The Lost Treasure of Rock Island Lighthouse | 2025 River Scavenger Hunt

The Lost Treasure of Rock Island Lighthouse | 2025 St. Lawrence River Scavenger Hunt

Sunday, August 10, 2025

11 am-4 pm (Team check-in begins at 10:30 am)

Launch and After Party at Foxy's

The ship, christened The River Empress, was a marvel of its era—gleaming white with gilded trim, towering masts, and luxurious cabins that dazzled all who saw her. Sailing from Montreal under secrecy, she carried a precious cargo. As legend has it, onboard was a dazzling collection of treasures, among them an unmatched trove of rubies destined for a grand exhibit.

But the St. Lawrence River, with its swift currents and hidden dangers, was unforgiving. On a moonless night near Rock Island Lighthouse, the captain—who’d indulged in a few too many "shoal finders"—failed to spot an unmarked shoal. Disoriented and overconfident, the captain indeed found a shoal and his ship and his treasure were claimed by the river’s dark waters.

Most assumed the treasure sank with the ship. But in the days that followed, strange sightings emerged—crates washing ashore, each one believed to contain part of the ruby collection. For decades, scavengers have combed the 1000 Islands and found many of the ship’s other treasures, but not the rubies. Now, on the 40th anniversary of the hunt, the legend grows louder than ever.

Ten boxes—each said to contain some of the rubies—have never been accounted for, likely scattered by current and time, or so the story goes. Over the years, a handful of locals have kept the legend growing by suggesting they are the ones actually safeguarding these boxes, sharing only small portions or clues about their contents, keeping secrets protected by whispered passwords passed through generations.

A sly local broker known as “The Fox” has spent years piecing together their possible locations. For the first time, The Fox is stepping forward to share all he knows—the riddles, the passwords, and the locations— offering hunters a real chance to find the missing boxes. If anything is for certain, it is that the guardians of these treasures—fishermen, innkeepers, bartenders, and a bunch of young River Rats on jetskis—won’t hand over their contents easily; seekers must prove themselves through challenges and earn their trust by repeating passwords. As the years pass and the tale grows—larger, more elusive, blending fact with myth—it seems likely that the hunt will continue for generations.

Are there even any rubies remaining? Some say all ten boxes remain sealed; other claim they have long been emptied of any treasure. But we know that this year is our best chance yet to find and secure The Lost Treasure of Rock Island Lighthouse from The River Empress. Only scavenger hunters who are willing to risk it all are being called to join this year’s hunt. You will need to solve a series of riddles, navigate the river, and be ready to face choices and challenges at every turn. Will you accept a guardian’s deal and take a share, or risk it all for a greater prize? The stakes are unpredictable, like the river’s currents, and success demands sharp wits and courage.

And, as for The Fox? Is he really here to help or to deceive? There’s only one way to find out…

Join us.

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Fine print: Limited to 25 teams. Adults only. Participants in the 2025 St. Lawrence River Scavenger Hunt assume all liability. Each team must have a team name and a designated team captain. All communication will be with the team captain. A team is comprised of a single vessel -- as many people as are Coast Guard approved for the vessel may be on a team. Funds raised will be donated to charity of winning team's choice.

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What the Fox: Team What the Fox finished in third place in the 2024 St. Lawrence River Scavenger Hunt. After a highly anticipated yet non-competitive game of ping-pong, What the Fox earned the privilege of planning the esteemed 40th River Scavenger Hunt in 2025. Cheers, fellow River Rats!

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