Social Distancing in the 1000 Islands

It’s sunset and I’m standing beside the St. Lawrence River in the town of Clayton, one of the gateways to the 1000 Islands. Chatting with a young man who had recently moved to the region, I ask him what he likes about it. “Everything,” he tells me. And that pretty much sums up what I hear time and again from both residents and visitors alike. What especially drew me to the area was the 1000 ways I would be able to social distance in the islands, a safer bet for summer travels, I figured, than congested tourist areas. But I quickly tell someone that “I’ve been lied to,” when I learn that there are actually 1,864 islands. So, the possibilities for fun, leisure, and social distancing having suddenly multiplied exponentially.

A River Playground — Touring, Boating, Fishing & Diving

 The 1000 Islands span the St. Lawrence River between northern New York State and the province of Ontario, Canada. In the early 1900s, the region had a “Gilded Age” when it was a playground for the wealthy who built elaborate castles and mansions on private islands, some of which can be toured today. The area still remains a playground—for touring, boating, jet skiing, fishing, scuba diving, and in the evening, partying on a boat.

I begin my 1000 Islands touring aboard a classic Lyman 21-foot wooden boat, a fitting introduction to the river given that Clayton is home to the largest antique and classic wooden boat collection in North America at its Antique Boat Museum. My guide is Captain Jeff Garnsey, a 26-year Navy veteran who knows the ins and outs of every nook and cranny of this part of the islands. “About 15 percent of the visitors want to fish,” he explains, “but just about everyone wants to be out on the water.” In fact, it is ranked the #1 bass fishing area in the US, with pike, perch and walleye also popular. The fishing accolades are not surprising given that more than 20 percent of the planet’s fresh water flows through the St. Lawrence, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic, and gushing over Niagara Falls along the way.

Island Hopping

The 1000 Islands Archipelago is dotted with islands of all sizes and shapes, some with little more than a single tree above the water line, others with lighthouses or baroque structures like the historic Boldt Castle, one of the most visited sites in the region. The islands have monikers as whimsical as they are pretty like Clouds Rest, Friendly, and Fairytale Islands, and Jolly, Mermaid, and Maple Islands. The 1000 Islands were also the inspiration for something far more pedestrian—the namesake salad dressing, crafted there and made popular when summer resident, George Boldt, introduced it to his Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.

My hotel of choosing in Clayton is the four-star, 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel, a relatively new addition to the scene with gorgeous views overlooking the St. Lawrence, a casual ambience, and peaceful grounds for twilight river-gazing and family leisure. Its Seaway Grille also serves some of the best fare in the area. The hotel is just steps from the center of town and connected by a Riverwalk that is popular for strolling.

1000 Islands Whiskey Business

In town, I browse the “River Rat” cheese shop (the popular term for locals living along the river), famed for its young cheese-curd that’s so popular, it is sold out when I visit. I have better luck at the Clayton Distillery, which has ample stock including 1,500 bottles of bourbon aged four years in oak barrels, and a quite popular 1000 Islands Maple Whiskey. A tour and tasting makes for a fun diversion. The craft distillery, founded in 2013 when there were about 240 distilleries in the US (now up to about 2,500) also includes a tipple of some unique moonshine (50-101% proof), the very tasty Apple Pie Shine and Lemonade Shine.

But back to water pursuits. I am intent on diving the St. Lawrence, the “American Narrows” part of the river which is a particularly treacherous section home to numerous shipwrecks. Instructor Bob Sherwood tells me that at 744 miles in length, the river contains more freshwater wrecks than anywhere else.  Our Blue Foot Diving charter boat leaves from the town of Alexandria Bay (about 10 miles to the north), and the dive to the “America”, an upside-down steel barge rocked by an explosion and resting at 75 feet, is easy to navigate and quite pretty. Our boat then races along the river, momentarily crossing into Canadian waters, a little thrill since the border is technically still closed due to COVID. A speedboat whizzes by, nearly airborne at 240 mph, clearly not concerned about border Customs.

1000 Islands Canadian Crossovers

While I don’t actually visit the Canadian side of the river, the 1000 Islands bridge at Alexandria Bay makes the crossing. There is a casino in the town of Gananoque that’s a big draw as are helicopter rides that provide a birds-eye view of Boldt Castle and sunken ships. The owners of the boutique mansion hotel, Woodview Inn, are said to be among the best hosts on the Canadian side, including facilitating helicopter tours of the wine region as part of their first-class service.

Since I am relegated to the American side for now, I relax at the Harbor Hotel’s waterfront as the sun drops. I watch multi-generational families reconnecting, couples strolling, and river action including jet skiers skirting about, large shipping vessels plying onward, and leisure boats heading out for island dinners or sunset libations.

The following day I visit the Antique Boat Museum, expecting a small warehouse type museum. Boy am I mistaken! Instead, I find galleries of classic wooden ones, including high-powered speed boats that seem out of Formula One; small skiffs that visitors can take out on the river; and a grand 106-foot houseboat with period accents that are reminiscent of the Titanic. The small town of Clayton, I decide, packs a pretty big punch as far as leisurely interests.

I get ready to depart but have one more stop. Captain Garnsey had told us about his animal rescue farm (a 501c charitable operation), complete with swimming pigs that he’s saved, donkeys, and more. So, I find myself there with my 21-year old daughter, who has been thinking about adopting a cat and is now eyeing one to take back. Sure enough on the way out of town we’ve got a kitten in tow appropriately named “Harbor.” It is a name that speaks to future explorations, safe spaces, and beauty, and a special reminder of those beautiful 1000 Islands where new memories have been made. Now, next time I will just have to make it to the Canadian side.