Saint Laurent Waterfront Cottage à Blind Bay

We had a wonderful time in this spotless, well-appointed home, although, we would have liked more great room seating. Our sons downloaded apps on their phones and we got alerts when the ships were approaching. Very impressive to see, especially at night.

The only negative we encountered was the very uncharacteristically hot weather. Saying the home is air conditioned is a bit of an overstatement. There is one window unit in the great room but it did very little for the bedrooms, each of which have ceiling fans.

The owner is very easy with which to work. I would recommend this property to anyone who wants to be on the St. Lawrence.

We had a great stay. The accommodations were top notch. The screened in porch was the highlight. Lots of family conversation here. Being in the shipping lane was also a big hit. Although there was no swimming off the dock, the left point just before the mouth, had a sandy swimming area, deep enough where the whole family could jump off the rocks. Being close enough to Alex Bay, you were able to go there and enjoy what Alex Bay had to offer. This was a fishing trip and we caught many different type of fish, and some quite large small mouth. The maps in the house where well used and appreciated. Catherine, thank you for sharing your home.

I asked our party of eight, who ranged in age from 4 to 61, for some words about the house: Comfy beds, modern, comfortable, beautiful, clean, and big! The house was more than we expected. Catherine's description was spot on. Her home was clean, up to date, had plenty of space available during sleeping and waking hours, and had many of the items that we usually have to tote along. Talking with Catherine before our stay made our prep much easier. We do not eat out while on vacation and her stocked kitchen was amazing as we cooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. We only needed to bring groceries. The fact that she also has a filtration system installed to make water drinkable was a huge relief. There was no lugging boxes of pots and pans from home or jugs of water from the store. Huge pluses! Her dishwasher is perfect for a quick run after meals. The one air conditioner got a workout while we were there as there was a heat wave, but it helped beyond measure. When the heat finally died, the breeze and shade offered by the standing timber were welcomed and we opened every window. The house was just as comfortable. We also enjoyed the washing machine and dryer with supplied detergent. Having fishing men and children make laundry necessary. She also adds paper supplies to get you started. Nice for the first evening and pre-grocery store run.

We have one 20' bass boat and one 21' pontoon boat and the dock held both of our boats perfectly. The new electrical system ran down to the dock made plugging in our boats very easy (no 1000' extension cords needed as were some of our rentals). The dock was wide and we were able to sit on it and fish with the children. One day, we swam just a little off of the dock, but then saw the havoc the resident snapping turtle had on our fish baskets and decided to save our swimming for coves off the main channel. The fishing was great-both flipping for large mouth around Blind Bay and fishing the shoals of the river for small mouth. Catherine's outdoor hose reached the dock easily and made fish cleanup a breeze.

Another great addition to this location was the Aquapod that Catherine allowed us to use. We were able to take the children out in this study 'kayak' and paddle all around Blind Bay. I used it as a stand up paddle board with a child in front while my sister-in-law used it as a sit in kayak with a child in front. Both worked wonderfully. It was nice to see all of the fish while gliding quietly around the bay.

This home far exceeded our expectations. The house is spacious including bedrooms. The screened in porch was everyone's favorite place to sit and relax. The entire property was so well cared for. The deck with the great grill and the dock where our grandchildren spent a great deal of time jumping off and swimming were fantastic. One of our biggest surprises was how well stocked the house was. On other vacations I have had to make sure we bring a number of everyday needs. This home was fully stocked with everything we could possibly need. We will definitely be going back. Catherine was also very helpful every step of the rental process. Everyone in my family had a great time and are already looking forward to next year.

Our family -- 6 adults and 2 kids -- spent the week of July 4 here. We've stayed at several cottages over the years -- we're on our third generation of "River Rats" -- but this one by far was the best. Here's why:

> Location: It's midway between Ogdensburg and Alexandria Bay, making popular attractions, such as Boldt Castle and the Remington Art Museum, and grocery stores and other shopping within easy reach. Blind Bay offers plenty of shelter for your boat when the river gets rough. If you like to fish, Chippewa Bay is right around the corner. It offers shallow spots for largemouth and pike and deeper shoals for smallmouth and even musky. The ships go right across the bay's mouth, which is fully within view from the cottage. I would recommend downloading a ship tracking app, such as FindShip, to your smartphone, so you know when one is nearby. While they are close, they aren't in view for long.

> Amenities: The cottage's stock of kitchen utensils and supplies, linens, towels and even cleaning supplies is the best we have come across. There was a brand new refrigerator, Keurig, traditional coffeemaker and blender. Don't worry about forgetting something, it's most likely already there. The onsite washer/dryer was handy, and the wi-fi worked great. And if you do need anything, the owner is ready to help.

>Cottage: It is beautifully decorated, well maintained and spacious. Once you sat down on the screened porch that overlooks the bay, you didn't want to leave. Parking for cars and boat trailers (we had three full-size pickups and two boat trailers) was easy and plentiful. There are a few steps down to the dock, but the climb isn't bad. The dock is easy to use with plenty of water, as is the nearby launch ramp.

It was a great week, and this cottage will be our first choice when we schedule our next 1000 Islands family vacation.