LIFE ON A RIVER

also not a lodge look,” he adds. “I didn’t want Canadian canoes and paddles.”

Days are spent outside as much as possible. Danny is often up to enjoy the sunrise, both men tend to the landscaping each day, and they usually ease into the evening with a Caesar followed by dinner on the terrace. A vegetable garden, overseen for the first few years by a local gardener, feeds the kitchen through the seasons with artichokes, asparagus, peas, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and more. Two boats — a covered Hunt yacht and a Boston Whaler — whisk them across the water for practical and recreational purposes, including the commute to the mainland where they’re co-developing Riverstone Gananoque, a residential project comprising more than

100 condominiums on the waterfront. They expect to begin selling units within the next six months.

For now, Joe and Danny continue to discover how the river experience differs from being on a lake or in the countryside. Last summer, they made the most of their proximity by boat to New York state, spending days hiking, biking or visiting historic sites. The river, still active with commercial ships, inherently delivers a more international scene; Joe notes that Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire businessman, has brought his world-famous yacht down the seaway. Danny, meanwhile, says they’ve enjoyed getting involved in the local community, supporting places such as the Thousand Islands Playhouse and Thousand Islands Boat Museum. Four different friends have come to stay with them and gone on to purchase islands for themselves.

Even with work fighting for their time, Joe and Danny head to Shanty Island nearly every weekend. Says

Joe: “There’s just this constant sense of well-being, relaxation and enjoyment.”