October 15, 2026
To: Reese Adams McCraine, Atlanta
From: Stephen Brown, Comfort Island
Dear Reese,
Last night, after I saw you at the Ossoff event, I flew from Atlanta to Syracuse and barreled up Route 81 at 1am to get to Keewaydin, jump in the Lyman and motor across the river to Comfort.
It sounds glamorous.
It was cold.
But this morning was beautiful and for a few moments in the afternoon, I took a break from work and sat on the point in one of the Adirondack chairs facing the river.
The channel between Comfort Island and Wellesley Island is at its narrowest and deepest here, almost 200 feet deep. Across from Comfort is Stony Crest Island, where half the island was dynamited and its mansion demolished in the 1950s to make way for the St. Lawrence Seaway, which opened in 1959.
Now, giant oceangoing ships go within throwing distance from the island. First time visitors (you were one of them this summer) are amazed at the size of the ships that pass by. In the night, some of the old ships, with their propellers a little off, make the entire house shake. You can hear some of them from over half a mile away.
The ships start moving in March and stop around Christmas. You can even download the MarineTraffic app and see what ships are coming up or downriver.
That is one of the joys of living here. Now that Duke and I are sleeping on the first floor, I can lie in bed at night and see them glide by.
A local photographer Tim Kocher (@RiverviewPhotography) often films the ships passing by Comfort, from Keewaydin. His love of the great ships matches mine.
And so, on one of these last nice days in the season, I get to be with the river and watch the ships, now commanding an empty river…as 90% of the summer folk have left.
Except for me.
Wonderful to see you this week. Can’t wait to catch up after the 24th.
Stephen