June 30-July 5                                Clayton, New York

We had read glowing reports of Alexandria Bay, New York and were eager to dock there.  Many, many calls to marinas in that town proved to be frustrating.  No space for us.  It was near the July 4^th holiday and all slips for boats of our size were booked since last spring.  A fellow boater in Sackets Harbour told us he liked Clayton better and suggested we go there.  More phone calls and finally I was successful in booking space at Pier 225.  Brian, the dockmaster, assured me we would have plenty of depth although the chart showed it to be only three feet. Heavy rains during the spring months had raised the water level of the river.

Our brief journey down the St. Lawrence to Clayton was delightful.  Small villages and lovely homes presented an idyllic scene.  We easily found our marina, tucked into a small cove on the southern side of the town.  Brian provided us with excellent dockage that included a great view of the harbor from the aft deck.  We had no problems with depth.  Pier 225 is family-owned and Brian singlehandedly runs the place.  It is a challenge for he has considerable maintenance and repair work needing to be done.  He had done an amazing job rebuilding bathrooms (now fresh, clean, and beautiful) and an outdoor deck area for guests. 

We walked about six blocks to the main area of Clayton and found it to be a very lovely and active little town.  Shops, galleries, and restaurants were plentiful and there was considerable evidence of progress.  Clayton has not been bastardized by modern architecture. New structures blend in well.  The Victorian homes are not grand but are attractive with well-kept lawns and blooming plants. Three new restaurants and a beautiful inn were open or slated to open soon.  We spent time perusing the large gallery with multiple nautical items, walked to the town dock with multi-colored Adirondack chairs lining the wall, and checked out menus for a late lunch/early dinner. Crosswinds was our choice.  I had a fabulous veal chop with a cherry-balsamic sauce and David enjoyed grilled haddock. 

On Tuesday, we took a tour boat from Clayton down the river to the Alexandria Bay area and Boldt Castle.  The boat was actually a covered pontoon that had more than ample room for the ten passengers on board.  The narrator of the tour was excellent and gave us historical information mixed in with local legend and gossip.  Going down the river, we crossed to the Canadian side of the river through a narrow passage called The Needle, the site of dangerous shoals that have wrecked numerous small craft.  We saw many lovely small homes and a significant number of magnificent large homes.  For many years, this area has been the summer favorite of scores of Canadians and Americans and many homes have been owned by generations of the same family.  A bald eagle was spotted high in a tree and numerous ospreys were seen nesting on top of markers.

Boldt Castle is on Heart Island directly across from Alexandria Bay and is a major tourist attraction.  Built by George Boldt, a hotel magnate, as a gift to his beloved wife, Louise, the castle remains unfinished more than 100 years since building began.  When his wife died suddenly, Boldt sent word to stop all work.  The workers laid down their tools and left the island.  Boldt never returned there and the building deteriorated for years.  In the 1970’s the State of New York bought the site for $1.00 with an agreement that the castle could be restored but could never be finished.  All monies from tourism to the site are dedicated to the restoration work.  To date, more than $47,000,000 has been spent on the grounds and buildings.  The grounds are gorgeous with lush plants and flowers.  Furnishings have been added to the house and it is easy for visitors to imagine how wonderful the finished house would have been.

The following night we invited Brian to dinner on the boat.  He was properly appreciative of the great prime steaks we had brought from Costco in Texas (cooked perfectly by David).  Brian told us the genesis of his life as a marina operator.  Pier 225 had been bought by his father and Brian had worked closely with him in improving the facilities and operating the facility.  He has a tremendous love for the place and has worked hard to make it succeed following the death of his father.  Mr. Farsaci, Brian’s dad, collected books and CD’s of classical music which remain in Brian’s apartment at the marina.  I was invited to peruse the books and select ones I wanted as gifts.  Many of the books were on paintings and architecture.  Others were biographies or non-fiction.  I was delighted to choose five books to add to my personal library. 

Dinner ended on a down note when I discovered our refrigerator was not working well.  We packed everything into ice chests and the aft deck freezer.  Brian was unrelenting in solving the problem. The next day, he worked several hours to determine what was causing the problem.  It was a fan malfunction but replacement was not possible from suppliers in the area.  Brian had a rusted old refrigerator that was soon to be scrapped.  On a wild chance that the fan might still be good, he removed it and installed it in our galley refrigerator. Success was immediate and our problem was solved! 

On the July 3, we were able to take a two hour tour by car of the area.  Our driver was a friend of Brian’s who was a delightful guide.  Alexandria Bay was crowded, touristy, and loud.  The downtown area was tawdry and shabby.  We were delighted we had stayed in Clayton.  A highlight of the drive was our visit to Thousand Island Park.  Begun more than 100 years ago as a Methodist summer vacation place, it is today a unique community of mostly early twentieth century homes of Victorian architecture.  With large trees, expansive lawns, and few automobiles, it is an enclave of families that come year after year.  The original wooden tabernacle retains its sawdust floor and open setting.

Clayton celebrated with great fireworks on July 3.  We had a great seat for the show on our aft deck.  On July 4, we joined Brian and two friends on the lovely deck of the marina for drinks and dinner.  Brian cooked juicy, tender ribs for us and we provided the sides.  The weather was cool and the sunset was memorable.  At 9:30 PM, we adjourned to the boat to watch the Macy’s fireworks show in New York.  Seeing the cascades of fireworks from Brooklyn Bridge, we were reminded of a similar display from the bridges in Nagaoka, Japan which we witnessed on our visit there in 1992. 

July 5 was our final day in Clayton and our last opportunity to visit the renowned Antique Boat Museum.  Housed in beautiful green and beige buildings near our marina, the museum is first class in every way.  We arrived in time to tour the huge houseboat built by George Boldt (and later owned by two others) with eleven bathrooms, servant quarters, a dance floor, a Steinway piano, and nine bedrooms.  There was no engine.  This massive boat would be towed by a tug from place to place.  The last owners used it for a summer home for almost fifty years before donating it to the museum.

The museum has an amazing collection of wooden boats.  One entire building houses racing boats, another a boat building shop, another historic canoes, and another fabulous touring boats for the wealthy.  Very popular, the museum is a mecca for those who enjoy admiring the craftsmanship and innovative techniques of early boat builders.

We returned to Channelview for lunch.  We ordered fried cheese curd for an appetizer.  This is a specialty of the area.  We found it similar to fried mozzarella and of no great culinary value.  With accompanying raspberry and horseradish sauces, it was OK but not outstanding.  Sitting on the deck of the restaurant, we saw an amazing amount and diversity of boats and watercraft passing before us.  The weather was great and people were enjoying the day.  Nearby was docked the Freedom, a huge private yacht that is chartered for $750,000 weekly.  It was leaving soon for Europe.