Thousand Islands

A Journey into the Thousand Islands

The St. Lawrence River was the main route into the heart of Upper Canada and beyond from the 17th century up until the mid-19th century. Traveled first by explorers, fur traders, and missionaries and later by settlers en route to Ontario and the plains west, the river is still a magnificent sight -- especially wherever it flows around the many outcroppings of countless islets. In some stretches here, the river swells to more than 19km (12 miles) wide, so there's plenty of room for these interlopers.

That's why, along this stretch, the St. Lawrence is known primarily for its Thousand Islands region. According to one Native Canadian legend, petals of heavenly flowers fell to earth here and were scattered onto the river, creating Manitouana, the "Garden of the Great Spirit." That isn't quite so difficult to believe once you've seen the islands, which actually number more than 1,800.

The Thousand Islands are nationally administrated as the St. Lawrence Islands National Park, headquartered at 2 County Rd. 5 in Mallorytown (tel. 613/923-5261; www.pc.gc.ca). Canada's smallest national park is a beauty, encompassing an 80km (50-mile) stretch of the St. Lawrence from Kingston to Brockville. Along that stretch you'll find a good supply of motels, cabin colonies, campgrounds, RV sites, and boat-launching sites, but development has mostly been contained. The park's visitor center and headquarters are on the mainland, where you'll find a picnic area, beach, and nature trail; access to the park's island facilities is via boat only. (There are daily mooring fees, depending on boat size, and small daily parking fees at the landings as well.) Most of the islands have docking and picnicking facilities, available on a first-come, first-served basis; primitive campsites cost about C$15 (US$15/£7.50) per night. Three consecutive nights is the docking limit at each island.

Kingston is a good jumping-off point for touring the Thousand Islands, especially if you're coming from Toronto. In summer, cruise boats circulate through the islands, past such extraordinary sights as Boldt Castle [ST], built on Heart Island in the early 1900s by millionaire George Boldt as a gift for his wife. (When she died suddenly, the work was abandoned, and it stands as a poignant relic of lost love.)

From Kingston Harbour at City Hall in May to mid-October, you can take a 3-hour cruise for C$28 (US$28/£14) adults and C$14 (US$14/£7) children ages 4-12 on the Island Queen, a triple-deck paddle wheeler; a lunch on the boat during the cruise costs extra. The 90-minute cruises (about C$20/US$20/£10 for adults and C$10/US$10/£5 for children ages 4-12) aboard its sister boat, the Island Belle, take in the Kingston Harbour and waterfront. Both boats are used for 2-hour sunset cruises. Sunset dinner cruises of 3 1/2 hours are also available. For details, call tel. 613/549-5544 or check the website www.1000islandscruises.ca.

From Kingston, you can also cruise the Rideau Canal or explore the Thousand Islands aboard a houseboat. Representative of the companies renting these types of watercraft is Houseboat Holidays, R.R. #3, Gananoque, ON K7G 2V5 (tel. 613/382-2842; www.gananoque.com/hhl). Their houseboats sleep from 6 to 10 adults and come with fully equipped kitchens, hot and cold running water, and propane systems to provide heat and light. Weekly rentals on the canal system or on the river run from as little as C$900 up to C$2,000 (US$900-US$2,000/£450-£1,000), depending upon the time of year and the size of the vessel. Rentals are also available for weekends, long weekends, or for a minimum of 2 nights; you can rent from late April to mid-October.

From the waterfront in Gananoque in May to mid-October, the Gananoque Boat Line (tel. 888/717-4837 or 613/382-2144; www.ganboatline.com) offers cruises through the Thousand Islands. The longer cruise stops at the fantastical Boldt Castle. Note, though, that to visit the castle, which is in U.S. territory, you'll need either a valid passport or a birth certificate plus a picture ID (and a visa if you hail from many countries other than the U.S.). Call ahead for the cruise schedule. The same company operates group trips from Ivy Lea, leaving from west of the International Bridge on the Thousand Islands Parkway.

In fact, for a dramatic view of the islands from above, climb the Skydeck Tower on Hill Island (near Ivy Lea) -- it rises 120m (394 ft.) above the river, and on clear days the reward is a sweeping 65km (40-mile) panoramic vista.