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TI Life in May 2011


Thousand Islands Life Magazine presents 12 articles this month…  something for everyone!  Not only are the articles interesting, but each one comes with a story of it’s own.

The first is a Hunter Grimes article Leaky Boats. As we were setting up the text, I received a note from Martha Grimes to say Hunter took first place Sunday May 1st, at the Winter Nationals races in Tabor City, N.C. “Hunter still loving his boats. Now they have numbers and not names. And if they collide or otherwise self-destruct at 100mph and they usually disintegrate. And the drivers don't fare much better.” Martha went on to report, “ He was in a patrol boat Sunday afternoon (May 1, 2011) with another driver who is the father of a Seal, a member of Seal Team 6. 24 hours later Seal Team 6 is all over the news for the demise of Osama Bin Laden."

Captain Brian Johnson pays tribute to Captain Richard ‘RF’ Fawcett and the “Wolfe Islander III”, but he actually sent it in last month and this editor “forgot it”.  Brian was generous and even suggested, “stuff happens”.

Dr. Richard Withington records an inspiring shipping incident that we should never forget in Miracle on the St. Lawrence. The story had previously been published in Lakeland Boating, thus I had the opportunity to meet Bing O'Meara, who is not only the publisher of that prestigious boating magazine, but he is also a Round Islander.

Kim Lunman, whose Island Life Magazine was published in early May,  presents Kestrel Finds its 'Castle' at Boldt Yacht House.  As luck would have it her favorite ship Magedoma is afloat again, under its original name, the Cangarda, and is coming to Brockville in June (see below). Kim wrote about that ship exactly a year ago.

Tom King presents another article featuring his father, Jim King’s photographs in A Picture Window onto Paradise.  It just happens that he also pays tribute to the late Bill Chitty, someone who is responsible for a great deal of my volunteer work in the Islands.  That was a lovely surprise.

Grindstone Island got coverage this month as Rex Ennis presents Facilities for the Faithful.   At the same time I had the opportunity to interview Rick Gregware in Northern Marine’s community…

We have two essays this month.  Save the River’s executive director, Jennifer Caddick writes When I see a ‘saltie’…, and I present a Going, Going, Almost Gone… describing the collapse of Ina Island’s boat house.

Each month I meet TI Life subscribers who are amazed at the number of creative residents we have in the region.  Examples include Linda Gayle Ross and her Creating PASSION and VOICES…; artist and writer Michael Ringer, whose gave me the opportunity to peek inside his new book…  Ringer’s Mountains & Valleys;  and writer and naturalist Lynn McElfresh from Grenell Island who presents Ospreys.

As we end the winter season, which stories were your favorites?   What topics have we missed?

Readers Exchange: 

Soon after Kim Lunman’s story Castle Rest, Past and Present appeared in January 2011, we received a photograph from “Tony in Levittown, NY”, of an oil painting, painted by M. Babuini.  The owner of the painting asked if we had any information regarding its providence.  Richard Calabrese II, who now lives at Castle Rest, suggested the image probably came from an historic postcard.  Robert Matthews, an authority on Thousand Islands ephemera, confirmed that the date of the postcard would be circa 1920s.  We all determined that the artist, M. Babuini, must have visited the Thousand Islands one summer and spent the winter creating his memory on canvas. 

Pullman postcard
Photograph of the original oil painting of Castle Rest now hanging in a home in Levittown, NJ. The original post card of Castle Rest.

Happenings to come: 

Thousand Islanders Welcomes Home her Steam Yacht

The Cangarda, (known in the Thousand Islands as Magedoma) a 126 foot luxury steam yacht once owned by Brockville’s George Fulford is afloat again, and returning to Brockville and the Fulford Place Museum June 3-5. The yacht has undergone a $16 million refurbishing. The history of the famous yacht was first covered in TI Life in May 2010 by Kim Lunman (Fulford's Steam Yacht Afloat Again) and an important sequel published in June, 2010 Sequel: The Cangarda's 'Faithful Guardian'.

The new owners of Cangarda, Dr. Robert McNeil of Mann, California, and his family will be hosted at Fulford Place in a private reception on Friday June 3. However the stately steam yacht will be open for visitors on Saturday and Sunday, June 4-5.

Contact the Fulford Place Museum for details: (613) 498-3003

Sailing Seaway Clayton News

Sailing Seaway Clayton, which is organized by TI Life team member, Michael Folsom, will officially kickoff at noon on Tuesday, June 14 when the Lynx is set to sail into Clayton under full sail and cannon blasts. Lynx is a122-foot wooden replica of a War of 1812 vessel.  She will grace the Thousand Islands Regional Dock at Frink Park for six days, allowing for public tours and sailing excursions, June 14-20.  In the March edition of TI Life we presented  Coming to Clayton... in June.  However, since then many new events, guests, sponsors and media coverage have been added to the event.  Check out the Sailing Seaway Clayton webpage  [http://www.sailingseawayclayton.com/]and our own Events page as more details are added each week.

A Video Post Card From 1938

Buck Brundage, Dingham Point, NY, has created a unique Video Post Card from 1938. The film depicts cottage life in the 1930’s and features the dedication of the Thousand Islands International Bridge on August 18th 1938.

The film is available at Captain Spicer's Gallery and Gifts near Clayton. Buck describes the project,  “The film was shot during the summer of 1938 by my father Arthur Brundage. It has been a favorite of our family and friends for years. Portions of the film were used by the Bridge Authority in 1988 as part of a public television special celebrating the 50th anniversary of the TI Bridge dedication. Many people who have seen the original video requested a copy, so last year I decided to release it on DVD. The video will be available starting in May and can be purchased on-line as well as at a few select stores in the region. We hope you enjoy the video.”

Be sure to see our Publications page for contact information

Facebook

This month we posted each TI Life story on our Facebook page, thus spreading the word about the Thousand Islands.  As the summer gets into full swing, be sure to post your photographs, questions or concerns on the page.   Last count…693 Likers.

And thanks, once again, to our authors and proof editors, David Ray, Jane Taylor and Ian Coristine.  Enjoy.

Susan W. Smith, susansmith@thousandislandslife.com

Posted in: From the Editor
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Comments

Mike Cox
Comment by: Mike Cox ( )
Left at: 2:28 PM Saturday, May 14, 2011
Amazing photograph of the storm
Jane Smith
Comment by: Jane Smith ( )
Left at: 2:46 PM Monday, May 16, 2011
I just read a great book the first self-propelled ship made of concrete in North America and it sailed the 1000 Islands while stationed in Prescott. The CGS Concretia was an experimental wartime vessel of the Coast Guard during the 1920s.

The author. Sonny Moran, writes in the book his great-uncle John Dick was the first officer and captain of the Concretia for four years!

The interesting and unique eBook is titled Floating Tombstone - The Mysterious Disappearance of North America's First Concrete Ship

Great read!

Note from the Editor: We can not post web links in our comment section. But this book is listed in TI Life's Publication's page