There were no shortage of submissions offering stories identifying last month’s image. One that I’m sure will resonate with many of you, paints the picture of a little boy in a tiny boat enjoying summer adventures in the narrow rifts and gaps around Trois Iles in the Lost Channel. That little boy now has a somewhat larger boat, providing quite different adventures, though I suspect his earlier ones are the ones he cherishes most:
“I look forward to this email each month. I am writing you from the Kingdom of Bahrain where I am currently stationed on a Coast Guard Cutter. As one of America's many deployed service members, the Arabian Gulf and desert climate of the Middle East are a far cry from the beauty of the 1000 Islands. I will spend over 4000 hours at sea this year, mostly in the territorial waters of Iraq; despite the good we are doing over here, I can't help but look forward to a change of scenery!
My grandparents (Bobby & Gerry Hendricks) have owned a cottage on Hill Island since 1967. The cottage is just before the Needles Eye and I was fortunate to spend a week or two during most of my summers racing around the river. My mother (Karen) was an only child and literally grew up as a River Rat, vacationing at the family home on Wellesley Island until the Hendricks' Cottage "The Eagles Nest" was completed in 1967. My mother's love of the river was something that she shared with each of her children (I celebrated my 1st birthday at the river) and now it is our turn to pass it on. I have a wife, a 2 year old and a 6 month old waiting for me back home and my son made his first trip to the river when he was just 9 months.
I think the new photo you shared this month is of the foot bridges that connect Trois Isle with two smaller islands before you get to Rabbit Island...not sure what the middle Island with the tree is called. Trois Isle is closest to the Canadian span of the Thousand Island Bridge; there used to be a stone bridge connecting Rabbit Island with and the two smaller islands, but the story I heard was that during one of the land sales, the new owner tore the bridge down. As a young boy I used to drive an 8 foot John boat with a 1967 3HP Evinrude right through Benson's Rift and cut around the back side of Rabbit Island, right where the bridge used to be. The boat and motor were a gift to my mother from her parents when she was just 13.
As I grew older and graduated to larger boats in the family fleet, speed limits gradually sprung up around the Islands, some in knots and the others in MPH. I used to joke with my sister because the house on Trois Isle had a sign hanging from its deck railing (not an official speed marker) that said "NO SLOW WAKE" with one word over the other and SLOW being slightly larger so it would stand out. I am sure the intent was for a passerby to read it as SLOW, NO WAKE, however as an adolescent youth it was easy enough to infer that we ought to be going fast, since a SLOW WAKE was clearly something they didn't want.
Thanks for sending these out each month. It reminds me of the many natural wonders I miss from back home. Only 4 months left on my 1 year tour and I hope the 1000 Islands will be where I spend some of my summer in 2010.”
Best,
Andy
Andrew L. Pate, LT, USCG
Commanding Officer
USCGC BARANOF (WPB 1318)
Patrol Forces Southwest Asia
Kingdom of Bahrain
Much appreciated Andy. I can hardly imagine a greater contrast than the Middle East and the Thousand Islands and I’m glad to note that your tour seems perfectly timed to get you back for some new summer memories with your family around Trois Isles this summer.
I’d like to bring your attention to a new feature on the site. A couple of months ago, I received a great suggestion from Jim Smith who suggested I post a map similar to the ones in my books to show specifically where each of these images were taken. Thanks to my web guru Mike Cox and his assistant Claudia Siefer, it is now done. You can access pointers to this image and 37 others on a map you'll find under the menu item “Wallpapers” or by clicking on this link. Note the zoom tool and the ability to connect directly to the relevant story by clicking on the place marker.
I’ll leave you with this new scene to ponder for February and look forward to you sharing some more great stories about this part of the River.
Enjoy!
Ian Coristine
Download wide-angle version
Comments
Two more beautiful photographs to add to my Screen Saver so that I can enjoy their beauty over and over through any day. They give me so much pleasure!
Catharine Van Sickle posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
This sure looks like Landons Rift's down river side. It is always a favorite spot of our family's "Sunset Cruise" that no one has tired of. We have always gone under the Canadian Span and hang a left toward Tom Thumb (I want the grand children to experience those short rapids that remain on the river since the dams came). I navigate to the head of Landon's Rift and slow to an idle and we all enjoy the solitude of that drift. When we come out of the rift I kill the engine and let the river carry us through the pocket behind the foot bridges. Our passengers even get quiet while the traffic above our heads on the bridge seems unnoticeable.
Walt Schooen posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
I believe the photo shows a great little quiet spot known as Trois Isles, or Three Isles. It is just south of the Canadian box girder bridge and just north of Wellesley Island. It is an excellent spot to go to when the wind is ripping and the traffic in the area gets to be too much. The fishing can be interesting there with the current that tears through there. Also you get some strange reactions from people when you take your boat up the cut heading SW. I own a 24' boat and it can be interesting navigating through there finding the balance of control and also respecting the boats of residents that are kept there. As usual, you have come up with another great picture to take my mind to a good place when I fire up the computer. Thanks for the wallpapers. Hopefully that is the spot I think it is.
Rick Noonan posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
This is the center island of Trois Isles - (once part of the Benson estate attached to Rabbit Island by a still visible footbridge) - located right next to the truss span of the 1000 Island Bridge as it lands on Hill Island. I have many great memories of playing on this island as a child; growing up not 500' from here and still, to this day, calling this area - HOME. Thanks, Ian, for the memory.
Ian McAdie posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Trois Iles was one of the scenes that sold us on the area when we first boated around.
Michael & Janice Laprade, Honey Bee Island & Lango posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
It's been a long time since I've poked around the river in a boat; however, the picture posted (greenery with the little bridge) reminds me of the canals behind Boldt's Castle. I couldn't say exactly where and there are probably similar locations on the river. Anyway, my friend Marcia and I used to spend quite a lot of time poking around that area. Wherever it is, it is a beautiful picture as is the one of the church.I love getting the regular emailings and have the church as my desktop background. I grew up in Alex Bay and now live in Florida. I came back in 2008 for my 50th ACS reunion and it was wonderful to be on THE river again.
Sara Meeks posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
This is a photo of "Trois Isles" (French for "3 Islands")! A cluster of Canadian Islands located just under the low, first part of the Canadian Bridge span. Look out your car window, down to your left below as you drive off Hill Island across the bridge towards mainland Canada. There is Trois Isles, three small islands connected by small wooden bridges and surrounded by calm, glassy, swift-water eddies where the channel narrows. It was a favorite water skiing spot for myself and fellow "River Rats" when we were kids. This was during the 1970's when there were very few "McMansions" on adjacent Hill Island and thus there were no "No Wake" zones (unless we just didn't obey them?) to slow down the ski tow boats. The protected water around Trois Isles was a smooth, glassy surface all day long, despite any winds that were whipping up the main channel. It was especially flat-calm at dusk, the prime time to water ski. The boys would slalom ski and spray the docks as we flew across the swirling, clear "narrows". This was also the spot for fishing and for "drifting". We could put the boat in idle or turn it off and drift quietly under the bridge. We'd come along side each other's boats, 2 or 3 together, and drift and talk. My girlfriend and I would cruise by in her Boston Whaler several times a day to check out the good-looking "hot" Trois Isles guys! Maybe we'd catch them fishing from shore, or better yet---swimming off their floating swim platform in their small bay! We never did officially meet those hunky guys. Maybe we were too shy, but we had lots of fun giggling and fantasizing about them! It was the most picturesque place to take visitors on a boat ride too. We had to show them the narrows, the eddies/whirlpools (you can feel the water pull your boat), and the cute little group of islands called Trois Isles, as we drove by slowly at "Tour Boat" speed under the bridge. I've probably driven past Trois Isles hundreds of times during my lifetime, and it always sparks wonderful memories.
Tammy Prebble posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
I wasn't sure how best to react to January's wallpaper, so here it is. I believe those are small islands behind Trois Isle's main island. It is very near Tom Thumb Island near Hill Island and also very near the 1000 Islands bridge. I like to boat in this channel, which makes one put on some throttle to stay ahead of the current.
Steve Wohl, Chaumont, NY posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Happy new year Ian - keep the great photography coming!
Michel Viau, Toronto, ON posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Not sure of the name of the island, but I believe it’s near the Canadian span of the TI bridge. What I knew as the "Needles Eye". I remember as a young teen, in my first outboard, a 13 ft 1956 Lyman, shutting down the motor to go through the "Eye" under "River Power" and just enjoying a 360 degree view of the bridge and surrounding islands after clearing the "Eye". I would get lost in these channels for hours at a time, but always "discovered" new and beautiful ways out of the "Eye". I wish I had the technology that I have now, i.e: picture phone, so that I could record all the adventures that I had as a boy growing up on the only thing he has ever called home......The River. As an adult I make up for lost pictures every time I'm on the river ... Great picture Ian. Even greater memories... Thank you.
Dave Hull posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
2nd picture looks like the bottom end of Benson's Rift. I have lived on the river all my life, nothing any more beautiful then the 1000 ISLANDS .Passed through there many times on our way to our island up the river.
Brian Davis posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Hadn't known it was 'Clover' (Mrs.) Boldt. Too, that the church in Rockport was a way station for bootleggers (plus Boldt Castle Boathouse . . . )Mmmm. Where else, gang?Someone likely will know the spot immediately and there are several clues as to current photo: steep looking backdrop - is high island or mainland; strong current - see swelling up . . . maybe near narrows at bridge on Canadian side; a Willow tree and of course the little well kept twin bridges (even for a Park. . . ?) Maybe off the 'Rift' but no highland there I don't think. Too, I thought way in one of the bays (Delaney Bay, etc.) on Grindstone or Wellesley - are there such else wise (Wolfe, Howe, Grenadier, etc.? That kind of slouch-back one barrel dock is old style and usually only found in backwaters (sorry owners . . .) After all that I don't know and love guessing !
Jack Paterson, Axeman Island posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Not sure the exact name of the island but it is between Constance and Rabbit just east of Benson's Rift and just west of the Canadian span of the bridge. This was a favorite spot to knee board and water ski as kids because the water is so nice and flat through that stretch. I can remember an early morning ski and as we passed the island and looked over, a small boat was on top of one of the bridges. The bridges are impassable beneath so I guess they tried to take a short cut over the top and didn't quite make it! Didn't get up to the the river for the first time in 38 years this past year, so thanks for all of the pictures Ian.
Tim Kiernan, Butts Island posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Could the Island in the photo be Nellie and Steve Taylor's island home showing the side that faces Wellesley Island State Park? Nellie's father, Tommy Mitchell, owned a group of small islands just off shore about a block west of Waterson's point and Steve build a lovely home there several years ago where they retreat in the summer to get away from the activity at Thousand Island Park, where they live in the winter. There is a gorgeous sculpted Great Blue Heron on the Canadian channel side point. I will email again if I can remember the name of the island which escapes me at the moment. Happy New Year and thank you for all the joy you bring to those of us who long for summer and home.
Penny Partlow - Cockeysville, MD and Fineview posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Ahhhhhh is that a breath of fresh River air, or what? Beautiful springpicture, Ian! And I really enjoyed that exciting story from last month. Sounds like something you'd have written, actually. I think you have morethan your fair share of "way-too-close-for-comfort" River adventures, too. Again, thanks for the wonderful monthly treat!
Patty Mondore, Janesville, NY posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Ian- this is the perfect way to start my new year back at work! I have no idea what the location is, but it looks like some pretty swift current in the foreground, and that only occurs in a few locations that I know of. Can't wait to hear where this beautiful spot is. As always, you capture the true beauty of the River.
Julia Hepworth posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
The Lost Channel is named after the disappearance of a British Warship and crew that vanished 200 years ago when attacked by a French rowing galley. During the 1950's Ernie Porter, captain of the Uncle Sam and Edgar Snyder, captain of the Paul out of Alexandria Bay competitively challenged each other in this island maze as they raced through the historic and treacherous waters of Lost Channel in the battle of 20th century tour boats much to the delight and thrill of the touring passengers on board! As an announcer on the Paul, I was witness to some of these more modern battles in Lost Channel. This beautiful June photo is taken slightly West of the Warren truss span of the Canadian Thousand Island Bridge system. I would guess you were standing on or near the southwestern point of Georgina Island Park and shooting the photo toward the South West in the morning. You may have been standing on the bridge with a telephoto given the angle of the shot. I will confirm this myself next summer to see if that is possible. The island's name is Benson and I think that you must have some great affection for it because this is the third time it has been featured as wallpaper on your great site. Last year you took the January photo of Benson's cold southern side looking north into howling snowstorm. You also choose this well shaped island for the pin-up in December 2005. I know it’s called the Lost Channel but we are all not lost.
Sandy & Trey Gregory posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Ian- It appears to be part of Trois Island near the Canadian bridge, I believe it's looking from the Lost Channel and the mouth of Benson's Rift is in the background. We always fish in the east entrance to the rift when it is windy. Even if we don't catch fish it is a beautiful and peaceful spot.
George Wambach posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Having spent almost fifty years living across from the January "mystery picture", there is no doubt that this is the small bridge between the second and third island of Trois Isles, on the right and Rabbit Island on the left at the eastern head of what is now know as Benson's Rift.
We, as a family, have spent every summer (first renting, then leasing and now living) across from this area since 1963. We became close friends with a former owner of Trois Isles from Rochester and their children and ours grew up as summer friends. Many happy hours have been spent on Trois Isles and many friendships established through spending time there.
Since we currently have a winterized home on the north shore of Hill Island at the eastern end of Benson's Rift, we continue to enjoy boating by this wee bridge and kayaking through the narrow passage of swift water between Island Three and Rabbit Island. These islands were originally all connected to Rabbit Island in the days when both properties were owned by the Benson (of Benson Corn Starch fame) family. Dorothy Benson lived on Trois Isles and wished to have them separated (no doubt for privacy) and so the cut was made at Rabbit Island. The old Benson boat house was originally to the right of the small bridge in this picture but has been gone for many years. But we have many pictures facing north from Hill Island of when it was still there.
After half a century of summering (and now some wintering) close to the area depicted in the photo, we would not wish to be anywhere else!
We have so enjoyed your pictures Ian and look forward each month for the next "mystery" one. We have all of your books, as well. Last month's pictures was, as well, very familiar to all of us in the area. Taken in winter, it does, indeed make a great screen saver.
Nora Jean McAdie, Toronto and Hill Island posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
The picture is taken from Hill Island just under the bridge and yes the water is very swift, there is a rift there. I think the Island is called Trio Isles we (as kids) would say "twa zele" it was a bad version of French for the 3 islands connected by bridges. Those islands are just off the point of my Mom and stepfather's former home.
Andy Richardson posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Hi Ian, Well Ruth Morrow, who has the cottage in the bay where Eagle Point is, and I believe the location is the bay at the east end of Benson's Rift at les Trois Isles. I used to camp at Ivy Lea campground with the kids on an amazing site that we could bring the boat up to. Coming back from Ruth's going west under the bridge on the way back to the camp site to pick up stuff for a picnic at Grenadier, there was a large gust of wind and without knowing it my slicker blew off the the boat with my cell phone, wallet, car keys, and god knows what else. Fortunately our campsite neighbour, Moxy, had a friend coming up from Montreal, so he called his office, got one of his trusted employees to break into our house, get the extra car keys, get them to Moxy's friend to then be delivered to us. In the end I was very fortunate and was amazed at how easy it was to replace everything, but anyone who has lost their wallet knows what a sinking feeling that is. Another time, some friends and I were rafted together in this bay doing some fishing and snorkeling. It was probably our first time there. My friend dropped one of his flippers in the water which sunk before any body could react. His daughter, being on the swim team back home was instructed to swim down and retrieve the fin. After seeing her slightly disappear beneath the surface she shot out of the water screaming something about a large snake, probably just one of those semi water logged branches, but it sure made all of us wonder given we were newbees to the area. I have another story of a Gananoque friend that blew himself up on our Seadoo last summer, A very scary thing to witness!, but no doubt the community being as small as it is everyone has heard that story. If not I'll save that for next month. Hope to see you one of these summers at the cottage.
Dave Fownes posted on: Thursday, January 28, 2010
This is one of my favorite places to take the boat, its so enchanting in those little channels between small private islands, love it Thanks Ian !
Lori Moose posted on: Monday, February 01, 2010
Ian, we very much enjoy receiving your newsletter every month. For us, it is is educational, as we are "newcomers" to the region. Our first vacation there was in 2001, but by 2002 we owned our own little slice of heaven on Carleton Island! After building there, we decided to do a little "fixer upper" on Millens Bay. We spend many winter weekends there. Not growing up in the Islands as many of your readers did, we are not familiar with all the places you write about. (Though we do own all of your books). Thank you for now including the map and locations of your photos. Our children are in their mid to late 20's and love the Islands. We hope that one day, if we have grandchildren, they will write to you about growing up at their Grandparent's place and about fond memories that were created in the 1000 Islands.
Ron & Pat Cocquyt Carleton Island & Victor, NY posted on: Monday, February 01, 2010
When you get out of Jefferson County, it get tougher for me. I think this is the small shoal SSW of Crossover Island light. I recognize the silos along Rte. 12 on the American shore. My only recollection of a story in this area is from several years ago when a freighter fetched up on Whaleback Shoal as it was beginning to cross over from the Blind Bay area. Great Photo; keep them coming! Dick
Dick Withington posted on: Sunday, February 24, 2013
These are great, every month is better. I love the chart with the access to prior pictures/blogs. Look forward as always to May!
John A McCullough, Boston MA posted on: Monday, February 01, 2010
Beautiful!
Dawn Edgely, Brockville, ON posted on: Monday, February 01, 2010
This one didn't take too long to recognize since it is directly out the front window. Looks like a cool quite morning where mankind sips coffee from shore and ducks enjoy the water surface solitude. I have no riveting story to share about this south facing view of Crossover Island however I would like to point out that you have other photos that showcase the neat old light house located here. Crossover is an interesting section of river since the shipping traffic does indeed cross from one side to the other but it is also where they change reporting jurisdictions. The ships radio in when they arrive at Crossover to confirm they are departing one jurisdiction and entering another. When they do this you can learn where they are bound, draughts - fore and aft and sometimes the cargo. As a side note we have always speculated that the silos of the dairy farm on the US shore were a financial bar graph for the first eight years of operation. I use your photos as computer wall paper at work all the time. My colleagues have noticed and are now taking an interest in the river even though they have never had the pleasure of spending time in, on or around it. Thanks Ian!
David Tolton posted on: Sunday, February 24, 2013
Hi Ian, That was a great story from Andy. Sure makes you appreciate what we have right here. Unfortunately I do not have a clue about the new photo. I do not recognize the background so assume it is from the south side. About that Seadoo incident. My daughter was out with two of her friends on her machine. They rolled it and a couple of days later it would not function. So it was off to Tommy Two Stroke in Gan. for an engine rebuild. All was fine after that until I took it out. We were coming back from "A" Bay when just to the south of Hill Island it started to act up. We got to a dock and our friend Ed Feddema from Gan. took over messing around with the engine. Next thing I know there is a huge ball of fire coming up from the engine and Ed is sitting right on it. So Ed is on fire, Ruth and I are just standing there totally frozen. Ed rolled into the water yelling at us to get the fire extinguisher. Ed came flying out of the water onto the dock, I don't know that his body even touched the dock before his feet. As it turns out, he hates weeds. He puts out the fire and announces everything is fine, only that there was not any facial hair left. No hair on his head and the skin on his arms was hanging off like a torn T-shirt. He realizes that all was not well. He was onto his machine and off to Ruth's before we could realize what he was doing. Ruth and I were still standing there not completely believing what happened. By the time we got back, he was off to the hospital. Well about six hours later Ed shows up at the cottage, bandages everywhere, with a big smile saying everything is good. He fortunately does not have much scarring and the problem with the machine is resolved, thanks to Tommy, let alone salvaged much to my disbelief. We are looking forward to another great summer amongst the islands and will never forget that event. Makes you wonder what we are in for this summer. All the best, Dave Fownes, Montreal P.S. Any body want to come Sea Dooing with me??... Didn't think so!
Dave Fownes, Montreal QC posted on: Wednesday, February 03, 2010
This is a nice Northern view of Crossover Island! This shot is from the Canadian side of the island and out of the main shipping channel. The bushy tree at the foot of the island conveniently shrouds the view of the lighthouse. The fog confuses viewer as it erases the silver roof volumes that would identify this little islands silhouette. The real give away for me are the silos perched on the US shore beyond. I remember those from the foggy mornings of bass fishing between Crossover and Whale back shoals, those big vertical cans always popped out of the fog first! The one fishing trip I remember quite well I was twelve years old and with my Dad. We caught our legal limit in record time. We filled the big metal mesh purse draped over the side of the Hutchinson with fat black bass. We were so excited to go back home and show off our catch that some how we forgot to bring the full purse back into the boat.This type of metal purse had a hinged door on the bottom that was kept close with a spring. The small spring was no match for the force of the quick flow of river water through the mesh as the Chrysler Crown engine roared the boat to plane off. I peered over the gunnel in time to see the bass fire like torpedoes through the opening on the bottom of the purse back to freedom. Today anglers commonly call this type of fishing “catch and release” and it is considered quite fashionable. However, this was a different time and that foggy morning I learned many different names for this type of fishing.Trey Gregory
Trey Gregory posted on: Sunday, February 24, 2013
Godspeed home Lt. Thanks to you and your shipmates for what you do. BMC Gilmer USCG (fellow river rat)
Randy Gilmer posted on: Friday, February 05, 2010
The letter is interesting because the writer will spend 4000 hours at sea this year – that’s a lot of time on the water and that’s merely the Coast Guard.
Gregory B McLean posted on: Sunday, February 24, 2013
Ed came flying out of the water onto the dock, I don't know that his body even touched the dock before his feet. As it turns out, he hates weeds. He puts out the fire and announces everything is fine, only that there was not any facial hair left. No hair on his head and the skin on his arms was hanging off like a torn T-shirt. He realizes that all was not well. He was onto his machine and off to Ruth's before we could realize what he was doing.
posted on: Sunday, February 24, 2013
