Saturday, October 10, 2009

West Wharf In Madison

The shoreline towns between New Haven and Old Lyme provide some of the most restrictive coastal access on Long Island Sound. There are a few exceptions, but most of the beaches and parks (and the roads that lead to them) are private communities. Apparently, it is illegal to walk down a public street, even in October. The corrupt and scandal-plagued Madison Police Department may turn a blind eye to prostitution and drug rings, but they still view an outsider taking pictures on the beach as a serious offense. To make a long story short, two squad cars arrived, and I got the hell out of town.
West Wharf in Madison is a small, resident only park that consists of a fishing pier, and some large rock outcroppings that provide excellent views of Falkner Island. When I visited this week, the demolition of the nearby Madison Beach Hotel attracted a small crowd to watch the destruction. With only residents of Madison in the crowd, the park was secure, and nothing could ever go wrong.
CT Coastal Access Guide: West Wharf

7 comments:

Chessie (Chesshirecat) said...

Lovely. I have a hard time (without your help) of Picturing Long Island Sound...as beautiful.

It's because I've never been there, but I listen to TV...and they never have much good to show on the NYC Cop shows about Long Island Sound.

Wonderful...thank you.

kate said...

oh, just the kind of community I love to go to and defy all the rules! someday all shorelines will be open to everyone...I hope.

Bethany said...

Geeze. That's absurd. Great pics. Thanks for risking your freedom!

Unknown said...

There was a lot of press about the Greenwich incidents, but towns like Madison are just as restrictive.
They don't want you there, and they will treat you like a criminal to get their point across.

bowsprite said...

did you make your escape by car or by boat?

bowsprite said...

Even armchair travelling with you, I'm feeling squeezed by all the lands bought up. Natives had a hard time with the concept of 'owning' land. "Owning" a part of rocks, beach, leading to the sea. It is strange. Soundbounder's Bound-up Sound.

Jeannette StG said...

Somehow I missed a few posts (I don't know how you do it, traveling all the time -traveling back and forth between my old and new house messes up my sense of time, place, and anything else I displace:) ) -

the structure of the stones make the third pic very interesting!