Well, we couldn’t be happier to hear that Roger Hyde is back to open the Harbor Inn in Clayton for the season!  As long time Harbor Inn patrons, we were saddened when the restaurant was sold last year.  We were missing the opportunity to enjoy a great meal and a sunset at the same time.  Can’t wait until he reopens on June 15th so we can see what old favorites and new culinary inventions he has in store!  Welcome back Roger!

Reading the May issue of Coastal Living Magazine was great as usual to inspire those dreams of living on and enjoying the water.  Then, it went up a notch when we saw that Clayton, NY (our home port) was listed as the best small town in the Great Lakes!  Although we don’t live in Clayton, and drive 5.5+ hours round trip to get there every week in the good weather, we have always known it is the best place to boat.  You have the feel of a sleepy small town, the BEST views and beautiful anchorages nearby.  You can watch lakers and freighters go by all day, and now with the new dock, you can see Gran Finale, Blue Moon, Lady M, Perseverance and other mega yachts.  Clayton is also home to the Antique Boat Museum and the annual Antique Boat Show, as well as many other annual events.  Where else can you enjoy all of this in clean, fresh water?

We love the works of Michael Ringer. A trip to his gallery in Alexandria Bay or the shop in Clayton is a must. He does great 1000 Island scenes and we seem to purchase things every summer.  This is a fantastic place to purchase gifts and in the fall they usually open locations at area malls in Syracuse or Rochester.  Suggestions for gifts include original works, framed prints, books and journals.

A favorite spot in Clayton is Heather’s Clayton Harbor Channel Marker 225 Wine Shop on Riverside Drive (fondly nicknamed “the Wine Store”).  In addition to wine, Heather sells lots of gourmet goodies including tamari almonds, cheese, and snacks including the famous Granola Crunch.  Anyone who visits and has some granola crunch on our boat has to go to Heather’s store and buy some to take home.  It is fabulous.  This year the store featured many new spices with built in grinder.  You can also sample wine while looking at the great view out the back of the store.  Heather lives upstairs and has that magnificent view there also.

If you are a boater or own a cottage in the 1000 Islands, you must know about Stoppers.  Jack and Laura Stopper own Weather Stopper, the best place to have canvas work done. They are located on Riverside Drive in Clayton, NY.  We have had alot of work done there including the sundeck enclosure, bimini, flybridge rain cover, dinghy cover, and some specialized panels that Captain FixIt dreamed up.  The latest is a panel that can be put up and slides on some thin lines on the aft sundeck.   This can be used if the sun is too intense at the end of the day while still allowing you to look out and enjoy a cocktail.

It is so exciting that there is a gym to use when at the boat.  It is actually a PT and Wellness Center , but has good equipment including Precor elliptical crosstrainers .  Please tell me what could be better for doing cardio than a view like this?  I grab a magazine (they always have a pile of them), turn on my iPod, and work up a sweat while gazing at the gorgeous St. Lawrence River.  The view is eye candy, and occasionally I will see a laker go by!

They normally charge $70/month, but I got a summer special of 4 months for $140, which is a bargain.  You can buy a day pass, which would be good for transient boaters.  I also bought a 10 pass 2 years ago which I have used for bringing people visiting us on the boat.  They have limited hours on the weekend, but it works.  And they even opened for a few hours on July 4!