where we store our toys and other good things.

Becca started acting up right way. I’m thirsty, she whined.

Mom offered her a drink of water, but of course that wouldn’t do. She wanted juice.

Finally Mom said, You can have half a bottle of juice. Brock can have the other half. I don’t want you filling up with juice in case the flight is rough and you get sick.

Dad headed for the vending machine.