Wolfe Island Adventures

When the phone rang Friday night at 10 pm, looking at the name on caller id we knew something was wrong. It was my mother in law asking for help to pull their camping trailer back from Wolfe Island. Every year they make a summer camping trip to visit friends that live year round on the island that is only accessible via ferry from Kingston.




We have been on this trip before to this beautiful corner of Ontario and promised we were on our way. Wolfe Island is the largest of the Thousand Islands where Lake Ontario empties into the St. Lawrence River flowing to the Atlantic Ocean. From our house to the property on the island it is roughly a 9 hour drive one way not including waiting in line for the ferry which leaves the dock every hour for a total of 594 kilometers. Why would we jump so fast to volunteer for such a rescue mission some may ask? Well number one and most important is family needed help! Reason number two will unfold as this story progresses.

The plan was to pack quickly and be ready to leave first thing in the morning to start the drive. I asked my wife, `do you think it would be okay if I packed a couple fishing rods, you know maybe some early morning fishing Sunday before we head home?` Sure why not I think that’s a good stress release from the drive up! `So do you think it would be okay to bring the rifle for the coyotes too? ` NO this is a quick RESCUE trip not a vacation!

With two backpacks quickly thrown together, three rods (got to cover almost every fishing scenario) and some snacks for the trip we kissed the kids good bye and where on the road by 10 am. Traffic was thick being a long holiday weekend and as we approached Toronto it became a parking lot. At one point we traveled 12 kilometers in 1 hour, this is why I could not live in the city, country life for me.

Making up time we arrived to catch the 6pm ferry at the Kingston dock. This is a free ferry that crosses to the island in 20 minutes time giving a great view of historic Kingston with the fortifications on the waterfront and the military college. Once on the island the drive is only 20 minutes to the property and the off road adventure starts.

Jay Wolfe-1Our accommodations for the evening are a very spacious house built on the cliff above the water on the back of 40 acres give or take. This is truly paradise!

The home has three bedrooms, 2 baths, loft and living room looking out floor to ceiling windows. The kitchen has every imaginable appliance for the cooks and a dining table to seat six comfortably. There are multiple decks complete with hot tub and a well-built winding stair case that leads down to the boat dock.

I can’t say this enough it’s HEAVEN!

Jay wolfe-4We are greeted with open arms and drinks on the deck as we watched the sun slowly sink to the west, as we catch up on the past years events with our host. Now I have wanted to bow hunt this property for years, but the opportunity to make it a reality had never materialized until now. Our host begins to tell me about a monster 8 point the neighbor shot the year before and how there are two even bigger bucks they have already seen this season.

They also begin to explain that the population is getting way out of control as all the landscaping has been eaten and trampled. Would I have any recommendations to help them out? Oh I can help out all right! So I now have an invite back this October for the archery season to at the least help with some doe control and possibly arrow a nice 8 point. We spend the rest of the night swapping fishing stories and wild life encounters until bed time. After a long ride, a few drinks, grand dinner and all the fresh air I was sleeping comfortably until the coyotes started to bark and laugh. Right out the bedroom window next to the cars they had killed something and woke everyone up in the house. Guess I should bring the rifle in the fall now too! The next morning while breakfast was being cooked and the camping trailer packed up, I sneaked off down to the dock, coffee and fishing rods in hand. This was me time. The water was flat and the St. Lawrence was tame. One of my favorite past times on this dock is to catch “Round Goby “ and feed them to the local mink.

Jay Wolfe-3The water is cool clear and deep. The cook rings the breakfast bell and up to the cottage I make my way. We have a great breakfast swap more stories and cement our plans for this fall. We say our good byes and make our way down the gravel drive way through the acres watching for deer to the main road. Following the same route we took to get here we slowly make our way back to the ferry, than the highway and the big cities all the way home.   I am glad to report that the rescue trip was a success and I got new hunting property for hopefully many years to come.




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