TI: Boldt Castle

Depart: Clayton 8:30
Arrive: Boldt Castle 9:50 (travelling U.S. side of River)
Distance: 10 nm
Depart: Boldt Castle 2:00
Arrive: Clayton 4:15 (traveling Canada side of River)
Distance: 17 nm

Clark had hoped to move on to Alexandria Bay; however, they had no room at the docks for us there for tonight. Instead we stayed one extra night at Clayton. The only drawback meant that we had to backtrack and cover some territory a second time to move on to the next stop on the itinerary.

Traveling to Boldt Castle really brought home the reason this area is called "Thousand Islands". They are everywhere - some large and some small and everything in between. Any island large enough to hold a house has one.

In the "Gilded Age" of the late 1800s early 1900s, people built mansions on the islands large enough to hold one. Some people who wanted their own island, and couldn't find one that suited them, made their own. They would find an area with shoaling, build a bulkhead around the area, and fill it in to make an island.

The land here contains a lot of bedrock. How they built on it and provided themselves with plumbing services, I have no idea!

Island Houses

This island comes with a lighthouse!

House on Dock next to an Island

Solid Rock Base

Clark named this one "Picnic Island"
Park-like island with nothing but picnic tables and a cooking area

We arrived at Boldt Castle around 9:45 but could not figure out where we could dock. We knew they had a long dock (60' worth) if we could only find it. The obvious docking space was off limits - either used by tourist boats coming in and out or U.S. Customs to check in people coming from Canada.

Finally, with some yelling and gesturing from a crew member on the Boldt Castle shuttle boat, we found the space where we needed to dock. Then the problem we had was getting there. As we approached the dock, the water depth got less and less until we feared we would be touching bottom. With all the rock in the area, running aground is a very bad idea.

Clark positioned me on the bow and I gave him feedback and what I saw below us - a lot of weeds. He managed, with my help, to "feel" his way into the dock. Sadly, the place where we tied up was quite foul (fowl) as it was covered in seagull droppings and feathers. I suggested moving further along, but Clark was so unsure of water depths he felt more comfortable docking with the bird stuff than venturing further in. I carefully worked with my lines to avoid dragging them through anything unsavory.

The story of George Boldt, his wife Louise, and the castle is quite a tragic love story. Boldt loved his wife so much he decided to have a castle built just for her. It would have 6 stories and be fashioned after castles he saw in Europe in his youth. Before the castle was completed, Louise died. Boldt had work stop immediately, and he never returned to the island. 

The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority put a project in place to bring the castle back to the state it was in when abandoned. They did so well with the reconstruction and receipt of funds from visitors, however, that over the years, they have been completing rooms to Boldt's specification that were never completed in his lifetime.

Boldt Castle

Fun Tower at Boldt Castle

Housing for the generator

Because Louise's birthday was Valentine's Day, George Boldt did everything in hearts. The first change he made was to rename the island he purchased from Hart to Heart Island.

Heart-shaped Flower Bed

Map of the Grounds

Vicky, from Drifters, told me to download the Boldt phone application. We used that to guide us through the castle room-by-room. The first and second floors are completed and open to visitors. The third and fourth floors (out of six) have open sections that have not been reconstructed to show the difference between the state now and the state before reconstruction began.

Grand Staircase
(never completed when Boldt was alive)

View up the Grand Staircase to upper levels

Stained-glass dome 100' above the floor

Parlor / Receiving Room

Gentlemen Only Game Room

Formal Dining Room

"Modern" Kitchen

The library has fairy-tale pictures designed into the wood molding. Around the fireplace, Hansel and Gretel are depicted. Somewhere in the room (we did not find it) is Aladdin's Lamp.

Library

Reminded me of "Hogwarts" 

The Boldt family crest consists of a heart with the letter B surrounded by clover and topped with a stag.

Stained-glass Boldt Family Crest

Even the furniture is carved with the family crest.

Crest on a Dresser

Elevator

Louise Boldt Portrait

Louise's Bedroom

We took a quick peak at the third and fourth floors. Most of both floors are blocked off as too dangerous for visitors to view.

Third Floor Room
(before reconstruction begins)

View from a Third Floor Window 

View from a Third Floor Window

We also found our way down to the basement where we saw a pool which was most likely planned as a means to move the elevator from floor to floor.

Pool at Boldt Castle

Tiles / Building Supples dated c. 1900

From there we continued the audio tour to view the grounds surrounding the castle.

Arch where guests would arrive to visit the Boldt's c. 1900

Fountain at Arch

Gazebo where the Boldt's awaited their guests' arrival

Fountain

Four-seasons Garden and Statuary

Boldt never had statues.
They were added during reconstruction
using his original plans as a guide.

After touring the grounds we took the boat shuttle to the Yacht House.

View of Yacht House from the Shuttle

View of Yacht House after docking on the island

George Boldt had two children George Jr. and Louise "Clover" Boldt. Both George Jr. and Clover raced boats.

"PDQ" aka "Pretty Damn Quick"
(Model raced by Clover and her husband)

Kestrel was the name of the Boldt Yacht.

Kestrel - bow

Kestrel

Kestrel - aft

Kestrel 1892 Steam Engine

After completing the Boldt Castle tour, we headed back to the boat for our trip back to Clayton Harbor. We stopped briefly at Alexandria Bay to see if we could dock at the town dock long enough to have a look around, but we could not find a spot on the dock large enough. If only a jet ski had tied in a different spot, we would have been able to tie up.

As it was we pulled into the narrow fairway to look for a spot and had to back out to get back into the river. Everyone on both sides of the fairway stopped what they were doing to gawk at us / our boat while we maneuvered in and then out of the harbor.

View of Alexandria Bay

On the trip back to Clayton, we circled the islands and covered new territory on our ride to and from the marina. We went to the castle via U.S. waters and traveled back on the Canadian side.

Yet another house on yet another island

We travel Canadian Waters for the ride back to Clayton.

1000 Islands Tower
Stairs wrap around the tower to the observation deck on top.
If you make it there, you will find an ice cream shop to greet you.

Canadian "Green" Channel Marker
hiding in the trees

Canadian-style "Red" Channel Marker

Canadian Cabin on St. Lawrence River

"House on the Rocks"

We returned to our reserved spot at the Clayton marina. Two dock hands greeted us to help us tie up. For the remainder of the afternoon, we hung out and relaxed.

View as the sun lowers in the sky

 We had a varying sunset tonight making up for some nights when we get no sunset.