30th May 2012 Rock & Sunken Island Lighthouse Trip

Rock & Sunken Island Lighthouse Trip

Upper Narrows, Wellesley Island New York

30^th May 2012

Remember: click on photos to enlarge them

As for the norm on east bound trips, our group met at the Hwy #15 and 401 exit Park & Ride. As Brent and I pulled in at 08:20 we saw that the rest of the group had all arrived. So the first question out of the ladies in the group was, where is Mollie? Our number one shore crew. Sorry Linda, your travel buddy is enjoying the company of others today.
Before hitting the road I give Rob & Jane the other two way radio and our plan was to keep Linda in between us, this will ensure the group stays together. Arriving at the boarder, I feel confident that we have all the correct ID’s, Passports etc. You see Brent only had what we thought was the correct enhanced drivers licence. I guess this would not be a correct assumption, the shiny part on our licence does not mean it is the enhanced. Oop’s so after many intense questions a quick search in the back of the truck, the Customs Guard says to Brent I’m letting you in, but next time you “ will “ need a Passport to get in. After thanking him, we hit the road, “ Start the Car, Start the Car “ came to mind. With the complete group on U.S. soil we headed to our launch point at Fisherman’s Landing, Mullet Creek Bay public boat launch near Foxy’s Restaurant .

Off loading kayaks in Mullet Creek Bay
Boat Launch

With the kayaks off loaded we now shuttled our vehicles west to Bonnie Bell Marina, Alexandra Bay where Robin the office manager allowed us to park and use their launch ramp as our pull out point. Thank You very much Bonnie Bell Marina and Robin.

What a beautiful day, the water here is shallow
as you can see in this photo.

We zip back to Mullet Bay where Brent and Jane have been guarding our water transport. Within minutes the group was on the water heading north east passing the Isle Of Pines and into the Upper Narrows to Rock Island Lighthouse.

Lighthouse having major replairs carried out

This lighthouse will become beautiful again, once the needed construction taking place when we arrived, is completed. A very scenic location.

The group in flag shot mode.

I did a little photo shop stuff to this photo,  cleaned up the white and removed a worker from the walk way .....smiling.

Gananogue Boat Lines passing by.

Rob & Jane doing the MS awareness thing.

These two never stop cracking me up!!!!

I think if they could have stopped the cruise boat and asked for donations, they would have......what a fun couple.

Linda getting that perfect photo we hope.

You know the group had to circle the lighthouse and Rock Island, to make sure we took photos from every angle, you never know when you can get that perfect shot.

Our planned route from Rock Island was to takes us east about 8 kms along the Upper Narrows to Sunken Island Lighthouse.   However, “ when you got to go, you got to go“ , so we started for Grass Point State Park, south east of Rock Island. 

Linda checking out the object.

On our way, Rob & Linda noticed something very large sticking up out of the water beside what we now know to be Mandolin Island.

Linda in the belly of this wreck

Well as we got closer, this object started to take shape, we could not believe our good fortune, it was a half sunken ship. 

The lads watched as Jane and Linda paddled right into the exposed steel rib hull.

Linda getting a close up. 

Rob had made a comment about the cement in lower half of the ship, interesting stuff.

Jumping here, you know I could not leave our shipwreck find just at that. This morning in the wee hours I finally uncovered the name of our ship. This is what I found after several hours of data mining :

General Hancock,” a tug boat of 131 gross tons: Official Number 228755 “S/S General Hancock,” 131 Gross Tons (89 Net Tons) 96.2 ft x 23.5 ft depth of 9.6 ft. Built in 1908 in Wilmington, Delaware as a ferryboat. Crew of four and 350 hp. Owned in 1935 by the Hutchinson Ferry Co., Ogdensburg, New York. Home Port was Fuller Street, Alexander Bay, New York. Note in the text that she was formerly the “USQM Corp General Hancock”.

I know how cool is this I found a photo of the ship.

If you read this and know any additional info on the General Hancock, like how it ended up on this tiny island near Rock Island lighthouse, please drop us a line……

Now on another site this is what they say:Description: The "General Hancock" was built at Wilmington, Delaware for the U. S. Quartermasters Corps in 1898. She served as a ferry for Governor's Island. In 1929 to 1945, the "General Hancock" was owned by the Hutchinson Ferry Company of Ogdensburg, New York. This photograph was taken in 1940 at the Alexandria Bay  
Quarry Dock.

This ship number is the same on both sites, interesting Huh. There were three General Hancock ships over the years. I think the second site mixed up the facts and used some info from each site. Now which site is correct and how did it sink. This could be our mystery to uncover this summer. Feel free to help out.

Young guys they never have to pee, they just eat.

Back to Trip ...We made the park in good time, everyone took advantage of the amenities and we were back on the water in a few minutes, again heading east.

Headiing east in the Upper Narrows Channel
Ivy Lee Bridge ahead.

Our trip along the Upper Narrows was filled with beautiful homes/cottages/mansions. As we approached the Ivy Lee bridge our first of many Coast Guard/Border Security vessels slowly cruised pass us, checking to ensure we had all our safety gear. They did not stop us, I’m sure it was because we had everything visible, life jackets on, spare paddles & pumps on our decks etc. If only they knew we had Brent with us, the Alien.

Beautiful !!!!!

One of the many grand summer homes for the lack of a better name.  Just breath taking, the workmenship.  I can't begin to think what this estate would cost to maintain.

Just another awesome place.

This home was across the 100ft channel from the last one.

Just playing around, small bridge from one part of their island to the other.

Janes turn to go through, this is all part of
 Nobby Island

All of us in the group are just blow away at the size and grandness of these summer homes.

Along our route we passed wonderful places with names like Collins Landing, Swan Bay, St Lawrence Park, Point Vivian, Edgewood Park and then we entered the Manhattan Group. The Manhattan Group are a group of islands that surround Boldt Castle.

This was the home attached to the small bridge we all paddled under, notice the veranda, well inside is a mural of the 1000 islands on the wall. I don't know any more words for just frigging awesome. 

What can you say???????

Brent & Linda with the Boldt Castle Yacht House
in back.

Paddling on the north passage around St Elmo’s, Nobby Island and Heart Island were we came out looking at Boldt Castle’s Yacht House. Just beautiful, this magnificent build holds so much history, as does Boldt Castle itself.

Brent starter home....smiling

Brents starter home, it's small but in a real good neighbourhood.  This place is right up his alley, no grass to cut.

Jane & Linda taking in the sights.

This was the original entrance to the Castle. 

The three stage which are above the entrance arch. All brass. 

More of Boldt Castle.

The childrens play castle, at the east end of the island. 

This was where the border/customs guard
came out of to great us.

We then paddle to Boldt Castle and around it. Jane asked “ Do you think we could get out and have our lunch ?” We had the answer in the manner of a customs officer who met us at the dock as we approached. Yep they have a U.S. Customs Officer on Boldt Castle Island all summer. So with Brent’s lack of documentation we did not want to push our luck.

Jane checking out the childrens play castle, not Sunken Island Lighthouse to the left in the background. Not far to paddle.

The waves have come up a little all fun stuff.

Many photos later we turned our attention to Sunken Island which just happened to be about 300 meters southeast of Boldt Castle

Flag photo with group.

With a little wind at our backs it took us a couple of minutes to be at the lighthouse, taking photos in this open channel in this wind was going to be a bit of a challenge. Rob came up with the answer, by holding the flag up and letting the wind do it's thing, no group shot here.

Group fly by photo.

As this is a very small island we did not spend more then ten minutes checking it out.

Thinking calendar photo,
unless one of the group has a better one.

We now had to paddle into the wind south west to our pull out at Bonnie Bell which had to be no more the half a km away from Sunken Lighthouse.

Rob & Jane at Bonnie Bells boat ramp with Boldt Castle,
in the background, they were waiting for Linda & I
to return.

With the group landing safe and sound,  I drove Linda back to Fisherman’s Landing to retrieve her car. On our return the gang had the kayaks striped and had them ready to be loaded, within minutes we where making plans as to where to eat.

We all thought lets stop at the first park. Which turned out to be Keewaydin State Park.  Now at this time, I have to say sorry to Jane……….we did not get that Ice Cream, what happened there???








Lunch quickly devoured, we headed back to Canada. We made it across with Brent in tact. It was an awesome day, beautiful and bright, slight wind and currents in our favour, good paddle companions, life does not get any better that this. Thanks Jane & Rob, Linda and Brent you made this trip fun and interesting.

Once again Folks remember we are raising Awareness & Funds for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, Kingston Chapter. If you wish to make a donation/pledge please call the Kingston Chapter at 613-384-8500 . Tell them you wish to pledge to 20 Years To Enlightenment and it all stays in the Kingston and area.

Thanks Rob & Mollie