The Casali Family on the River – 2025

Editor’s Note: Thanks for this one, Rick. I am smiling, since both Paul Malo and Ian Coristine, co-founders of TI Life, wanted to provide a variety of marine articles. Usually, your articles are about other islanders’ boats, their boat shows, and their marine life. But this one is personal and it provides a window into the Casali family on the River, and as Rick admits, sharing his beautiful grandchildren with us. Thus, I say thanks for a different view of your River!

Boating on the River in 2025!

Looking back at 2025, it was a rewarding and fun year boating on the River. My family and I had lots of great times and memories cruising the St. Lawrence in 2025. The weather, after a wet April and May, was very nice. I cannot remember many plans postponed by adverse weather. Only low water in September and October impacted our plans on the River.

Launching our boats in spring was delayed a bit by rain. Jarrett Sweet was finally able to compound and wax the flag-blue gel coat on our 2007 Seaway 21 and 24. The sun in the North Country had faded the gel coat, but Jarrett was able to get them shiny once more. And his father Brent splashed Foxtrot, our 1968 Chris Craft 31, using a larger hydraulic trailer.

One of our first cruises was to Emily and Kevin Wood’s lovely home on Grindstone Island. Anne and I cruised up in our Seaway 24, Miss Annie, for the ACBS rendezvous and brunch. Pat Parry, from T. I. Park, joined us for the trip. A power outage on Grindstone forced our hosts to improvise preparing the French toast. The ride back was a bit choppy, but the Seaway’s semi-displacement hull handled the chop in fine fashion.

In June, we entered our 2019 Fiat Spider turbo cabriolet in the Concours d’ Elegance at the Antique Boat Museum. The weather was perfect, but some gusty winds out of the west prevented me from taking a St. Lawrence Skiff out for a row.

Speaking of rowing, I used our 14-foot Rushton skiff many times throughout the season. I rowed upriver to Densmore Bay a few times, around Pullman Rest, and Nobby Island. My daily routes took me downriver as far as Deer and Mary Islands. Most times, I rowed with Gene Armani and Rich Gamble in their kayaks. I found rowing such great exercise and a wonderful way to enjoy the River on quiet mornings.

Family visits took us out on the St. Lawrence a number of times. Rebecca, Sam, and their six children enjoyed swimming and cruising the River. We even got first grandson, 18-month old Sammy IV, to swim and become a River Rat. A treasure hunt on Mary Island after cruising our 31 Chris Craft was also a fun outing. And Sam and Becca bought a used jet ski from our neighbor, Joe Grosso, and loved running over to the Lake of the Isles for a raft-up and swim. We also cruised Foxtrot to anchor off Sport Island for a picnic and swim.

Son Rick Casali, Jr brought his two daughters up from Maryland for a week’s visit. We took the girls to Boldt Castle in our Seaway 21 center console. Brita and Isla loved touring the castle and lovely grounds with their daddy. The next day, we chartered with Aziel Snyder in his classic Chris Craft runabout. The girls and Rick Jr. caught 5 or 6 keepers of small mouth bass, which we had for dinner. Another trip was to Lake of the Isles, where we rafted our two Seaways for a swim and picnic afloat.

Trips to Foxy’s by both car and water were fun trips. On one occasion, my granddaughters enjoyed six orders of steamed clams. Trips by water to the Antique Boat Museum and to the Boat Yard Brew Pub were also family fun times.

Rick Jr, Sam, and I each took my granddaughters rowing in our Rushton 14 skiff. The girls loved seeing the islands and castle so close to the River. It was a rewarding experience for the fathers and their girls. Sam and I also took Ella, Gisele, and Valentina fishing off Steamboat Island. We drifted over a rock pile a number of times, but caught only small perch and no keepers. But the girls loved the experience.

I went sailing in the catboat Tango at the Small Craft Festival that ABM hosts in early October. Anne and I donated Tango to the museum, to be used in their youth sailing program. Unfortunately, the wind died and we had to be towed in. Oh well, there’s always next year.

Our last outing was an impromptu raft up in the Summerland Group, on October 15th with friends from Tennis Island North. After some coaxing, we took a refreshing swim in the 62-degree River water. Anne stayed on board our boat and cheered on the swimmers.

One of our favorite outings was on the ABM commuter yacht Zipper, for a cruise into Canadian waters such as the Lost Channel and Benson’s Rift. Capt. Bruce Watkins did a great job of skippering Zipper. Anne and I hosted Lori Mulligan, Bob Oster, Linda and Tom MacCusland, and Patty Parry on the 3-hour cruise. Dinner at the Wooden Boat Brew Pub capped off a very nice day in the Thousand Islands.

We are looking forward to a new year of boating in 2026. We are hopeful that the low water levels will recover to normal levels. We are still continuing to upgrade and get comfortable with our 1968 Chris Craft 31. Rick Jr and his girls tried to sleep onboard one night, but bright lights from the docks, plus Isla and Brita bickering over the upper berth forced Rick to come back to our cottage! Next year . . .

By Rick Casali

Rick Casali is a resident of Wellesley Island. During his youth, from 1947 to 1976, his parents had a cottage on Grindstone Island named The Orchards. Rick now splits his time between Stuart, FL, and the River. He worked for Columbia Gas System for 29 years and ran their Washington, DC office. Then in 2000, he started brokering boats and yachts, and he continues as a broker with North Point Yacht Sales. Rick and his wife Anne, cruise the River in a recently purchased 1968 Chris Craft 31 Commander, which they named "Foxtrot". They also have a Seaway 24 named "Miss Annie".

Header Photo: "Foxtrot" on an excursion to Mary Island.

All photos provided by the author.