The tourist hotspots in this area are the 1000 Islands in general and Boldt Castle in particular. Dozens of tour companies run ferries with multiple trips daily to the castle. Crowds descend upon it in swarms, much like the Statue of Liberty, Chichen Itza or the Grand Canyon. One of the larger tour companies is located within a short walk of the Gananoque Municipal Marina which made our decision to park Crossroads and enjoy a guided tour much easier.
We loaded onto the ferry at 10:00 and headed down the Saint Lawrence River. As we were hugging the southern shore, we technically crossed back into the United States. We passed by Rock Island Lighthouse on the way to Boldt Castle, both located in New York. Upon exiting the ferry we had to clear US Customs.
Boldt Castle is located on Heart Island and was the dream of George Boldt, owner of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. He began building it in the early 1900s as a display of love for his wife. She passed away before construction was complete and Boldt lost interest in the project. The story of its concept and restoration is very interesting, so check out their website for more information (www.boldtcastle.com).
The castle sits magnificently on the river and has immaculate gardens and landscaping. During our visit today, colorful annuals were being planted all over the island. Small details such as the ornate heart-shaped ironwork show the depth of the initial planning.
The formal Italian Garden looks over the Saint Lawrence River. A short distance across the water is the Yacht House. The tall doors opened up to allow sailboats to enter with their masts and rigging intact. Building products remain in shipping crates as they were left -- moulding in the wooden frames and ceramic tiles packed in wooden barrels with sawdust for cushioning.
The ground and second floors are mostly restored to the intended level of luxury. The grand hall is stunning, with its stained-glass dome and marble staircase. The high level of craftsmanship can be seen in all the woodworking.
We spent about two hours at Boldt Castle and then headed back. Today's return trip followed the same route we took to Gananoque yesterday. We saw new sights like the totem pole, and got closer looks at others such as the hillside statute of Saint Lawrence which is visible only from the water. A brief thunderstorm passed through shortly after we re-entered Canada through the dockside Customs office. We visited the Thousand Islands Boat Museum which had both inside and outside exhibits ... and an opportunity for a little fun to end the day.
We had dinner onboard and will prepare to leave tomorrow morning for Kingston, our first stop on Lake Ontario.
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