May 31, 2024

WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT: TRIPPING THE ST. LAWRENCE YOU CAN’T GET AWAY FROM TRUMP

GANANOQUE — You can’t get away from Donald J. Trump … yesterday, today and for the next five months.

Or the past weeks.

Ten days ago Lois and I found out how far his supporters’ tentacles reach as we bridged the border between Canada and insanity.

If you take a Thousand Islands cruise along the St. Lawrence River from Ivy Ley, near Gananoque, the highlight invariably is Boldt Castle. A renowned rocky island 1900s cottage on Heart Island in the town of Alexandria in upper New York state.

On Victoria Day we glided past the grandiose guilded getaway on a boat tour that was just like a Segwun or Wenonah trip up the Muskoka Lakes.

Except George C. Boldt’s Castle is a stone stunner that would look out of place even here — dwarfing anything along Millionaire’s Row, making the Lake Muskoka retreats look like a pauper’s playground by comparison.

It’s a good thing the hotelier was from New York City where he owned the famed Waldorf Astoria — forerunner to Trump Towers. And not from Pittsburgh, where philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and other steel magnates migrated here from each summer. Otherwise we’d have his monstrosity.

Widely believed local river lore is that Boldt is reputedly the man behind the popular mayonnaise-based Thousand Islands dressing.

But on this day, as a brilliant late afternoon sun dappled the crystal blue water beneath Thousand Islander IV, it was a particularly slow speed boat on our starboard that caught everyone’s eyes — if not ears.

**This ‘Trump 2024’ supporter failed to make waves with these Thousand Islands cruisers Victoria Day on the mighty St. Lawrence River. Photos Mark Clairmont**

Racing past right of us was a red-roofed (appropriately) ripper flying a bright, breezy red Republican ‘Trump 2024’ flag as it headed straight for the castle — before cutting in front of us.

The sudden incursion passed by faster than it took to read “Guilty” 34 times.

I asked the captain about it and he said he made sure to steer clear of the American campaigner.

Whatever floats your boat, he seemed to say, politely and jokingly.

I added Muskoka has its share.

That’s just the beginning of the sailing season. Expect more felon flags in the months to come along the mighty St. Lawrence.

And watch your port and starboard sides in Muskoka this summer.

You never know what’ll be fluttering from the stern next to you.