Open water swimming is an aquatic sport that takes place in outdoor bodies of water such as oceans, lakes, and rivers. As an avid open water swimmer who has completed swims at Alcatraz, the New York City harbor, Key West, and Bermuda, I know that open water swimmers seek out bodies of water that are clean, safe, and beautiful. The Thousand Islands region checks all of these boxes in a wonderfully unique way.
To be safe for open water swimmers, waters must be clean of dangerous pollutants/algae and free from predatory aquatic creatures. Water temperatures cannot be much over 80°F, currents must be mild and waves must be small. In addition, having targets to sight from the water is of critical importance because getting off course can extend swim distances in a manner that can become problematic. As it relates to conditions at the River, check, check, check and check . . . at least most of the time.
My wife and I purchased a place near Clayton, NY, in 2019. I was intrigued about the possibilities for open water swims in the St. Lawrence. Over the past five years, I have undertaken dozens of open water swims in and around Clayton. The shortest was 2K (2000 meters) and the longest was a 10K swim. None disappointed. This year, I decided to share the hidden gem of the River with friends in the open water swimming community.
During the weekend of September 6, a group of six swimmers from Pennsylvania made the five hour drive to Clayton, NY, to swim and experience the beauty of the Thousand Islands Region. We had one spectacular weather day, one day that was suboptimal, and one day that was downright scary. This is our story.
On Friday September 6, we undertook my favorite swim, a 5k trek around Round Island and Little Round Island. We entered the 72°F water at 8AM. Two kayakers escorted us and were available to provide hydration and support as needed. We all swam towing brightly colored swim buoys so that boaters could see us. Half of us wore wetsuits.
We began our swim by crossing the back channel between the New York mainland and Round Island. We then turned left and pushed against the prevailing River current until we passed the shoal marker at the west end of Round Island. That was 1500 meters of swimming, which we completed in about 40 minutes. We then increased speed by riding a current downriver toward the north end of Little Round Island. The next 1000 meters was completed in less than 20 minutes. After passing the top of Little Round Island, we swam toward the southern tip of Round Island. When we spotted the big communication tower near Spicer Bay, we swam toward it until we sighted and targeted the finish point at Riverwood Estates. By 10AM, all of us were safely out of the water.
For the rest of the day, we enjoyed the Thousand Islands region by boat. At Boldt Castle, one of our group quipped: “Wouldn’t it be great to swim from here to Alex Bay?” Knowing that those waters are among the most heavily boated in the region, I responded “No Way!!” On the other hand, as we traveled by boat through Canadian waters near Hill Island, we all agreed that those waters would be ideal for a swim. Would we need to stuff passports in our suits? That is unknown.
We awoke on Saturday to rain and 60°F air temperatures. At breakfast, I floated the idea of eschewing a swim in favor of enjoying the Antique Boat Museum and a wine tasting. The group was having none of it: “We are going to get wet anyway – let’s swim.” So we entered the water for a 3k swim along the New York shoreline near Clayton. Given the air temperature, we all needed a hot shower after that swim.
Later on Saturday, we enjoyed the ambience of the Thousand Islands region again. The group particularly enjoyed boating to TI Park. We walked among the quaint houses there for several hours. (By the way, we really appreciated the two homeowners who invited us inside, to stay dry during rain showers. That does not occur in many places.)
On Sunday, we awoke to 20 knot winds and water conditions that were as rough as I can remember. The air temperature was less than 60°F and the windchill temperature was in the 40s. It was not a day that was safe for a swim, even for someone as proficient as Michael Phelps. As I was preparing breakfast, I asked: “Where’s Claire?” I was told: “She went for a swim and Ginny is watching her from the dock.” I knew that Claire was the strongest swimmer in our group, but I was still concerned for her safety. I quickly donned my swimsuit, picked up the keys to our Sea-Doo and sprinted to the dock, fully expecting that I would have to undertake a water rescue. When I arrived, Claire was swimming, without a wetsuit, against the current, about 100 yards from the dock. She was obviously straining hard, but she was progressing very slowly. To her credit, Claire chose to swim upstream and close to the shoreline. Still, I was concerned. As I put the key in the Sea-Doo, Claire turned around (I did not know she had only planned a short swim). The current pushed her back to the dock in what seemed like 10 seconds. I do not typically use profanity, but I said to her: “That was foxin’ crazy.” She was compelled to agree. Even for experienced and proficient open water swimmers, the River must always be respected.
The weekend at the River is now over. The six swimmers who made the inaugural River trip begged me to make it a “first annual one” and I agreed. They are now circulating photos and talking in glowing terms about their experience. Interest is already high for another swim trip in 2025. If anyone reading this is interested in joining us for a 5k swim around the Round Islands, please contact me. If anyone has suggestions for another River location that is conducive to an open water swim of 5K or less, I would be interested in learning that as well.
[All photographs provided by the author]
By Brad Charles
Brad was introduced to the River by his wife Barbara, who was born in the Alexandria Bay Hospital and summered during her youth on Comfort Island. Barb infused her love for the Thousand Islands into Brad, their three children and six grandchildren. Brad still works full time as a Judge in Central Pennsylvania, but he plans to spend more time - and complete more River swims - in Clayton once he retires in 2026.
Posted in: Volume 19, Issue 10, October 2024, Sports, People, Places
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