Day 95-Thousand Islands

Thursday July 24, 2025

After one of the most peaceful nights we’ve had on the water, we woke up well-rested and ready for adventure. Pulling up the anchor was quite the chore this morning — it felt like we were dragging up half the riverbed with it! Thick with mud and weeds, the anchor easily weighed three times what it normally does. No wonder we didn’t budge an inch all night. 😀

Our next stop was Dark Island to explore the enchanting Singer Castle, and wow — this place did not disappoint. Of all the castles we’ve visited, this one takes the crown. It has everything: turrets, antique furnishings, gorgeous views… and best of all — secret passageways galore! Since we arrived just before the first tour of the day, we ended up getting a private tour. What a treat! The ghost stories gave us goosebumps, and slipping through the hidden doors and staircases felt like we were in a real-life mystery novel. Honestly, the secrets of this castle might’ve been even better than the décor itself! Fun fact: Singer Castle was built by Frederick Bourne, the 5th President of Singer Sewing Machine Company in 1902. He based the layout and looks of the castle on the descriptions of a castle in the book “Woodstock”, written by Sir Walter Scott in 1896! I’ll have to read that book!

On our way back toward Alexandria Bay, the wind decided to spice things up a bit — the river turned into a bit of a washing machine. We rocked and rolled our way into town, stopping for lunch and hoping to pick up a long-awaited package at the post office. Lunch? A success. Package? Still MIA… maybe tomorrow.

Now let’s talk about that lunch — on the specials board, I spotted something called the Big Mac Burger. Naturally, I asked the waitress how big it was, and she casually replied, “Oh, it’s a pretty good size.” Sounded manageable… until it arrived. This was no ordinary burger. It was a full-on monster: two thick patties (somewhere between ¼ and ⅓ pound each), special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions— and yes, a middle bun, all stacked on a toasted sesame seed bun. It was so tall it needed a knife stabbed through the top just to stay upright. 😂 The cook even came out to witness the spectacle of me attempting to eat it. It was absolutely delicious — and yes, I definitely needed a to-go box oh, and a fork!

After lunch, we crossed the river (again, thank you Wind Gods) and made our way to the marina where we’ll stay for the next two nights. Docking was tricky thanks to the wind, but the magical captain pulled off another smooth landing. 💫 Once we were all tied up, we made a beeline to the pool — yep, this marina has a pool! 🥰 With temps hitting 90° and the humidity climbing, it was the perfect way to end the day.