1000 Islands, They're not kidding!

Holy Rain! Ed, Anna and I woke on Friday morning to a heavy downpour. I love sleeping on the boat and hearing the rain drops pelt on the cabin roof. There is a hypnotic sound to it and it seems to put me at ease, usually it signals a lazy morning yet that was not the case today. After a quick look at the radar and the mariners forecast we all decided to toss the lines and make the run to Alexandria Bay in the 1000 Islands. Anna and Ed put on their foul weather gear and took their positions on the bow and stern of "Blue". To say it was raining would not give it justice, it was pouring. I have to admit it, I got a sick pleasure watching these two troopers man the lines as we were lowered to the final level of Lake Ontario. If I had a warm cup of coffee in my hand it would have been perfect. A captain must always be aware of the risk of mutiny, so I played it cool. All joking aside it must have been awful for them and I was relieved when they were inside and dry. Our crossing was not as nice as we all would have wished, the rain did subside but the wind was soon to take it's place. One thing about trawlers our size that is not to our liking, is taking a sea on our beam. Finding the ride to be quite uncomfortable we found ourselves needing to alter our course and take the sea on our forward quarter. Having run for three unpleasant hours the wind finally came around as was forecasted and we were able to run with it all the way to the entrance of the St Lawrence river. I have no idea who was more happy us or Mobey. After spending the past three weeks on inland waters, he had no problem letting us know he was not happy with this new motion of "Blue". Truthfully none of us were happy, the sensation of being a cork rocking back and forth at the mercy of the waves is no fun. All was forgotten as we entered the St Lawrence. The water in the St Lawrence is Crystal clear, it has the blue clearness I have only seen offshore or in the Caribbean. I was told the river used to be dirty, and it was the Zebra Mussels that help to clean the water to what we see today. That I assume is the only positive aspect of this invasive species having made its way into the lakes. The 1000 Islands are truly magnificent. As we motored our way north, the islands seemed to dot the landscape. Each of these small rocky islands seems to be occupied by summer cottages. Much like homes on the mainland they all have a garage, yet these would be referred to as boat houses. It must be something to arrive at your home by boat and use a garage door opener to lift the boat house door and motor your boat inside. It is no longer a surprise to us that people have spoken so highly of this area. As we arrived in Alexandria, we were greeted by one of the areas most spectacular sights, "Boldt Castle". This Castle, situated on a small island in the center of the bay is truly spectacular. The level of wealth that must have been involved in its construction is truly impressive. Docking in Alexandria Bay, we got off the boat and had a great dinner in a town that resembled a small northern Key West. The bars were rocking and tee shirt shops could be seen in every direction. Tomorrow we will take "Blue" to the Castle it will be a day of sightseeing from the water, we can't wait.

We can't spoil our greenhorn can we?

The light as you leave Oswego.



I guess it is easy to figure out which way the wind blows in the winter.

The houses on the little islands were just unbelievable.

Chris Crafts were everywhere.

We just loved this island with its red house and light.

What a way to store your boat.

Once again, just great to look at.

This boat house was larger than most peoples homes.

Boldt Castle. We are expecting a nice day tomorrow. It should be perfect for checking out the sights.

What a town, these people must know how to party, we could hear the music from the bars as we entered the Marina. Guess a peaceful night is out of the question.