VOYAGES OF KRISTIN SAYS: Day 144 - Crossing Into Canada

It is a straight 45 mile run due north across Lake Ontario from Oswego, NY, to Kingston, ON, and you can go fast! We took our time in the morning, walking back into town and along the Oswego River Walk. Many of the buildings are 100+ years old and either have been renovated or are in the process. The railroad used to go through town and the old station has been turned into a grocery store. The railroad bridge is now a pedestrian bridge cutting diagonally across the river.

We left the marina at noon and cruised into the lake under sunny skies and light winds. The Oswego Lighthouse reminded us of the Chicago Light, but in worse condition. The water was flat and deep. Captain Randy was very happy to see depths up to 500 feet below the propellers. A little more than halfway across, we saw Main Duck Island (Canada) to the west and Galloo Island (US) to the east. A freighter was in sight to the east, headed for the St. Lawrence Seaway. There were few other boats around until we got close to the Canadian shore.

It was 1:08 pm when we crossed into Canada, still about 20 miles from the mainland. A series of wind turbines were in motion on Wolfe Island to the east. Kingston sits on the northern shore of Lake Ontario and both banks of the Cataraqui River, a part of the Rideau Canal system that leads to Ottawa. Kingston is the oldest city in Canada, dating back to the 17^th century. St. Lawrence College and Kingston Penitentiary are massive structures on the west side of the city and Fort Frederick is to the east. Portsmouth Olympic Harbor hosted the sailing events for the 1976 Olympics when they were in Montreal. We docked at the Flora MacDonald Confederation Basin Marina at 2:15 pm, again with no help docking. We cleared Canadian Customs via phone by 2:30 pm, and then checked in at the marina office.

The marina is located right downtown Kingston, opposite City Hall and Market Square. There were few American flags on the docks and we did not see any Looper burgees. We settled in and then took a walk into town, finding it bustling with people. Princess Street is lined with shops and restaurants, many with Asian influences. We had cocktails at Jack Astor’s rooftop bar, a fun place that overlooks the city. Dinner was in a courtyard filled with umbrella tables at a restaurant called Chez Piggy. The menu was eclectic with European and Asian influences. We started with oysters, then the Captain had sea scallops and I had mussels in a very flavorful black bean sauce. Delicious! I asked the server where the name came from, and she told us that the owners submitted 3 names to the Canadian Liquor Board; the first two were surprisingly rejected and the third, Chez Piggy, was meant to be a joke. Well Chez Piggy it is and we highly recommend it.