Visit
Amherst Island
Amherst Island
It could be a warmish summer, or it might be a clear and cold winter day, and you are looking for something to while away an afternoon around Kingston, Ontario. Why not visit Amherst Island?
You might ask, why bother?
First off, you will get to enjoy the Amherst Ferry (The Frontenac II) to and from the Island. And while ferry travel is commonplace for Kingston folks that want to visit the local islands, if you are from away, taking the ferry might, in itself, be a fun thing for you and the family to do.
Tickets (cash only) are purchased on the ferry after you've boarded so don't waste time looking for a ticket booth. In the summer of 2009 the return fare for a single car, including occupants, was $8.00 Cdn.
In the photo above the Frontenac II is just arriving at the mainland ferry landing. She's a pretty large craft for a fresh-water ferry, and she sidles up to the dock, hesitant and pensive, like a swimmer dipping a toe into ice cold water. Again, they've timed just right, as the big tires protecting the dock are barely kissed by the ferry's bulk as the skilled captain and crew sift her into a stop, loading ramp perfectly aligned with the access road. Excellent job!
The trip across the North Channel to Amherst Island takes only about 15 minutes. The ferry departs the mainland on the 1/2 hour, and the return trip departs Amherst Island on the hour. The crossing is pretty smooth, even if there's a gale blowing, as the waters are well protected by Amherst to the south, and the mainland to the north.
You will disembark almost right in downtown Stella, Ontario. In fact, as you exit the ferry and drive away from the dock, in just a moment you are at the Stella four-corners and the stop sign, one of just a few on the island.
Look across the street. There's the Stella General Store. Worth browsing through for a few minutes before you make your right or left turn onto Front Road to explore the Island.
There is a brief slide show just below, showing some of the sights of the passage from the mainland to Amherst Island. More Amherst Island information is avalable below the slideshow.
