From the Editor with Paul's Smile

Susan W. Smith -

We are about to have two long weekends - Victoria Day in Canada and Memorial Day in the United States. Both signify that Summer is really coming and very soon we will be complaining about the heat, the noisy boats and mosquitoes. Well, some of us will be complaining but not this editor!

Paul's Smile!

By now you know we have our very own cartoonist in TI Life and this month's smile will make you LOL for sure.

Cartoon by Paul Reichert ©2026

Sad News

This month we learned that Brian Osborne (1938-2026) died in March. Professor Osborne was invested in the Order of Canada in 2022 and his induction announcement nicely summed up just some of his achievements.

Lending a geographic lens to history, Brian Osborne has shed a brighter light on Canadian identity and sense of place. Professor emeritus at Queen’s University, he is renowned for promoting heritage in both academia and his community, and has held leadership positions with such organizations as the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and the Ontario Historical Society. Beyond his service as a consultant for numerous national institutions, he contributed to the Rideau Canal’s UNESCO World Heritage Site designation.

Those of us who are fascinated with Kingston and Ontario history owe this gentleman our appreciation. I for one, spent many hours reading his writings and I wish to join his many students in thanking him for providing so much information and inspiration.

Captain Brian Johnson and First Mate Ross Richardson. [Photo courtesy of the R. Richardson]

We were reminded today that is has been one year since we lost Capt. Brian Johnson. Brian wrote over 50 articles for us and every one of them supplied us with a history that should never die. I know many of his family and friends miss him very much, as do I. We paid tribute to Brian in our June 2025 issue.

Sammie Sakaran shared this one saying, "1st stop off the highway. Missed most of the 1st sunset of the season." (Editor's note: Somehow I think he is just glad to be here... Welcome back Sammie."

YouTube Watching Just for You!

Thanks to Dennis McCarthy, St Lawrence River Historical Foundation we learned that "The five-part documentary series directed by Almut Faass and Frank Gensthaler for Spiegel V was recently re-released on YouTube by the channel SLICE Travel."

The program was originally produced in 2017 and provides a high-definition look at both the Canadian and American sides of the river, with significant focus on the maritime heritage that defines the region.

Canada: The 1000 Islands of the Saint Lawrence | SLICE TRAVEL | EPISODE 1

Canada: The 1000 Islands of the Saint Lawrence | SLICE TRAVEL | EPISODE 2

Canada: The 1000 Islands of the Saint Lawrence | SLICE TRAVEL | EPISODE 3

Canada & USA: The 1000 Islands of the Saint Lawrence | SLICE TRAVEL | EPISODE 4

Canada: The 1000 Islands of the Saint Lawrence | SLICE TRAVEL | EPISODE 5

Ready for summer?

Simple question and the answer is a resounding Yes, but I want to remind residents on both sides of the border that art shows, theatre performances, fishing derbies and, and, and, the list of ways to meet friends and enjoy all types of activities are being planned and published right now.

[Dan Mathis is our Events lister for TI Life, so if you have events you would like listed in TI Life, send them to info@thousandislandslife.com - Title the email: Future Event. We will pass them on to Dan.]

Here is just one example of an Arts Happening you will not want to miss - check out many more in the local Facebook and printed announcements on both sides of the border!

Chamber of Commerce pages for: Kingston, Gananoque, Brockville, & Cape Vincent, Clayton, and Alexandria Bay.

Facebook
• 1000 Islands River Rats Now and Then
• Thousand Islands Life Facebook

Online media
• The Gananoque/TLTI Junction, Substack
• The Kingstonist
• NNY360, Watertown Daily Times.

Robert Contant writes, "May 9, 2026, my first morning on the boat." Editor's note: We are all smiling to see the boats back. Now for the leaves and then the parties!

Conclusion

We have 15 articles this issue - Enjoy!

Help: Are you going on a special excursion this summer? If so, please tell us about it. Send us your short description (500 words, 3 – 5 photographs), what made it special for you, and remember River has a capital R. These articles will be placed on our Excursions section.

Be aware the water level is higher than last year, so stay safe and watch for floating debris and water depths.

By Susan W. Smith, Editor, info@thousandislandslife.com

Plus, the TI Life Team: Elspeth Naismith is the "Real Editor," and our proofreaders are Georgia Barker, Dane Zabriskie, John Stencell, and Rick Taylor. Jennifer Caddick manages social media, Dan Mathias shares events, Beth Lavos posts books, Marie-Anne Erki illustrates, Allison Burchell-Robinson, Mark Russell and Paul Reichert are new team members, and last but not least, Mike Cox is our IT magician!

Header photo for April is by Robert Contant

Our May header for Volume 21, May 2026 was taken by Ian Coristine several years ago when the wind farms were being constructed. Provided courtesy of ©Ian Coristine/1000IslandsPhotoArt.

Please make sure our information is correct. Send corrections to info@thousandislandslife.com. Also,