Life is the River

Life is THE RIVER

There are few places like the St. Lawrence River in the world and it can be enjoyed in so many different ways by everyone.

Sit in a dock chair watching the MAMMOTH STEEL SHIPS glide by.

Rent a kayak or a canoe and paddle over to picnic on one of BROCKVILLE’S 17 PUBLIC ISLANDS. (see pages 36-37)

Enjoy a full breakfast on REFUGEE ISLAND. Free boat shuttle to the island June 19-22.

DIVE OFF A CLIFF, OR LEAP FROM THE SEAWALL – or you could just slip into the water slowly at the beach.

No power boat? Why not RENT ONE FOR THE DAY and travel the river as you like.

RENT A HOUSEBOAT FOR A WEEK and build incredible memories with family and friends.

Take a day sail out on Brockville’s resident TALL SHIP, THE FAIR JEANNE. Be part of the crew - climb to the crow’s nest, unfurl the sails, and sail her away.

WATCH THE SUNSET reflected in the water.

Take a BOAT CRUISE.

Visit during the TALL SHIPS FESTIVAL AUG 30 – SEPT 1 and take part in boat tours, dinner cruises, or Captain’s receptions on board the ships.

Grab a fishing rod and enjoy the BEST BASS FISHING IN THE WORLD.

Having trouble sleeping at night? Try COUNTING THE ISLANDS in your head.

Scuba

Diving

Brockville rules the waves for the best freshwater diving location in the world due to the visibility and lack of thermocline. Divers come here in droves to explore the centuries-old shipwrecks and artifacts scattered along the river bottom.

BROCKVILLE’S

OLDEST WRECKS

The H.P. BIGELOW - an early ferry built in 1893. Burned and sank in 1920.

The LILLIE PARSONS - measured 131 feet long. Sank off Sparrow Island in 1877.

The JOHN B. KING - a drill scow. Struck by lightning in 1930. Thirty crew perished.

The ROBERT GASKIN - a two masted iron rigged wooden barge. Sank Sept. 18, 1889.

The FLEUR MARIE - built at Lanoraie, Quebec in 1850. Scuttled mid channel in 1884.

GILBERT MARINE Fred gilbert

“Messing with the boats on the river is a lot of fun. The business started in 1904 when my grandfather started to build the real runabouts, and then in 1960 my mother transferred the business to me, and I’ve been here ever since.”

SAVE ONTARIO SHIPWRECKSTOM SCOTT

“It is easier and causes less damage to hold onto a cement sculpture or an aluminum frame, than to hold on to a 200-year-old wooden shipwreck that has historical significance and that we want to maintain.”Tom Scott is the chair of the Thousand Islands chapter of Save Ontario Shipwrecks. This organization helped create an underwater sculpture park in Brockville to combat deterioration of the shipwrecks in the area. Today the park is a popular spot for divers in training.

Did You Know?

The 1000 Island Region actually has 1,864 islands. ~ What makes an island an island? It has to be above water 365 days of the year and it must support a living tree. Anything less is just a shoal. ~ No island is divided by the international border – so each island is either wholly within Canada or the U.S. That causes the international border to zigzag across the water.

St. Lawrence Park

A sandy beach with island views…it’s a family paradise at ST. LAWRENCE PARK. The shallow beach is perfect for children, and is supervised during the summer. Washrooms, change rooms and a canteen are in operation from June through to September.

Centeen Park

This popular swimming spot, picnic area, and scuba diving destination is located in DOWNTOWN BROCKVILLE. With a 1.5 metre drop off, Centeen is well-known for jumping off of the river wall for a refreshing dip. Don’t worry – climbing out is easy with the ladders along the wall.

Brockville & National Park Islands

Leave your mainland worries behind and get a taste for the island life! Visit REFUGEE ISLAND for a lovely swim, and then do some island exploring! This public island is only a short paddle or boat ride away from ST. LAWRENCE PARK. For a little thrill, make a stop at STOVIN ISLAND (a National Park Site, pictured above). It’s a popular spot for cliff jumping!