At Cape Vincent, Lake Ontario ends and the St. Lawrence River begins. The Tibbetts Point Lighthouse, standing at the tip of the cape, marks the spot, and from the rocks below it you can watch the lake narrow into the great river that flows northeast toward the Atlantic. Across the water lies Wolfe Island, the largest of the Thousand Islands, and beyond it the city of Kingston in Canada.
Cape Vincent is a quiet village with a surprisingly French history. In the early nineteenth century, French aristocrats bought land here, and there were rumours that some of Napoleon's supporters planned to rescue him from exile and bring him to live in the area. The plan never came to anything, but the village still celebrates its French heritage with an annual French Festival. The old stone houses and the wide main street give it a quiet, historic charm.
The riding along this part of the Seaway Trail is gentle and pleasant, with quiet roads through farmland and small villages, and frequent views of the water. The road follows the shore of the river northeast toward Clayton and Alexandria Bay, the heart of the Thousand Islands region, where the river is dotted with hundreds of islands, some with grand summer homes and even castles. To the south, the road leads to Sackets Harbor, an important naval base during the War of 1812 and the site of two battles.
A small car ferry runs from Cape Vincent across to Wolfe Island in summer, and from there another ferry connects to Kingston. It is a fun way to cross into Canada, but check the schedule before you go, and remember that you will need a passport.
Cape Vincent has a few shops and places to eat, and fuel is available in the village. Clayton, about twenty-five kilometres to the northeast, has more services, and Watertown, to the southeast, is the largest town in the area. The weather here is influenced by the lake and the river, with cool, breezy summers and cold, snowy winters. Come between late spring and early autumn, when the days are warm and the evenings long.