1000 Islands ...
actually many more
Along the border between the New York and Ontario a tremendous volume of
fresh water collected in the heartlands of the continent leaves the Great
Lakes bound for the Atlantic. That huge flow of water forms one of the great
rivers of the world, the St. Lawrence. We all know of the Nile, the Amazon,
and the Mississippi rivers yet many people, even some who grew up in central
New York, do not contemplate the St. Lawrence with the same awe or appreciation.
But still, none of the other major rivers of the world can boast the amazing
stretch of granite islands covered with white pine, oak and hemlock that are
popularly called The 1000 Islands. Actually there are almost 2,000 islands
counting anything that can support the growth of a small tree.
Following the European explorers this region gained popularity in the early 1800's among naturalists and serious sport fishermen. Then for a period of time around the turn of the century the 1000 Islands were formally "discovered" and built upon in style by wealthy industrialists and entrepreneurs. Large hotels and smaller inns were built to attract those who could not afford to build a grand cottage and a wealth of history was left in the process. As Kentucky is known for a love of horses, the 1000 Islands region has a love of boats. Some great wooden boats were built along the St. Lawrence and the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, NY is the place to start if old boats are of interest.
Then
there is the river itself where a boat is definitely required for proper exploration.
You can rent a small motorboat many places along the river for a daytime excursion.
Just make sure you have a proper river chart and know how to identify the
shoals. There are many and they are mostly all granite! I would not recommend
canoeing the river except in limited areas of calm water. There are some stretches
that can become quite choppy for a canoe. The traditional human-powered craft
of the region was called the St. Lawrence Skiff. They are double-ended (typically
cedar) lap strake rowing craft that can carry a modest load of camping gear
and are very stable. I am not aware of anyplace you can rent a modern version
of these craft for an extended outing though there are boat builders in the
area still making and restoring them. If you are interested in rowing, Kayaks
(and maybe boat camping) would be better than a canoe.
There are quite a few beautiful islands in Canada that are maintained as provincial parks and are open for camping. Be sure to check with both Canadian and US customs before planning an excursion on the river because they have become much more strict about such matters in the wake of 9/11. In all cases be sure to have multiple forms of ID whether driving or boating back and forth to Canada. Most problems or delays are likely to occur at the US side of the border crossing at the Thousand Islands Bridge.
In general the Canadian side of the river is quieter with more islands and tighter passages. The American side is where the shipping channel permits freighters to enter the Great Lakes from the Atlantic and is also where most of the grand houses were built at the turn of the century. The largest town or city in the region is Kingston, Ontario. It is an attractive little city with a busy downtown district and some good pubs near the river. For the Canadians in Ontario, this region is their southern-most point and they value the summer weather. As soon as it gets above 50° the outdoor seating opens up at every cafe in Kingston.
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