Gananoque Boat Line–Photo Memories

Having grown up in Gananoque I was introduced to the joys of boating on the St. Lawrence River at an early age. My Dad, Jim King, and I built a small wooden punt when I was 12 years old and that little boat opened a whole new world for me. I spent countless hours on the river with friends and my beloved dog, Heidi.

We would be on the water from early spring to late autumn, in good weather and bad. One of the most thrilling experiences that was always popular with my buddies, and not so much with the dog, was chasing the local tour boats and riding the roller coaster that was their wake. It was always a special treat when you could catch a “double header”; a Gananoque Boat Line tour boat followed closely behind by one from the American Boat Lines.

We got to know which boats produced the “best” wakes (the bow heavy Miss Gananoque II produced a monster wake at the right speed!) and were always on the lookout for our favourites. In the absence of tour boats we would have to settle for a wake from one of the many passing cabin cruisers, but they weren’t nearly as exciting. To this day, whenever I have to cross the wake of one of the local tour boats, my mind drifts back to the days of my childhood and a big smile comes to my face. Those playful days spent on the river are a very special part of my life and I will cherish them forever.

My father, Jim King, along with my mother, Betty, and their two eldest children, Barb and Doug, moved to Gananoque in 1949 when he was transferred to town to assume the position of Superintendent at the Steel Company of Canada Forge Plant. In the following years the family grew with the addition of two more sons, Steve and myself. Shortly after moving to Gananoque the family discovered the beauty of the Thousand Islands and countless hours were spent enjoying lazy summer days on the St. Lawrence River.

During the fifty years that my father lived in Gananoque he was very active in town through memberships in the Rotary Club, Grace United Church, and the Gananoque P.U.C., to name a few. The “J.W. King Water Filtration Plant”, which stands on the shore of the St. Lawrence River, was named after him in recognition of the contributions that he made to the upgrading of the Town’s water system while acting as Chairman of the P.U.C.

Two of my father’s passions were amateur photography, which he took up in the early 60’s, and gardening.   His magnificent flower gardens were a source of immense pride and were also another place where he loved to snap pictures. He also received great pleasure sharing his photographs with others and he put on elaborate slide shows for numerous community groups and events. Although he passed away in 2003 his photography collection continues to provide a photo history, not only of the family, but of the Town of Gananoque as well.

2011 marks the 60^th anniversary of the Gananoque Boat Line. No other business has done as much to put Gananoque on the tourist map as the GBL has and they are to be commended for their contribution to the prosperity of the town. While I was sorting though my father’s collection of 35 mm. slides I came across a number of pictures of the Gananoque Boat Line tour boats and I thought that, in light of their anniversary, it would be appropriate to share these photos with the Thousand Islands Life Magazine readers.

The “Linda” series of single-decker, wooden Gananoque Boat Line tour boats docked in the Gananoque River. (Circa 1965) Photo Credit – J.W. King

Miss Gananoque I, the first double-decker vessel in the Gananoque Boat Line fleet, was made of mahogany. (Circa 1970) Photo Credit – J.W. King

Miss Gananoque II, a steel hulled double-decker tour boat. (Circa 1970) Photo Credit – J.W. King

An example of the triple-decker, aluminum Thousand Islander series of Gananoque Boat Line tour boats currently in service. Photo Credit – J.W. King

A picture of the Gananoque waterfront with several tour boats loading and unloading passengers. At the far right, the Thousand Islander IV can be seen in its’ original double-decker configuration. It was later modified into a triple-deck design like the rest of the Thousand Islanders. (Circa 1976) Photo Credit – J.W. King

All tucked away for the winter! This is a shot of a couple of the Gananoque Boat Line tour boats wintering in the Gananoque harbour (circa 1977) Photo Credit - J.W. King

By Tom King, Milton, ON.

Tom and his wife Marion have lived in Milton, Ontario for the past twenty-five years, where they both worked and raised their family of three children; Kris, Mike and Becca. Tom still has a strong attachment to the Thousand Islands, having grown up in Gananoque and being a “river rat” from a very early age. The family tries to return to the islands every summer and for the past few years have been renting a cottage on Sampson (a.k.a. Heritage) Island, just out from Gananoque.

Editor’s Note:  Do you have memories of the Gananoque Boat Line, or other River tour boats, please share them with us below.