JUNE 26-29: NEW YORK TO CANADA

Well, we finally left New York State and entered Canada.  With the exception of spending one night in Connecticut, we have spent all our time to date in the State of New York.  We feel like we have traversed the State several times! 

This is the buoy that officially marks the border between the US and Canada-at least it is one of the border crossings.  The border here runs between the 1,000 islands some of which are US and others that are part of Canada.   We had hoped to anchor off Camelot Island which is part of the Canadian National Parks but we were informed that we needed to go to Gananoque first to check into Canadian Customs & Immigration. 

Canadian cottage just over the border.

Now we are official having checked in with Canadian Customs & Immigration and declared all our possessions.

Roughing it on the boat in Gananoque with a Cornish game hen dinner, roasted potatoes, etc.

Artfully decorated fire hydrant in Gananoque.

Local architecture...looks a lot like New England.

Lots of Bed & Breakfast options in Gananoque.

Our next home now that we are retired...Sorry no space for visitors!

Maybe this is more like it!  Many of the lakefront homes have a Victorian, gingerbread look.

After leaving Gananoque and heading for Kingston, we ran into a few of these ferries.  They are pulled via cable from one small island to another.  Thankfully, we did not literally run into anyas  that would have been the end of us.

Part of the old defense system of Kingston.   Kingston was settled in 1784 by loyalist from New York.  Kingston sits at the confluence of Lake Ontario and the St Lawrence River.  For a brief time in the mid-1800s, Kingston was the Capital of the United Provinces of Upper and lower Canada.  The first Canadian Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald was from Kingston.  Sir John A. as he is affectionately known was born in Glasgow but as the father of the Canadian Confederation, he is considered a local hero.

Kingston is also known as the limestone city due to its enormous limestone resources.  There are many examples of beautiful limestone homes and buildings.  Here are but a few.

City hall which hosts a farmers market in the square.

Kingston has an abundance of fine restaurants and micro breweries.  We tested a few.

We did the typical tourist thing and took a trolley tour of the city.