Clayton to Rusho Bay off Grindstone Island, Clayton, New York

 We left the marina in Clayton and crossed the St. Lawrence River and wound our way through the small islands to Rusho Bay and anchored off Grindstone Island. There is a moored sailboat and trawler. The owners of the trawler came by in their inflatable and told us that they lived by the boat launch and to come ashore there. It was a pleasant afternoon sitting on the fly bridge but still looked like rain so we decided to wait until Friday to go ashore to the winery.

Many island paradises

Exposed rocks with birds roosting 

Thousands of islands

On Friday morning we cooked breakfast and then watched a small barge carrying cement trucks land at the boat launch. They are in the midst of building a new house there. The barge captain shouted out to us that didn't you think you found a nice quiet spot for the day until we showed up and I shouted back that they were our entertainment. We waited for afternoon to go ashore and met up with the folks at their dock where she gave us walking directions to the winery all along muddy paths and narrow roads. The old school house museum was open so we stopped to see the exhibits. We arrived at the winery and joined a half dozen people and did a wine tasting flight along with a hot spinach and artichoke dip under the shade of an umbrella. We then continued our hike down Schoolhouse Road so we could return when the live music started at 4 pm. When we  came back there was a crowd and we had a beer and a charcuterie board in the shade and listened to the two musicians. We then walked back and missed our turn so we ended up walking nine miles. We were invited to visit on their porch before we headed back to the dinghy for a late happy hour.

Barge came through our anchorage to offload building supplies

The path to the winery

Through the woods and over the bridge over wetlands

Bridge over Thousand Islands Wetlands Preserve

Arrow point the way

Old schoolhouse museum

The vines

Labeled with grape names

The tasting room at Grindstone Island Winery

Outdoor seating with our wine flights

Corks used for the creative sign

Notice the School bus becomes the cool bus

Looking into the vine cave

Enjoyed our hike to the only business on the island

Enormous charcuterie board of cheese, fruit and nuts

Ingenious mailbox along the way

Swan parade at sunset off the stern of the boat