Thousand Island Boat Vac.

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Crownline33

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Joined
Nov 13, 2011
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32699
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Hey All. I'm from South Jersey and we do most of our boating on the Northern Chesapeake. We trailer a 26' Sundancer, and we enjoy a good adventure. My wife and I would like to try and plan a trip to the Thousand Islands this summer. I was there as a kid and we camped as a family I believe on Welsley Island and I have always wanted to go back with my own boat ever since.
Its been on my “Bucket List" before we have kids to take my wife there and do a week vacation. I had the idea of staying on the boat and going from port to port, either anchoring out or grabbing a slip each nigh, for the true experience as well as to save money on a rental house, I'd rather put it to gas on the water.
I'm looking for some local input or from someone that has done something similar. I'm really not sure where to start planning.
What would be a good starting point for us? I have read a little about the rideau canal. Is a week enough time to explore this, or should we stick to more of the St. Lawrence sea way area? Is there a loop that can be done on the canal or in that area? We were thinking of early June?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
 
Hiya 33,
Well, in a week, you would be hard pressed to do ALL the Rideau Canal and unless you want to go from Kingston to Ottawa to Montreal and back to Kingston (a LONG distance) there's really not a "loop" to do the Rideau. What you might do is trailer your boat to a midpoint on the Rideau (say Portland on Big Rideau Lake, Ontario) and travel up and down the system for a bit in either direction. Be aware if you want to go any distance you will have to make use of the lock system-an adventure in itself but after one or two lockages, a piece of cake. Beautiful country throughout the system and you can stay right at a lockstation overnight for a fee. Most have no water or power but all have bathrooms.
We boated on the St. Lawrence for a number of years but didn't use the American facilities at all other than day visits. We mostly stayed on the Parks Canada islands (for a fee). Again, no power or water but with bathrooms (some quite "rustic").
June is bug season so bring lots of repellant. Check out the websites for Parks Canada from which you can access information on both the Rideau and St. Lawrence park. There are marinas along both the St. Lawrence and the Rideau and supplies are readily available in both areas.
Enjoy.
 
Lived on my own private island there for 30 years and never even traveled much past Kingston or Brockville. The Castles (Boldt-Alexandria Bay and Singer-Chippewa Bay) and the first and largest Antique Boat Museum in Clayton are must sees. Also be sure to join the floating party over in Lake Of The Isles. Fireworks on the 4th from Boldt Castle. The week long Pirates invasion on Alex Bay (great for family/kids) in August. First weekend in August is the world's largest antique boat show at the museum in Clayton. Third week August every even number year is the antique raceboat regatta.
http://www.abm.org/

http://www.singercastle.com/

http://www.boldtcastle.com/
 
I think there are several options open to you Dustin.
The first is to simply spend the week cruising the thousand islands. You'll find plenty of beautiful anchorages full service marinas and there's a lot to see and do. Rub Rails named just a few.
Another option is to navigate the rideau canal. You'll find the water a little warmer and the locks are a great place to spend a night or two. They usually have lots of greenspace and many do have power and water. But... it would be difficult to travel from kingston to ottawa and back in a week. There are just too many locks. You could do what we did a couple of summers ago. Put in at portsmouth olympic harbour near kingston. They have an excellent ramp and you can park your trailer and tow vehicle for a resonable fee. Take the week going from kingston to ottawa at your leisure but try to time it so you spend a couple of days in ottawa...Canads capitol Then, return to kingston on the train (via rail) to pick up your truck and trailer and make the return trip to ottawa to retrieve your boat. Round trip on the train and the drive back to ottawa is about five hours.
A third option might be the best of both worlds. Launch in kingston...spend a few days exploring the thousand islands and then return to kingston and head up the rideau canal for a few more days. You won't get all the way to ottawa but you could get to someplace like jones falls and then return to kingston before you head back home.
Whatever you decide you'll find some great boating.
Hope this helps.
 
I do not know if you are still into camping, but I will offer another option. When i had my pontoon boat, I would spend 10 days in the 1000 Islands every summer. I would get a campsite on Mary Island State Park. It is only accessable by boat, and has 12 campsites. Book early to get one. I would arrive midweek to get a good site, by Thursday they are gone. The down side, is there are no showers on the Island. (more then once I just in the seaway and took a bath) Mary Island is on the tip of Welsley Island, you can spit on Mary Island fron Welsley Island, but you can not cross there. A few of the sites have good water access for swimming.

There is plenty to do by boat from there. The Alex Bay area is one of my favorites. It is awesome, that you can get to a Grocery Store, Liqour Store, and Drug Store by boat! Both Alex Bay and Clayton have town docks with ample dockage. there is plenty to do in both towns. There are also serveral restuarants with there own docks. Most of the time when I would go, I never touched my car the entire week.
 
Thank you guys! This is a great help so far! I guess my next step is to research the suggested spots, I think I’m leaning towards Norman’s suggestion and maybe doing a couple days on the canal and a few days exploring the Islands/towns.
Pete, you mentioned “Bug Season”, I wasn’t aware of that. Should I change my anticipated date to go? Never thought to ask the best time of year, I picked June, b/c it is easier for my wife and I, but would hate to have a bad experience due to bugs, especially since we are staying on the boat. Which also brings up another question, depending on the time we go, how necessary is AC on board? We do have a Gen set and AC on board, but do not like to run it all night (CO concern), would rather open windows/hatches and catch the breeze.
Being a US Citizen, what besides our passports do we need (documentation as well as safety gear on board different from US requirements)? I heard something about a Nexus Card? Is it difficult to figure out customs when you enter a Canadian port/Island. What about just being on the boat and crossing into Canadian waters? Do you still need to check in at that point as well?
How about charts/books to purchase so I can read up on different places and be a head of the game upon arrival? Would it be worth purchasing a chip of the area for my GPS as well?
Thanks again for all the great help so far!
 
To avoid most bugs, late July/Early August is best. As for A/C June would be ok to run without AC as the water will still be pretty cool and temperatures will not get too hot. Mid July is probably the warmest time of the year where you might consider running your AC overnight.

Here is the customs info you need:

US CBP: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/pleasure_boats/boats/

Canadian Customs: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5061-eng.html

Waterway Guide is a great place to start for US waters for Canadian charts check out http://www.charts.gc.ca/index-eng.asp
 
I live and boat in the St Lawrence area, so any info I can give to you?..
I have a C-Map chip of the area that you are more than welcome to borrow for your stay.

I highly recommend the Ports Books for the Area. I do not have one of the St Lawrence but purchasing one would be a great advantage to you.
If I did have one I would surely lend it to you.

http://www.portsbooks.com/cruising-guides/
 
Carver-thanks so much! I might just take you up on that. Eric- Great sites….still concerned about the bug issue! What types are we talking, and how bad? All day, or just at dusk/night. If we plan to sleep with the cabin open is this going to be an issue? We are no used to bugs on the Chesapeake, I mean we get your typical mosquitos at night, but a slight breeze, or being a little off the beach on anchor and we hardly get anything. I’m just really concerned that this could make for a bad experience depending on how bad you’re talking.
 
In my 30 years there I never had AC and it wouldn't be a problem for me now. I do remember Mosquitos being bad. When I returned in 1999 and 2000, they didn't seem so bad. Water was always on the cooler side on the St Lawrence
 
Hiya 33,
The bugs tend to be at their worst in the spring and depending how wet or dry the spring is may be anywhere from quite bothersome to non-existent. Eric d raises a good point about late July/early August regarding fewer bugs although if the summer is wet they'll be around in "some" volume. Mosquitoes and (spring mostly) black flies with the very odd deer fly and horsefly later in the year. One year was noticeably bad for wasps/hornets. When we were on the systems it seemed as long as you had your screens up by 20:50 hrs. (in July and August) you were safe. I don't mean to scare you off and use of an insect repellant, or a good Cuban cigar, should minimise your discomfort IF necessary. The bugs are here but they won't carry you off into the wilderness.
As far as AC goes. I can't think of an area either on the St. Lawrence or the Rideau where you can't jump in for a cooling swim although this may be frowned upon at some marinas but NOT at the lock stations from my past experience.
Peter
 
Another FYI, Canada is much stricter about alcohol on boats. Not sure of the details, but check before you go.
 
"I would get a campsite on Mary Island State Park."

I have fond many memories of escaping my parents' watchful eye by camping and partying on Mary Island even though my own little house on the point was a little longer than a rock's throw from the main house.
 
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