Clayton to Boldt Castle

Day 7: August 16, 2017
You can monitor our trip at the link: Second Wind's Progress Live

We

A large estate on "Millionaires Row'" near Alexandria Bay NY

had a noisy night’s sleep.  When we went to bed, the waters in French Bay were calm but sometime in the night, the winds shifted to the northeast causing the waves to build and crash into the stern of Second Wind.  We had the boat tied in such a way that it really moved very little but the sounds and what movement the waves created made for a somewhat restless night’s sleep.

At around 7:00 we joined Rob and Sharon for a ride to town and a nice French Toast breakfast.  The young lady who served us offered real maple syrup for a dollar more which we both accepted.  When she returned, she told us that she had made it herself. I quarried her further and it turns out

Boldt Castle from St. Lawrence River, Google photo

that they tap something like 1,500 trees each spring and have a camp where they boil down the sap.

Back at the boat, we said our goodbyes to the Grants and headed downstream  following the main channel of the St. Lawrence.  The river passes between various islands most of which are lined with private homes.  We passed through an area known as the American Narrows which is probably a couple of hundred yards wide.  Our depth meter struggled in what appeared to be disbelief in waters of up to 185 feet. The meter kept cycling back to 1.5 feet and setting off the shallow water alarm. 

We traveled about 10 miles with the wind on our nose the entire way.  Even so, with the current of the river, we traveled easily at 6 knots. It boggles my  mind to

Grand Entrance to the Island

think that all of the precipitation that falls in the Great Lakes watershed, except for that which evaporates, is flowing through this narrow passage on its way to the sea.

Our destination is the famous Boldt Castle situated on a heart shaped island in Alexandria Bay.  The following is an except describing what we saw.

“At the turn-of-the-century, George C. Boldt, millionaire

Grand Stariway in the entrance to the Castle

proprietor of the world famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, set out to build a full size rhineland castle in Alexandria Bay, on picturesque Heart Island.  The grandiose structure was to be a display of his love for his wife, Louise.

Beginning in 1900, the Boldt family spent summers in the 1000 Islands at the Boldt Family Wellesley House near Mr. Boldt’s Wellesley Island Farms while 300 workers including stonemasons, carpenters, and artists fashioned the six story, 120 room castle, complete with tunnels, a

Skylight about the Grand Entry, a Tiffany

powerhouse, Italian gardens, a drawbridge, alster tower (children’s playhouse) and a dove cote. Not a single detail or expense was spared.

In January 1904, tragedy struck. Boldt telegraphed the island and commanded the workers to immediately “stop all construction.” Louise had died suddenly. A broken hearted Boldt could not imagine his dream castle without his beloved. Boldt never returned to the island, leaving behind the structure as a monument of his love.

For 73 years, the castle and various stone structures were left to the mercy of the wind, rain, ice, snow and vandals. When the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority acquired the property in 1977, it was decided that through the use of all net revenues from the castle operation it would be preserved for the enjoyment of future generations.

Library, Hand carved mantle with Hansel and Gretel carved in

Since 1977, several million dollars have been applied to rehabilitating, restoring and improving the Heart Island structures.”

We also toured the fabulous boat house that housed, I believe I heard, his 70 some boats including steam yachts and the huge house boat that we toured at the Antique Boat Museum.  The building housed a number of antique boats including two owned and raced by Boldt’s daughter and son-in-law. http://www.boldtcastle.com

Our original plan was to swing north and drop anchor for the night behind an

Formal garden, Statues found in original crates in a sunken boat in the boat house

island in Canadian waters.I called the customs folks and they said that I needed to check in with them before we did that.  The check-in station is too far from Heart Island

The Power House

so we moved into the bay behind the Castle, dropped anchor.  We grilled some brauts and cooked some cheesy grits for a pleasant evening meal on calm waters.  Later we cooked a blob spice cake that will serve as dessert for the next several days.

The Boathouse