Jan 29
Big Water Little Boat - Exploring the Upper St. Lawrence in a Princecraft
- Steven Bull
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
Ask ten boaters where the St. Lawrence River truly begins, and you’ll get ten different answers. Some will say it starts as soon as you leave Lake Ontario, near Kingston, while others argue that the river isn’t the river until you’re past the Thousand Islands. But for me, it’s Rockport’s statue of St. Lawrence himself, perched on a rocky outcrop, seems to mark the unofficial starting line.
Why Is St. Lawrence Holding a Grill?
If you’ve ever boated past Rockport on the St. Lawrence watching over the river, you might have noticed the statue, which is only visible by water. If you’re not up on your Christian martyrs, you may wonder what the statue has in his hand. It’s a grill because he was strapped to it and burned to death. The river’s namesake, was a 3rd century deacon of Rome I wish still existed. When ordered by Roman authorities to surrender the church’s wealth, he distributed it to the poor and declared that the people were the church’s true treasure. The folks in charge didn’t take kindly to his defiance (or was it the distribution itself? I’ve long wondered), and, as legend has it, he was martyred by being burned alive on a metal grill. Even more infamous is the moment during his execution when he allegedly told his tormentors, “Turn me over, I’m done on this side.” That level of grit makes him a fitting namesake for this mighty river and, appropriately, the patron saint of chefs and comedians. Seriously!
Why isn’t there one truth?
I don’t want to get all Philosophy 101 on you, but what is a river? Is it the mouth of the river, and how to you define that? And when does a river define the identify of a place? Sure, the Thousand Islands are part of the St. Lawrence, but no one calls them the St. Lawrence River Islands. It’s only when you cruise past Brockville and the last of the islands fade behind you that the river finally gets its due name. From there, it stretches and slowly increases its size as it works towards the Atlantic Ocean.
What kind of boat is right for the St. Lawrence?
This depends on where you are and what you want to do, but the lack of firm answer really underscores the breadth of possible adventures on a place like the St. Lawrence. The bigger the water, the bigger the boats, but the stretch from Brockville to Cornwall is perfect for smaller boats. We borrowed a Princecraft Sport 175 to test that out for an episode of Water Ways: Ontario. You’ll see lots of larger boats, primarily powerboats, exploring the waters around here, although there is a good number of sailboats to be seen. This whole stretch of Ontario is dominated by the river and you’ll find good boat ramps from Brockville to Cornwall. We did our main launch out of Morrisburg and found plenty of parking and a busy but not crowded ramp.
The Lost Villages – History Beneath the Hull
When you build a dam the water builds up. That’s why you build it. And that invariably means upstream flooding. How much and how extensive the impact is depends on several things. But it's hard to say it gets more impactful than erasing entire communities. Beneath the surface lies a chapter of Canadian history that most people have never heard of: the Lost Villages. When the St. Lawrence Seaway was constructed in the 1950s, ten communities were permanently flooded to make way for progress. Entire towns -- homes, schools, churches -- were submerged, their residents relocated and their memories left to drift in the currents. On a calm day, some say you can still see foundations or spires if the water is clear enough and the light hits just right (I didn’t see anything sadly). A reminder that the St. Lawrence is not just a natural force, but a man-made one, too -- reshaped for shipping lanes, hydro power, and the demands of modernity.
Crysler’s Farm – The Forgotten Turning Point
Crysler’s Farm was located near Moulinette, one of the ten communities that were submerged during the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1958. It was the site of a pivotal battle during the War of 1812, where a vastly outnumbered British and Canadian force repelled a much larger American invasion aiming to take Montreal. Spoiler Alert: they didn’t. The Battle of Crysler’s Farm took place November 11, 1813. As far as I’m concerned, it isn’t taught in schools the way it should be, but historians agree -- without that victory, the map of North America would look a lot different today. The irony of the riverside battle? The battlefield itself was later flooded by the St. Lawrence Seaway project, with a monument and visitor centre now sitting inland at Upper Canada Village. So you’ve got one of the most important military victories in Canadian history, erased from the landscape and mostly forgotten by the curriculum. Classic Canadian humility? Maybe. But if you’re boating past that stretch, take a moment to tip your captain’s hat to the riverbank -- and to the farmers, soldiers, and volunteers who stood their ground and helped keep Canada, well… Canada.
The St. Lawrence River – All about that bass
If you're into bass fishing, the St. Lawrence River isn’t just another stop on the map - it’s holy water. Known for its crystal-clear currents and world-class smallmouth, this stretch of water regularly hosts the biggest names in the sport. In fact, it’s become a staple of the Bassmaster Elite Series, and for good reason: the weights are heavy, the fish are feisty, and the fans show up in droves. In 2024, Canadian pro Cory Johnston finally claimed the crown on his home turf, pulling in a whopping 102 pounds over four days to take the win. That victory also added to a family legacy with his brother Chris Johnston winning the same tournament in 2020, making them the only siblings to ever win Elite events on the same body of water. Whether you’re a casual weekend warrior or a tournament diehard, the St. Lawrence continues to prove why it’s one of the most legendary - and productive - bass fisheries in the world. Heck, in our Water Ways: Ontario episode, even with my terrible technique I landed a few keepers.
Dam Boating Adventures
In Season 2 of Water Ways TV, we bought a “starter boat” a 1994 Monterrey 265 SEL and took that from Toronto to Montreal and then Montreal to Manhattan. To get that through this stretch of water, we had to use the Iroquois Lock as part of the St. Lawrence Seaway Corporation. But the good news for smaller boats like this Princecraft, we’ve got options. When water levels are balanced between Lake St. Lawrence and the river below, the Seaway often opens these gates to allow small boats to bypass the lock entirely. No lift, no wait — just an unexpected little shortcut that feels like a secret known only to seasoned boaters. It’s a unique feature of this stretch of the river, and one of the only places where you can motor straight through a dam structure. The view is surreal: towering concrete walls, the hum of the Seaway infrastructure, and the feeling that you’re slipping through a side door in one of the most controlled waterways in the world. Of course, you should always check with the Seaway staff or monitor local notices to ensure the gates are open, but if they are, it’s smooth sailing, and a memorable way to shave a few minutes off your day and add a little adventure to your ride. Important facts to note:
Overhead Clearance: The sluices designated for small craft passage provide a minimum overhead clearance of 8.5 feet (2.6 meters). Specifically, downbound vessels typically use sluice No. 28, while upbound vessels use sluice No. 30.
Depth: The St. Lawrence River's depth varies along its course. Near Quebec City, the river reaches depths of up to 60 meters (200 feet), while certain fluvial sections can be as shallow as 2 meters (6 feet 7 inches).
Lock Dimensions: For comparison, the Iroquois Lock measures 766 feet (233.5 meters) in length, 80 feet (24.4 meters) in width, and has a depth of 30 feet (9.1 meters) over the sill.
Final Thoughts
While it may be easy for many to assume the St. Lawrence River is just for transiting, that’s certainly not the case. Yes, you are constrained in a few places by locks, but if you trailer boat you can easily access lots of different sections. And if you are in a larger boat, just do your research and make sure your timing lines up with the Seaway as you are at their mercy of timings. Sharing the water with large freighters can be intimidating but a wide berth goes a long way. Don’t let them or the locks keep you from exploring the St. Lawrence. Whether you’re in it for the fish, the history, or beautiful scenery, this is one of those places that’s got it all. Check out my adventure on the Upper St. Lawrence:
Comments