Wednesday July 23, 2025
As we slipped away from our dock in Clayton, our eyes were immediately drawn to the jaw-dropping 216-foot mega yacht moored nearby—none other than the Elysian, owned by billionaire John Henry, who counts the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool Football Club, and The Boston Globe among his assets. Valued at a cool $90 million, this floating palace has its own swimming pool and helicopter pad. Opinions around town are definitely mixed. Some locals grumble that it’s been hogging the waterfront view since before the Fourth of July and even blocked the park’s prime fireworks sightlines. Others, however, are thrilled at the $1,000 a day dockage fee it’s bringing into the local economy. Either way, it’s hard to ignore!
From there, we cruised north through the shimmering waters of the St. Lawrence River to Rock Island Lighthouse, a charming little island steeped in maritime history. We were able to tie up at the dock and explore the grounds. A park ranger welcomed us and shared the lighthouse’s backstory—it was built in 1848 to guide ships safely through the Thousand Islands region. We climbed to the top of the tower, where we were rewarded with sweeping views of the surrounding river. Unfortunately, the windows were bug-covered, so our photos didn’t quite capture the beauty we were seeing (nature’s little photo filter, I guess 🥹). Onshore, we explored the keeper’s quarters, now turned into a quaint museum that offers a glimpse into life as a lighthouse keeper.
Once we left the lighthouse, we meandered through what is called “Millionaires Row”, a section of islands with large beautiful homes.
Next stop: the crown jewel of the Thousand Islands—Boldt Castle.
Perched dramatically on Heart Island, Boldt Castle looks like it was plucked straight from a fairytale. This breathtaking six-story mansion was originally commissioned in 1900 by George C. Boldt, millionaire proprietor of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, as a labor of love for his wife, Louise. Tragically, construction came to a sudden halt in 1904 when Louise died unexpectedly. A heartbroken George never returned to the island, and the unfinished castle sat abandoned for over seven decades.
In the 1970s, the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority acquired the property and began restoring it to what Boldt had envisioned. Today, it’s open to the public and is nothing short of spectacular. From the grand marble staircase to the stained glass dome in the main hall, every corner oozes opulence. There’s even a powerhouse, an Alster Tower (sometimes called the “playhouse”), and meticulously landscaped Italian gardens.
We took our time wandering through the rooms, admiring both the original architecture and the restorations that have brought new life to this romantic relic. It’s easy to get swept up in the bittersweet love story and the sheer scale of the dream that was nearly lost to time.
After a full day of history, river breezes, and castle magic, we reluctantly pulled away, heading to a peaceful anchorage for the night.
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