July 6-7                     Brockville, Ontario

More beautiful weather for a short cruise to Brockville, at the end of the Thousand Islands area of the St. Lawrence River and our first stop in Canada.    Our journey took us past Alexandria Bay, Boldt Castle, and the lovely homes on the American side of the River.  Before reaching Brockville, we cruised past Singer Castle on Dark Island, built 100 years ago by Commodore Francis Gilbert Bourne as a luxurious hunting lodge.  Opened to the public, it is reported to be beautifully maintained and furnished.  Docking facilities were too small for The Bottom Line so we had to see only the exterior as we passed.

The marina at Brockville was large and we were docked on a long wall next to a park area. In the area was mounted a small airplane commemorating The Golden Hawks, a precision aviation team of the Canadian Air Force.   Here we checked into Canadian customs by telephone.  They wanted detailed information about our boat but did not ask for passport numbers!  When asked if we had liquor on board (customs regulation is two liters for each person), David replied we had a “stocked bar.”  That answer was sufficient.

Only a few blocks from the marina, the downtown area is demonstrating an economic struggle with many empty storefronts.  Some restaurants were present, a few stores, and a number of professional offices possibly for those serving the nearby city and provincial government buildings.  The historic city hall, courthouse, and nearby churches reflected a once prosperous and viable community.  Downtown had been impacted by a large mall built on the other side of Brockville.  There was evidence of new residential building in the marina so future prospects may be positive.

David discovered a small Thai restaurant and we returned there for dinner on our second evening.  The ambiance was charming and we both admired a lovely elephant bas-relief/fountain adorning the rear wall. The food was outstanding.  Coconut ice cream for me (a fondness I share with my neighbor, Don Huckaby) and coconut-mango rice pudding for David were great indulgences.