SOUNDBOUNDER

Old Harbor

2011-09-30T06:00:00.003-04:00

Sometime around Labor Day the light begins to noticeably change. It's subtle at first; only recognizable in the hours surrounding dawn and dusk. By the middle of September, however, it becomes obvious even to those not paying attention. Gone is the haze, the glare, the short shadows, and the long summer days.

Block Island in the summer sometimes feels like a spring break inspired theme park for the middle-aged. Old Harbor, with its ferry-terminal, and tipsy balance of Victorian architecture, bars and moped rentals grows too crowded, expensive, and commercialized. The views can be spectacular here, but they often go unnoticed as you weave your way between the taxicabs and foot traffic along Water Street.

In September, the tempo around Old Harbor begins to change. The ferries still run regularly, but the traffic, while steady, is no longer overwhelming. The carnival atmosphere gives way to a working waterfront which reappears from the shadows of waffle cones and Bacardi umbrellas.

Old Harbor once had a sizable commercial fleet, but the Great Depression, combined with the Hurricane of '38 provided a knockout blow. Now, the logistics of an island fishing industry are no longer economically feasible on a large scale. Seafood not sold to local restaurants and inns, needs to be transported again to distribution centers on the mainland. Today the fleet is more modest and specialized.

As the crowds thin however, the island's past image as an outpost in the Atlantic comes back into view. Commercial boats chased away by the limited summer space, will once again use the docks as a convenient layover port. Transoms which read Point Judith, Montauk, and Stonington lie berthed alongside the native fleet.

The light is different this time of year, the boats in the harbor are different too.

Boating Local: Destination Block Island
Providence Journal: Saving Block Island
Boating Local: Old Harbor Bulkhead Repair
Providence Library: Old Harbor Fleet 1930's
Soundbounder: Block Island North Light
Map

The Cos Cob Pelican

2011-09-26T19:06:00.000-04:00

Mianus River, Greenwich, September 26

Merit

2011-09-16T09:45:00.002-04:00

My days in Greenport often include numerous visits to the commercial fishing dock. I never plan it that way, but after an early morning walk up Front Street for coffee and a newspaper, a short detour along the waterfront usually seems like a good idea.

Many of the boats have already left for the day, but a few remain behind to work on their gear. One boat appears to have a never-ending problem with her starboard engine. I keep a low profile and linger for only a short time. Making my way to the end of the pier, I gaze across to Shelter Island and her approaching ferry reflecting in the sunrise.

Later in the day, I often walk this pier again; creating a matching bookend to my day on the North Fork. Many of the boats have now returned, leaving the docks wet and slippery, with the smell of fish filling the air. I make a conscious effort to stay out of their way.

Every so often, I'm recognized by a fisherman who saw me here previous times. They give me a strange look, and I am never quite sure if they think I am an inspector, or just some bored tourist who doesn't know what to do with his time.

I really should tell him that I'm just someone who likes old boats and fresh fish!

Greenport Commercial Fish Dock

Soundbounder: Greenport Fishing Fleet

Patch: Merit Captain Charged With Falsifying Records

Pilot: Commercial Fishermen's Image Problem

Map

Phragmites Park

2011-09-07T09:42:00.001-04:00

At the southern tip of Northport Harbor is the eleven-acre Phragmites Park. Wedged between some residential neighborhoods, the entrance to the preserve is easy to miss when traveling along Route 25A. Like many coastal access spaces, this nature area is known by several names, including Twin Ponds Park and most recently, Betty Allen Preserve-North.

Once used as a dumping site for the dredged spoils from nearby bays, this stretch of shoreline began an extensive wetlands restoration project in 2002. While I'm certainly not an authority on the subject, the results appear to be a notable success.

I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the Northport area. It's a pretty harbor with an attractive and walkable waterfront, populated by a citizenry which appears committed to maintaining it. My afternoon spent at Phragmites Preserve only reinforced this belief.

Pbase: Northport Photos
Wikimapia: Betty Allen Preserve
NYNJCT Botany: Hiking Betty Allen/Twin Ponds
Note: I didn't visit the area south of Rte 25A. That will have to be done another time

Beached Sailboat

2011-09-03T08:51:00.000-04:00

Beached Sailboat; Early Street, City Island

The Summer House At City Island Yacht Club

2011-09-02T10:17:00.005-04:00

Much of the destruction from Tropical Storm Irene has been well documented this week, but some damage has gone largely unreported. The pier at the City Island Yacht Club is one such example.

Extending out over the waters of this century-old club, the pier, or Summer House, was more than just a launch-dock for boat owners; it served as a focal point for socializing too. On hot summer evenings, the benches here were a popular spot to relax while enjoying the breezes off of Eastchester Bay. The racing team from Columbia University kept their sailboats here, as well.

Back in my City Island days, I spent many evenings on this dock, gazing out at the mooring field with the East River bridges and Manhattan skyline twinkling in the distance. Good times!

Fortunately, plans for rebuilding are already underway.

City Island Yacht Club
City Island Sailing: More Photos

Map

Starfish.... And Other Threats

2011-08-08T10:43:00.003-04:00

"The fishermen are gone; the lobsters are gone.....
Shellfishing's the one thing that remains"

Wherever oysters thrive, starfish are likely to follow. When Bren hoisted the cage on board, several starfish could be seen clinging to the grow-out-bag. They are an oyster's biggest predator, and it's a never-ending struggle to keep them from devouring the harvest. Combined with the threats from pollution, oysters are incredibly vulnerable in Long Island Sound.

There are more subtle enemies of the industry, as well.

In the early morning hours, Stony Creek has the look of a sleepy waterfront village that's somehow remained forgotten. For the most part, the houses here are relatively modest in size, and you don't see the usual assortment of seafood restaurants, gift shops, and other tourist oriented businesses which often dominate many shoreline towns. If you're looking to buy a Life Is Good or Black Dog tee-shirt, this is not the place.

Stony Creek was "discovered" long ago, but a great deal of effort and money is spent preserving its understated aura. Once an eclectic mix of summer residents, artists, quarrymen, fishermen, and assorted tradesmen who serviced the islands, it's become increasingly one-dimensional in recent decades. There's a Currier & Ives existence that's still embraced, but it's ornamental. The working waterfront is now residential houses, with oars and fishing gear precisely accenting their entryways. The word "quaint" gets tossed around a bit too much.

These real-estate pressures mean that Bren has no garage or workshop in town to repair his gear, process his oysters, or store supplies. With only a parking space for his truck, he has overcome these obstacles through innovative self-sufficiency.
In the bed of his truck rests a solar and battery powered refrigerator he uses to transport the oysters from the waterfront to market. Used by the armed forces in the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan, this is an expensive piece of equipment allowing him to operate without access to waterfront electricity. It also meets the regulatory safety requirements for transporting shellfish.

Now, if only there was a piece of equipment to keep the starfish and pollution at bay.

Soundbounder: Stony Creek 6am (part 1)
Soundbounder: Just Your Local Oysterman (part 2)
Soundbounder: Hauling The Cage (part 3)
Yale Sustainable Food Project
Our Ocean, Our Lives: The Last Oyster Haul?

Hauling The Cage

2011-08-03T11:26:00.001-04:00

Unlike the oysters growing in beds on the bottom of the Sound, Bren's are cultivated in cages which he tends to on a daily basis. These are rectangular, wire mesh contraptions resembling a large lobster pot at first glance. Closer inspection however, reveals there are shelves, or trays inside, supporting the oysters.

Oyster seedlings are grouped in a grow out bag, then placed inside the cage, and lowered into the water. As the oysters grow, they are switched to larger 'bags' with wider mesh to maximize waterflow, yet still restrict predators. It is not an exact science, so an ongoing degree of experimentation is always taking place. Some years, the oysters thrive inside the larger mesh, while in others, a smaller size is needed to thwart preying starfish. Through careful monitoring, the entire balancing act from seedling to harvest takes about three years.

Peter, Helen and myself were also seeking an equilibrium. We were trying to learn as much as possible, without interfering with the work at hand. Some moments were more successful than others!

As Bren began to raise the cage, we gathered around him for a better view. The boat immediately listed hard to starboard before we quickly moved away, providing some ballast. When you're on board with a small, independent, Thimble Islands oysterman, a balancing act can mean many different things.

Thimble Island Oyster Company

Soundbounder: Stony Creek 6am part 1

Soundbounder: Just Your Local Oysterman part 2

Soundbounder: Starfish...And Other Threats part 4

Just Your Local Oysterman

2011-08-01T15:24:00.004-04:00

Bren wasn't kidding when he said he never learned to swim. Raised along the shores of Newfoundland, the short summers and biting temperatures of the Labrador Current didn't provide many swimming opportunities. A rugged coastline with a strong maritime tradition, the connection to the sea there is mostly through labor, not recreation. How ironic I thought, for him to now be in Long Island Sound where the reverse equation often exists today.

A man of many hats, Bren worked a variety of jobs including longlining in the Bering Sea, 'sliming' in the canneries of Alaska, and lobstering north of Boston. When the crooked road of life brought him to Connecticut, he drove a lumber truck while also partnering with his girlfriend in a woodcrafting business which uses reclaimed materials*. About seven years ago, the Branford waters were reopened to commercial shellfishing, and he jumped at the chance to return to the sea.

His Thimble Island Oyster Company grows and harvests oysters along with some clams, on 60 aquatic acres leased from the state. The numbers fluctuate from year-to-year, but his annual harvest averages around 100,000 shellfish. While that may appear to be a large number, it is a relatively small amount when compared to other shellfish companies on the Sound. Bren estimates that his annual harvest is less than what Norwalk's Bloom Shellfish Company may harvest in a month.

Though a small operation, he is able to earn a living so long as he keeps his overhead costs low: no secretary or pricey boat.... no hired help to do the heavy lifting. Most important, he is doing what he loves - and that's not too shabby for a Newfie who can't swim.

Thimble Island Oyster Company
Community Supported Fisheries Program
Soundbounder: Stony Creek 6 a.m. part one
Soundbounder: Hauling The Cage part three
Soundbounder: Starfish...And other Threats part four

*Bren continues to supplement his income, partnering with his girlfriend Nicola in their woodcrafting business using reclaimed materials. Bleacher seats from the Yale Bowl are reincarnated as mirror frames, and wood from Brooklyn watertowers become flower pots. You can find them at the Union Square Market during the holiday season.
Nicola & The Newfoundlander
New York Times: Reclaimed Words in Fort Greene

Stony Creek, 6 a.m.

2011-07-31T17:28:00.005-04:00

Oystering on Long Island Sound is not always a large enterprise. Early Thursday morning, I arrived at the Stony Creek docks to meet Brendan Smith of the Thimble Island Oyster Company. This is an independent, one-man operation, with Brendan (or Bren) serving as captain, deckhand, marketing director, and part-time mechanic.

Finding a parking space along the narrow streets of Stony Creek can be a chore. The fact that I had a choice of several prime spots was a quick reminder of just how early in the morning it was. Bren was already there, and after some friendly small-talk, there were tasks which began to present themselves. We carried some gear and a large cooler full of ice to the end of the dock, to load into a small skiff which would carry us to his boat in the mooring field. But before we could do that, some rainwater in the skiff needed to be bailed.

Stony Creek is an attractive harbor with the Thimble Islands scattered just beyond its entrance. In the village however, most of them are obscured from view, as only two or three poke out from beyond the point. But as our loaded down skiff cleared the town dock, the full expanse of the granite island chain came into view.

I wasn't the only guest aboard for the day; Helen Bennett and Peter Hvizdak of the New Haven Register were on hand as well. This was the first time I had met Peter, and prior to this, I had only "known" Helen and Bren through our communications on Twitter. I always have some apprehension meeting online acquaintances because they often are not the same person you thought they would be.

Within minutes however, it was clear this would not be the case today. Both Bren and Helen are every bit as nice in the real world as they are in the virtual world. These characteristics are important aboard a small boat.

The four of us motored through the maze of moorings until the red hull of a 22-foot workboat appeared over my right shoulder. Gliding alongside her, I grabbed a bow-line and fastened it to a cleat at mid-ship. It was about this time that Bren said something very bizarre.
"I don't know how to swim!" He said.
He had to be joking, I thought............right?

(More to follow)
Soundbounder: Just Your Local Oysterman part two
Soundbounder: Hauling The Cage part three
Soundbounder: Starfish...And Other Threats part four

Thimble Island Oysters: website
Helen Bennett on Twitter: @NewsGirlCT
Peter Hvizdak on Twitter: @NHRphizdak
Brendan Smith on Twitter: @organicOysters

Thimble Island Oysters

2011-07-28T12:50:00.000-04:00

This morning, I had the opportunity to spend a few hours aboard with Brendan Smith of the Thimble Island Oyster Company. The next several posts will discuss Brendan's work, along with the challenges he faces as a small, independent, local oysterman on Long Island Sound.

Thimble Island Oyster Company
Map

Dead Calm

2011-07-25T11:31:00.004-04:00

When Long Island Sound is jokingly referred to as the Dead Sea, it is not because of its high salt content or lack of marine life. The Dead Sea remark pokes fun at the lack of wind here during the peak of summer. Hot, windless days with nearly a ripple on the water's surface.
Like all good jokes, there is an element of truth to this, but it sometimes become overstated. The winds most certainly die in late July and August, but on most days, the prevailing southwesterlies pick up by mid-afternoon.
There are exceptions of course, and they can be lasting. The heatwave this past week brought a 24-hour hazy stillness to the Sound for several days. No afternoon breeze, no puff of wind in the jib, no sunset sails.

The Mystic Whaler , a 1967 reproduction of a 19th-century schooner, was rebuilt in Providence, Rhode Island in 1993. Based in New London during the summer months, she offers everything from sunset sails to 3-day cruises.
Keeping a busy schedule, Carina and I have crossed paths with her in Greenport, Stonington, and several other ports. She is a beautiful sight to see under-sail.
On this hazy evening however, she wasn't going anywhere fast. Just south of Morgan Point, I spotted her practicing that old 21st-century tradition of trimming the iron genoa.

Mystic Whaler Cruises
Cruising Guide To The New England Coast: General Conditions
Iron Genoa - a sailboat's engine

Watch Hill Lighthouse

2011-07-21T07:59:00.001-04:00

Watch Hill Lighthouse

Built: 1856

Automated: 1986

New England Lighthouses: Watch Hill Light

Lighthouse Friends (map included)

Panoramio: Schooner Passing Watch Hill Light

Restless Farewell

2011-07-18T19:53:00.094-04:00

Others will enter the gates of the ferry, and cross
from shore to shore.......

The others that are to follow me, the ties between
me and them

Walt Whitman: Crossing Brooklyn Ferry

As gentrification continues its scorched-earth, forward march,
I've often found reassurances in the rituals and structures
around us which remain constant. No, not silly nostalgia for
some make-believe past, but instead a tangible connection to
those provincial traits which help define the towns and people
of Long Island Sound.

There are the baymen of Oyster and Huntington Bays, who
still work their shellfish beds manually. The wooden
oysterboats of Norwalk, Stratford, and other shoreline towns.
Then there are the lighthouses; the 18th and 19th century
villages; and the farms of the North Fork and the
Connecticut River.
These are not museum relics, but instead, working
links to our past which carry on. Stripped of them, we
inch closer to every other shoreline town which sold its
soul to postwar Los Angelization long ago.

The Rocky Hill-Glastonbury Ferry is believed to be the oldest
continuously operated ferry in the U.S. Established in 1655, it
became a state operation in 1915, surviving the Great Depression,
the Floods of 1936, and several ill-conceived highway overpasses
in the 1950's and '60's.
Just a barge pushed by a tugboat, she is highly functional, but never
glamorous. Sadly, she met her fate with the budget-cuts this week.

About 25 miles south of here is the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry. She is
considered to be the second oldest continuously operated ferry in
the U.S.. Linking a prettier, more affluent stretch, with museums
and parks overlooking the river, this boat is the more popular of
the two. Somewhat famous, she is an appealing September/October
fall foliage excursion, and provides an important transportation
link along this 16 mile bridge-less stretch between Saybrook and
East Haddam.

But pedigrees, logistics, and big-pictures don't carry much
weight in Hartford. The Chester-Hadlyme Ferry has been
axed along with her older sister to the north. There has been
a lot of talk about how neither of these boats make money,
but that argument is selective, penny-wise, and pound foolish.
No form of transportation makes money without public subsidies.
Highways, airports, shipping terminals, etc, all lose money
without government assistance.

Both ferries are scheduled to close on August 25.

I've thought about taking one final boat ride, but
what good would it do? Maybe, instead, I'll go find
some franchise restaurant along the CT Turnpike
or Long Island Expressway which serves generic
jalapeno poppers, hot-pockets, fish-a-ma-jig
sandwiches, and booze.
I'll sit in one of those formica cubicles, partitioned
by the glazed glass ovals depicting lighthouses,
oystermen, church steeples, ferry boats, and
everything else we chose to abandon.

Chester-Hadlyme Ferry

Middletown Press: Ferry Workers Given Layoff Notices
Lyme Line: Towns Work To Save The Ferries
Walt Whitman Archive
Soundbounder: Chester-Hadlyme Ferry
Soundbounder: New Ways To Lose

Bright Sky, Big Erratics

2011-07-14T08:39:00.003-04:00

I have a love-hate relationship with rocks. As they say on Facebook...."it's complicated".

Aboard Carina, I don't want to see them, yet I find myself thinking of them all the time. And when I don't see them, it only makes things worse: I know they are out there lurking just beneath the surface, ready to confront my keel when I least expect it. Big rocks don't like me, and I don't like them. Even worse, if I were to run into them, I know I'll never win.

But once ashore, I can never stay angry for very long. I suppress the destructive, bad times and become seduced again by their polish and form. I take all sorts of pictures and send them to my friends......trying to convince everyone, including myself, things will be different from now on.

While glacial erratics are found throughout Long Island Sound, they are especially abundant along the eastern portion of the Suffolk County shoreline. Walking the beaches of Wildwood, Wading River, and Horton Point provides a crash-course in the geological history of North America.

They are very pleasing to look at........ from shore.

Garvies Pt Museum: Geology of Long Island

Hofstra University: L.I. Geology

The Outer Lands: A Natural History Guide (Cape Cod to Long Island)

Working The Ledge

2011-07-08T09:28:00.011-04:00

Something wasn't right! After motoring clear of some ferry traffic near the entrance to New London Harbor, I was about to hoist the mainsail when I spotted Escape circling east of the channel. Lobster boats are common here, and it was obvious she was hauling pots, but something wasn't adding up.

She appeared too perfect...too clean and orderly. Her yellow hull looked all polished and buffed, without the nicks and blemishes from the realities of lobstering. No diesel stains or grease marks - no rusty streaks.

The crew didn't seem legit either. There were too many of them, and their clothing stood out. Sure, they were dressed like lobstermen, but it was an L.L. Bean version of how a fisherman would dress. With the Ledge Lighthouse in the background, it was too choreographed a scene; straight out of a catalogue.

It turns out that Escape is indeed a commercial lobster boat, but she is a charter boat, as well. The smartly dressed people I saw aboard were customers, along for the ride. The fading lobster industry on Long Island Sound has led some creative fishermen to seek harvest from other sources of income. This thirtysomething-foot boat from Groton offers not only lighthouse and sunset cruises, but working trips to bait and haul lobster pots too.

According to their website:

"Ever wonder what it's like to make your living from the sea? Why not learn firsthand from lobsterman? As the boat leaves picturesque Pine Island Bay and heads out into Fishers Island Sound, we will share our 35 years of experience and knowledge as a commercial lobsterman. You will see traps hauled and baited, lobsters caught and measured, plus a variety of other sea creatures like crabs, starfish, sea urchins, and an occasional fish. Your active participation is encouraged."

Reality Tourism? Vocation Vacations? Carhartt Chic?

There's been considerable press in recent years highlighting farms and ranches which offer visitors the opportunity to work the land. It's only natural this niche market would find its way to the lobster industry, and I like the concept.

Anything which provides a better knowledge of where our food comes from, along with an appreciation of the labor involved, seems like a good idea. I only hope the day doesn't arrive when the words lobster-trap and tourist-trap become synonymous.

Rates: $30/person $20/under12; Reservations required. Lobsters are fished on the tide

DownEast Lobstering Cruises

Forbes: Authentic Farm Vacations

Washington Post: A Knell for Lobsters On LIS (2007)

Soundbounder: New London Ledge Light

Jennifer Lynn: Lobster Cruise A slightly different version offered in Norwalk

Miss Patty

2011-07-06T08:11:00.001-04:00

Returning home, the lobster boat Miss Patty navigates the Mattituck Creek.

Soundbounder: Phyllis Ann

Map

A Case Of Gansett

2011-06-28T20:01:00.003-04:00

Good ideas on the drafting table don't always succeed in actuality.

Gansett, a converted and restored 50 foot lobster hull, plied the waters last summer between the harbors of Stonington and Watch Hill. Part-ferry service and part-tour guide, the 25 minute narrated trips served up such local favorites as Narragansett Beer and Del's Lemonade, while transporting passengers to-and-from Dodsons Boatyard and the Watch Hill Docks.

Upon first learning of this last year, I thought it was a wonderful idea. Though separated by just three miles of water, a trip by land between the two villages is nearly 12 miles, and includes the added hassles of beach traffic and parking. Arriving by car, day trippers and weekenders were likely to stay put.

Also, many travelling yachtsmen with a limited schedule visit one of the harbors, but rarely the two; preferring not to waste a day of travel on another nearby port. The Gansett provided the opportunity to visit both towns, regardless of where you dropped anchor.

So, I was saddened last week when I learned the Gansett has moved her operations back to Newport, Rhode Island for 2011. Disappointed, but not entirely surprised. With tickets priced at $25, the fares were too expensive for a short ferry ride.*

As a tour boat, the trip seemed too limited in scope to draw mass appeal. While Gansett was the only excursion boat serving Watch Hill and Stonington, nearby Mystic offers a slew of choices ranging from schooners to 19th-century steamboats. It is a competitive field.

Hopefully the waters of Newport provide a more lucrative home for Gansett this season. She is a pretty boat which has been meticulously restored, and I can't help but think she'll strike gold somewhere.

As for a ferry serving Watch Hill and Stonington....I still think it's a good idea...at least on paper!

Gansett Cruises

About M/V Gansett

New London Day: New Ferry Service (June 2010)

Grab A Gansett: Vintage Beer Ads

View Larger Map

*Since each excursion/ferry boat offers something unique, prices alone are not always a fair comparison. Still, I thought they were worth noting. A one-hour tour of the Thimble Islands is priced at $10; a round-trip ticket on the North Ferry, connecting Shelter Island with Greenport costs $8; and a 2.5-hour sail on the schooner Argia costs $42. Of course, none of these boats serve Narragansett Beer.

Mystic Drawbridge 7:45 A.M.

2011-06-27T10:56:00.005-04:00

The lobsters will have to wait!
At 20-minutes before-the-hour, a whistle blows in downtown Mystic, and a pair of crossing gates stop traffic on Route 1. Moments later, the Mystic Drawbridge begins to rise.

A fixture in town since 1920, this counter-weighted, bascule bridge provides clearance for the ships of Mystic Seaport, as well as creating a spectacle for tourists walking the main street. On busy weekends, visitors with ice-cream cones and shopping bags stop what they are doing, to watch the drawbridge open for ships named Sabino and Argia. The ships pass, the bridge is then lowered, and vacation-life resumes.
For the residents of Mystic, it is a more complicated relationship. There's an internal clock attached to every errand planned. You always seem to arrive someplace twenty-minutes early, or ten-minutes late. When you find yourself in an absolute hurry, the bridge will be open - guaranteed.
But these inconveniences have their sweet rewards. No matter the circumstance, and regardless of the true reason, residents all carry a solid, ace-in-the-hole alibi for when they are not on-time:
"Sorry I'm late, boss (honey, Mom, Your Honor, etc)...... the bridge was up".

Wikipedia: Mystic River Bascule Bridge
WTNH: Renovations for Mystic Drawbridge
New England Traveler: Mystic Bridge is a Real Draw
Map

Beach Scene, New London

2011-06-24T09:33:00.000-04:00

Beach Scene, New London, 1918

William J Glackens

Artchive: William Glackens (1870-1938)

About.com: Bathing At Bellport 1912

Wikipedia: William K Glackens

Mill Dam Bridge in Centerport

2011-06-23T16:02:00.006-04:00

Spanning the tidal-flats of Centerport Harbor, the Mill Dam Bridge has a history as old as our country itself. A tide-mill and dam were constructed here in 1774, which replaced an earlier mill built just south of this site in 1674. Although the mill is long gone, the bridge and dam have been reincarnated several times in the last century.

Its most recent form, built in 2005, may be the most inviting. Designed with accessibility and aesthetics in mind, there is stonework and detail often not found in public works today. At several points, the sidewalks widen to create viewing areas of both the harbor and the sluice gates below. Both ends of the bridge have small pocket-parks with benches, and various bric-a-brac.

It's not just a utilitarian bridge and dam - it's a place to spend a little time. It's the Camden Yards of Long Island Sound bridges.

I suppose Centerport Harbor is one of those settings that would be beautiful regardless of the bridge which was built. Still, it is nice to see structures which compliment the surroundings, rather than detract. And it's especially heartening to see city fathers and planners trying to appeal to public-access kooks like me.

Jarvis House: Mill Dam Bridge (Lori put together a collection of wintertime photos)

Boating Times: Centerport Harbor

Map

photo credit: Wikipedia

Quinnipiac River Park

2011-06-19T11:04:00.003-04:00

North of Interstate-95, above the Ferry Street Bridge, the decaying industry along New Haven's Quinnipiac River gives way to this historic stretch of waterfront. With a high concentration of 19th-century homes, the neighborhoods of Fair Haven, and Fair Haven Heights are a modern day reminder of New Haven's maritime past.

This was once a prominent oyster port, with wharves and sheds lining both sides of the river. Related industries, such as shipbuilding and barrel making, thrived as well. By the 1840's, the neighborhood became a leading center for processing and trading, as oysters arrived from as far away as the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays.

Today, things are a bit quieter here, but the oystering lives on, albeit on a lesser scale. Taking in the view from Quinnipiac River Park, I could see an oyster boat quietly at rest, with a tell-tale pile of shells rising behind her. A limited and diminished reminder of a once dominant past.

New Haven Preservation Trust: Quinnipiac Historic District

CT Coastal Access Guide: Quinnipiac River Park

Quinnipiac Watershed Association

Mystic Seaport: New Haven Sharpie

Map

Connecticut River Shad

2011-06-16T10:04:00.003-04:00

Did you know there is a commercial fishery for shad on the Connecticut River? Seasonal, small-scale, and often hidden from view, the fishery goes largely unnoticed with the exception of a random shad bake. American shad normally return to the Connecticut River sometime in late April and continue through June. Once the river warms up, the shad spawn, and the season comes to an end.

Tucked away on the river's bank near the Rocky Hill Ferry is Hale's Shad. It's an unassuming type of place,to say the least: just a bare counter-top, a list of prices, and some photocopied recipes taped to the wall. Hale's stays open during the spring run, selling nothing but shad, roe, and something called shad milt.
"Marketed" as an aphrodisiac, every customer at Hale's got a sales pitch for shad milt while I was there. Having already eaten six oysters for lunch, I didn't want to get carried away, so I politely said "no thanks".

Wikipedia: American Shad
UMassEdu: Poor Man's Salmon
Map: Hale's Shad

Tiles Of Time

2011-05-23T11:56:00.002-04:00

Four days of heavy rain sure can disrupt the best of plans for spring commissioning. The sanding, painting, and polishing all get postponed as I try to find some chore to tackle below deck. I check the hoses and clamps on the diesel, tighten the loose handle on the ice-box, then organize the storage lockers. I even give the stove and head a good scrubbing.

Marine stoves and heads have a way of getting filthy whether they are used or not. I distinctly remember cleaning them thoroughly when I moved ashore last fall. For a moment, I suspect that Charlie Sheen had been partying aboard this winter, but the liquor cabinet is intact, and I move on to other theories.

There are plenty of other projects in the cabin, but they should wait for drier weather. Sanding the teak trim, along with some minor epoxy work both require the hatches and companionway to be open. Those jobs will be addressed another day. Besides, no matter how comfortable a cabin may be, it begins to feel claustrophobic when forced to spend the day below. By noon, I decided to call it a day, and head for the library.

I don't know how many others from the boatyard make use of the Acton Library on rainy days, but I suspect I am not the only one. When the librarian asked for a local address, I told her I was on a boat, and our conversation never missed a beat. Several people browsing the aisle of nautical books only strengthened my suspicions.

I spend an hour or so on the computer, check out the updated version of Don Casey's This Old Boat, and read several chapters from an out-of-print book chronicling the history of the Fall River Steamboat Line.

What really grabs my attention, however, is a 24-foot tile mural that lines the entryway. Sponsored by the Friends of Acton Library, and created by artist Marion Grebow, the "ceramic quilt" illustrates the history of Old Saybrook, as well as the maritime significance of the town's location at the mouth of the Connecticut River. It is an impressive, informative, and unique piece of work.

See,...rainy afternoons in May aren't always my least productive days.

Grebow Tiles: website

Acton Public Library

Friends Of Acton Library

State Parks

2011-05-19T17:52:00.003-04:00

Sherwood Island State Park; April 2010

Unfortunately, this is the time of year when restrictions and fees go into effect at local beaches and parks on Long Island Sound. If you are not a town resident, chances are you will be denied entry to the park, or else, be required to pay a much heftier admission fee.

The argument goes something like this:

Local taxes pay for the upkeep and operating costs, therefore, the beach should be restricted to town residents only.

Makes sense -- until you realize what would happen if every town behaved this way. Get injured in a car accident on your way to work? "Sorry, the ambulance and rescue squad are for local taxpayers only." Spend a weekend in New York or Boston? "There's a $40 cover charge to use the sidewalks. We don't want nonresidents getting a free ride,...or a free walk!" Need to report a crime? "Unfortunately, police protection is only for taxpayers who fund the department." Want to take a walk in Central Park? "Hit the road freeloader! You're from Great Neck and your date is from Greenwich! No deadbeat outsiders allowed!"

The "we paid for it" argument rings hollow as well. While the beach may be operated and maintained with local tax dollars, it is similar to a college student bragging that they buy their own groceries. What they fail to mention is that the tuition, rent, and car payments are being paid by someone else.

Coastal towns receive county, state and federal dollars for sewage and water treatment plants. Try going to the beach without that! The U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers assists with dredging, bulkheads and causeways; while the boardwalks and buildings are insured through a federally subsidized program. Landlocked residents pay a significant share of the cost for beaches they cannot use!

What's an inland boy to do?

There are some places like Huntington, and Compo Beach in Westport which charge more for non-residents, but are reasonable about it (last I checked). Then there are jewels such as Manor Park in Larchmont which deserve a gold star; no beach, but no fees or residency requirements - just be respectful of the rules.

Another option would be the state parks. I've put together a list below which should provide a few options you were not aware of. I'm generalizing, but the Long Island parks are nicer than the Connecticut ones. With apologies to Hammonasset, Long Island is blessed with a prettier natural shoreline, and a better understanding of the role state parks can play.

But both sides of the Sound have their shortcomings. The state park list may seem extensive, but it is misleading, in the same way a lobbyist for Clear Channel Communications will argue that radio today is more diverse and appealing as ever. Sure there are more radio- stations and genres, but they all play Phil Collins, Billy Joel, and Sting.

There are very few options west of the Northport-Norwalk divide; and many state parks are not beaches, but simply state land which borders the shoreline. They are a great place to take a hike, but they are not a public beach. Only then, do the deficiencies begin to glare.

Whenever I write about this issue, I am always reminded of my 5 years spent in Southern California. Yes, I had some gripes with that sun-splashed, sprawling McDonaldland, where funeral homes had drive-thru windows and one often needed a car just to cross the street. What I admired most was that beaches were public land; not just for local residents, but for everyone.

San Diego, you can keep the Padres and the Olive Garden, but your public beaches I truly miss!

Connecticut

SHERWOOD ISLAND*: website Friends Of Sherwood Island

Soundbounder : Related Post

SILVER SANDS*: website CT Coastal Access Guide

Soundbounder: Related Post

FARM RIVER: website CT Coastal Access Guide

Soundbounder: Related Post

HAMMONASSET*: website Friends Of Hammonasset

Soundbounder: Related Post

ROCKY NECK*: website CT Coastal Access Guide

HARKNESS: website Friends Of Harkness

FORT TRUMBULL: website Friends Of Ft Trumbull

Soundbounder: Related Post

FORT GRISWOLD: website Friends Of Ft Griswold

BLUFF POINT: website CT Coastal Access Guide

Long Island

CAUMSETT: website Friends Of Caumsett

Soundbounder: Related Post

COLD SPRING HARBOR: website

Soundbounder: Related Post

NISSEQUOGUE: website Friends Of Nissequogue

Soundbounder: Related Post

SUNKEN MEADOW*: website

Soundbounder: Related Post

WILDWOOD*: website Explore LI

Soundbounder: Related Post

HALLOCK: website

ORIENT POINT*: website

Soundbounder: Related Post

HITHER HILLS*: website Explore LI

MONTAUK POINT: website

Westchester County Parks

NYC Parks

Nassau County Parks

Suffolk County Parks

Rhode Island State Parks

CT Coastal Access Guide

NY State Parks (Long Island)

SOUNDBOUNDER: Fees And Access

* beach with lifeguards,concessions, restrooms, etc

Bon Voyage Empire State

2011-05-09T06:21:00.003-04:00

Maritime education is not something generally associated with Long Island Sound, until you actually take the time to think about it. There is the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London; the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point; and SUNY Maritime College at Throgs Neck. Those colleges, combined with the oceanography programs at SUNY Stony Brook and UCONN Avery Point make the Sound one big nautical classroom.

While students at more conventional schools are presently thinking about final exams and summer vacation, students here are instead preparing for a semester-at-sea. Hands-on experience, outside the classroom, aboard a ship.

Empire State VI, a converted 565 foot bulk cargo freighter, serves as the training ship for SUNY Maritime College. She and her crew depart this morning for the Mediterranean. Bon voyage...see you in September!

SUNY Maritime College

Wikipedia: TS Empire State

New London Day: USCGC Eagle Departs for Europe

Kings Point Waterfront: Summerwind in DC

YouTube: Departure of Empire State

Map

Middle Beach, Westbrook

2011-05-05T08:36:00.000-04:00

Middle Beach in Westbrook, and an island I do not know the name of.

CT Coastal Access Guide: Middle Beach

Map

Ashore On Fire Island III

2011-04-30T06:54:00.000-04:00

Unless television has lied to me, the surest way to make something disappear is to hire an excavator from Ronkonkoma. Yesterday, almost a month after she ran aground, bulldozers and backhoes used brute force to move Le Papillion down the beach and north across the island through a pathway known as the cut. The hull suffered damage in the process.

I'm not sure what happens next, or how she will be transported off the island.

Thanks to RK8776 at Noreast.com for the photo.

Saltaire38: Holmes Was Right

Tugster: Ashore 6

Frank Markus: Removal Gallery

Soundbounder: Ashore On Fire Island I

Soundbounder: Ashore On Fire Island II

Map

Fleet's Cove Beach

2011-04-28T08:55:00.002-04:00

It's an unintentional habit of mine to be out the door much earlier this time of year. I wake-up at the same hour, but the 6 a.m. sunrise and warmer temperatures seem to get me moving much sooner. No need to be reading an upteenth story about Donald Trump, when instead, I could be somewhere such as Fleet's Cove Beach, in the Centerport section of Huntington.

Early mornings in spring bring the usual small group of stereotypes to the beach: there's the retiree with the metal detector; a jogger or two (one looks like he needs the exercise, the other doesn't); the inevitable guy on a cell phone while walking a labrador retriever; and the pouty woman with pricey athletic wear, performing some sort of new-age exercise which I am not familiar with. Housewives of Huntington?

But just beyond the beach, maybe 100 feet from the shoreline, was someone standing with water up to his waist. His back was turned to me so at first it didn't register, but then I saw the waders and rake, and knew he was digging for clams.

He went about his work rather methodically, tossing the stones and smaller shellfish from each dig back in the water, and keeping one or two. His path seemed predetermined, as he would concentrate his digging in particular areas while completely ignoring others altogether. As he made his way westward, I thought about taking a picture before he was out of view, but decided against it. I didn't want to intrude on his privacy or interfere with his early morning solitude. He looked at peace with his surroundings and his work and who was I to disrupt that?

And besides, Ms Tai Chi Versace Lady might have felt jilted if she discovered someone else receiving more attention than she.

Fleet's Cove is one of eight beaches operated and maintained by the Town of Huntington. From late May through early September, a permit is required for visitation. Located at the western end of Northport Bay, it provides a panoramic view of both Eatons and Lloyd Neck which extend northward along the massive Huntington Bay.

Lori at Jarvis House has some great photos from a visit this winter.

Jarvis House: Fleet's Cove Beach With Winter Snow

Town of Huntington: Permits and Fees

Wikimapia: Fleet's Cove Beach

Fire Island Schooner Update

2011-04-22T07:33:00.001-04:00

I've been unable to make a return visit to Fire Island for an update on the schooner Le Papillon, which has been beached at Saltaire for over three weeks now.

Thanks to the wonders of the internet, Tugster, Saltaire38, and Frank Markus have provided some photos of her from last weekend. With each passing day, she looks less like a beached schooner, and more like a shipwreck.

Tugster: Ashore 4
Saltaire 38: After An April Storm
Frank Markus: Photo Gallery

Soundbounder: Ashore On Fire Island

photo credit: Frank Markus, copyrighted (top); Tugster (bottom)

Le Papillon in better days. I received an email last week from Shirley who knows the boat well. She wrote: "I sailed with her in Moorea some years ago & wondered where in the world the schooner was now. I attached one of the photos I took that year."

"East Egg" Estate Demolished

2011-04-20T17:26:00.000-04:00

"I spent my Saturday nights in New York, because those gleaming, dazzling parties of his were with me so vividly that I could still hear the music and the laughter, faint and incessant, from his garden, and the cars going up and down his driveway. One night I did hear a material car there, and saw its lights stop at his front steps. But I didn't investigate. Probably it was some final guest who had been away at the end of the earth and didn't know that the party was over."

F.Scott Fitzgerald; The Great Gatsby

Mansions of the Gilded Age: Lands End, Sands Point Demolished
Old Long Island: The End of Lands End
Gothamist: Faux Gatsby Mansion Faces Demolition
photo credit: Gary Lawrance; Mansions Of The Gilded Age

Any Day Now

2011-04-16T07:31:00.000-04:00

Sagamore Yacht Club, Oyster Bay

Sagamore Yacht Club: website

Map

Oak Street Beach In West Haven

2011-04-15T11:00:00.004-04:00

The West Haven shoreline has an impressive network of beaches and parks providing 3.5 miles of public coastal access. Many of these spaces are linked by a 1.7 mile walkway, or "urban greenway", which extends from Sandy Point to Bradley Point. Once the site of the Savin Rock Amusement Park, the city displayed remarkable foresight by purchasing this land after the park closed in the 1960's.
One of the more popular destinations is Oak Street Beach, which includes a sandy beach, fishing pier, activity building, and bocce court. Connecting the walkway to the beach and pier is a large deck that has become the focus of a local, heated debate.
For two decades, the deck has been the site of evening dances, complete with disc-jockeys and large audiences. In 2009 however, a woman fell, broke her pelvis, and threatened West Haven with a lawsuit.

According to the New Haven Register:
"The city, armed with a letter from its insurance carrier,..... said the city-owned deck wasn’t made for dancing, needs repair and is unsafe".
The city wants "to move the dances to a concrete pad in the nearby Old Grove Park".
"The Parks and Recreation Commission also wants to require the volunteer DJs to pay $100 a year for permits and may require them to buy their own liability insurance."

I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, but when I stopped by in late November, winter was fast approaching and there were no dancers to be found. Instead I spent a snowy day in January trying to brush up on the issue by forcing myself to sit through the directors cut of Footloose and Dirty Dancing. Research can be painfully exhausting sometimes!

I don't know if the dances have continued, been shut down, or moved to another location. Hopefully a compromise can be reached.

There is, however, one happy outcome from this story. I found a YouTube video from a 2008 dance at Oak Street Beach. It was comforting to learn that there are actually people who exist with worse wardrobes and dance skills than yours truly.

New Haven Register: Threat To Close Popular Music Spot Hits Sour Note

CT Coastal Access Guide: Oak Street Beach

Map

The Riptide Is Ready

2011-04-14T10:51:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow marks the opening day for many party fishing boats on Long Island Sound. While some boats head south for the winter, or fish offshore for cod on a limited schedule, the majority of them close down from December through March.
The Riptide, based out of City Island in the Bronx, will be making daily trips for blackfish (tautog), starting Friday. When I stopped by Jorgensen's Landing two weeks ago, the captain and crew were getting her ready for another season of fishing on the Sound.

Riptide III: website
New York: Saltwater Fishing Regulations
Connecticut: Saltwater Fishing Regulations
Soundbounder: Directory of Party Boats Located on Long Island Sound

Gulf Beach Pier

2011-04-13T05:14:00.001-04:00

Gulf Beach Pier, Milford; with Charles Island in the distance.

CT Coastal Access Guide: Gulf Beach
Map

Ashore On Fire Island

2011-04-05T18:48:00.007-04:00

Tuesday morning, Will from Tugster and I ventured out to Fire Island to get a close-up view of Le Papillion, beached upon the sands of Saltaire. The 48' LOD Colvin "Pinky" schooner had run aground last Thursday while sailing from Baltimore to Harrington, Maine. We had hoped to witness an attempt to pull her free, but the high winds, rough seas, and poor visibility had other plans.

We parked at Robert Moses Beach and made the one-mile hike, east of the lighthouse to where she was beached. Fire Island is an interesting place: the 30-odd mile, barrier beach includes a national seashore, and many stretches are car-free from May through September. A handful of park rangers and off-season contractors were our only interruptions along the sandy service road.

Reaching the hamlet of Kismet, we cut over to the surf and continued east. Even without a grounded schooner, the beach had an inhospitable feel about it. Aside from the cold, windy, and wet conditions, visibility was poor, and Le Papillon did not come into view until we were nearly upon her. High tide and heavy seas kept us far back from the water; her green steel hull shrouded in fog and sea foam, was getting pounded by the surf.

As a teenager, did you ever take your parents' car while they were out of town? Me neither, but I've seen plenty of John Hughes movies. If you replace sports car with schooner, that seems to be what happened in this case. There is a lot of rumor and misinformation floating around, but it appears that while the owner of the vessel was in South America, his 19 year-old son and two friends decided to sail the boat north to Maine. They narrowly avoided disaster from a light grounding at Absecon Inlet, New Jersey, before landing hard on Fire Island days later. There was no one keeping watch!

Le Papillon has sailed over 80,000 nautical miles, including a circumnavigation, and three passages to Europe.

There is no insurance coverage for this incident*.

As each day passes, her chances of being saved grow dimmer.

Wikipedia: Fire Island

Tugster: Ashore

Tugster: Ashore 2

Saltaire38: Wreck of Le Papillon

Fire Island Lighthouse Society

* I am not sure whether the boat is uninsured, or if the policy did not cover this particular voyage.

Greenwich Boat Show

2011-04-02T19:57:00.003-04:00

The 4th Annual Greenwich In-Water Boat Show is taking place this weekend at Beacon Point Marina in Cos Cob. This is a powerboat show consisting of nine regional dealers and the 16 boat manufacturers they represent. With the sun shining brightly early this morning, I decided to give summer a jump start by paying a visit.

While most shows in the region are held in the fall or winter, this one hopes to capitalize on the spring-fever boat buyers have this time of year. There are no tents with booths selling electronics and fishing gear; it is the boats themselves that are the main attraction. Billing itself as a "show for serious buyers", the models are available to sea trial throughout the weekend. I know of no other show which offers this.

The show occupies three docks at Beacon Point, so I spent the morning hours kicking the tires (okay, fenders) and trying to familiarize myself with many of the new models. No matter how many boats you may know about, there are always new ones you discover, and familiar ones which have been changed.

Getting acquainted with a boat, however, can take on many forms. For many of the visitors, sitting aboard seemed to be an important test. Steve Shabet of Darien, along with his son Matthew and daughter Sarah, felt especially comfortable aboard a Grady White, while others aboard a Chris Craft seemed to already be thinking about summer days afloat.

While most boats at the show are in the 20-32 foot range, there were a few larger ones. I had a nice talk with Paul and Sharon Barton of Portland Boat Works aboard a 36-foot Tiara they have for sale. This is their first year at the show and I made sure to take a tour of the cabin. Very nice!

Another boat that caught my eye was a World Cat 32. This is a catamaran with twin 300 hp outboards offered by Twin Hull Boats of Black Rock, CT. When an opening became available for a sea trial, I couldn't resist. We cast the lines, made our way down the Mianus River, underneath the bridge, and out into the Sound. Once past the Riverside Yacht Club, we opened her up! Stable and dry, this was the perfect boat for an early April excursion.

The Greenwich Boat Show runs through Sunday, April 3. Admission is free.

Greenwich Boat Show: website

Norwalk River Rowing

2011-04-01T08:38:00.001-04:00

Spring comes early for the Norwalk River Rowing Association. Since the second week of March, the team has been practicing on the Norwalk River for their upcoming season which kicks off with the Greenwich Invitational on April 9.
Meanwhile, across the Sound, the first high school sailing regatta of the season was held in Port Jefferson last Saturday.
Yes, I know there is freezing rain in the forecast today, but spring is in the air. You just need to look in the right places.

Shelter Island Reporter: Cold Conditions for First Spring Regatta
Norwalk River Rowing Association: Website
Greenwich Time: Himes, Frantz to Faceoff at Greenwich Invitational
Maritime Rowing Club: Website

Orchard Beach Sand Reclamation

2011-03-31T06:17:00.002-04:00

There has been a lot of work taking place this winter at Orchard Beach in the Bronx. The NYC Parks Department has partnered with the U.S. Corps of Engineers to replace lost sand and combat further beach erosion along this 1.1 mile city beach. Officially known as the Orchard Beach Shoreline Protection Project, it is the first time sand has been replenished here since 1964.

Like many of Long Island Sound's larger parks, the beach here is not natural. Built in the 1930's, sand was brought in from Sandy Hook, N.J. and Rockaway Beach, N.Y. to create this crescent shaped city beach. Over time, the sand has eroded, exposing the more natural, rocky shoreline below.

Earlier this month, the City Of New York released a comprehensive waterfront plan entitled Vision 2020. According to the report, the goal establishes a set of actions for

"realizing our waterfront and waterways as a world-class destination, a globally competitive port, and a rich and vital natural resource that draws all New Yorkers to its edge and onto the water.

The Action Agenda includes 130 specific, high-priority projects that demonstrate the City’s commitment to investing in the transformation of the waterfront."

This sand reclamation project at Orchard Beach is one of the projects listed in the report.

So far, so good!

Waterfront Action Agenda: Vision 2020

NYC Parks Dept: Orchard Beach Shoreline Protection Project

Soundbounder: Extremes IV

Soundbounder: Pelham Bay Park

Soundbounder: Orchard Beach Lagoon

Wolf Larsen

2011-03-29T18:49:00.002-04:00

Sometimes when snowflakes are falling and the winds are howling, I find myself thinking about Wolf Larsen. No, not the antagonistic character from the Jack London novel Sea Wolf, but instead a former fishing rig of the same name, anchored in the Price's Bend section of Northport Harbor. Brutal and cynical, yet also highly intelligent, she is appropriately named.

I first saw Wolf Larsen several summers ago while anchored here waiting for an August storm to pass. Her outriggers and design stood apart from the cabin cruisers and sailboats surrounding her. There was no activity aboard, and it appeared that there hadn't been any in a long time. Cormorants and herons had assumed ownership with two large nests atop the pilot house.

Returning here again (by land) in early December, the other boats were long gone, but not Wolf Larsen. There she was, still moored, with her bow pointing into the northwest winds as some early season snowflakes blew around. Was she spending her entire winter at Prices Bend? I don't know.

I do know that when I arrived at Hobart Beach on a blustery March day, I saw her again. Still standing proud, attached to her mooring, a little bit tired, but not for show.

Sometimes it seems as if every harbor has a few of these: an owner with a dream, and not much else. There may be grandiose plans of Caribbean travel and carefree days afloat, but in the end, divorce, layoffs, and all the other complications of life get in the way.

Old boats require money and time. We often can provide one: rarely can we offer both.

When times are good, we have the money but wish we had the time. Then times turn bad and we have the time, but the money and the dream are all gone.

Al Bennett Pier

2011-03-19T06:50:00.001-04:00

Al Bennett Pier, Bridgeport; March 2010

CT Coastal Access Guide: Seaside Park
Map

Norwottuck Rail Trail

2011-03-17T21:52:00.002-04:00

When I look at the Connecticut River north of Hartford, I have to sometimes remind myself this is the same river where Carina spends her winter months. While I am well acquainted with the river's path from the Quebec border to Saybrook Point, I don't instinctively connect-the-dots for these agricultural and mill towns scattered along its bank in western Massachusetts.

Northampton is approximately 75 miles north of the Sound, as the crow flies. The river however, follows a more twisted and indirect path, adding perhaps 40 miles to its flow towards Long Island Sound. If one were to paddle this portion of the river, you would spend a significant amount of time heading east and west, in order to travel south.

Thankfully, I hadn't arrived here by river-raft or canoe; I was staying at my sister's house just a few minutes away. One day last month, while she was still asleep, I took an early morning walk along the Norwottuck Rail Trail, which includes this 1879 bridge. The ten mile, former railroad line connects the city of Northampton with Amherst, MA. According to the website, it is one of the "most popular facilities in the Pioneer Valley".

Old bridges make old noises! The frozen wood planks atop the cold steel made a sort of cracking bang with each step that echoed off the ice flow. Several times I had stopped for a moment to take in the silence, before quickly moving on. Silence may be golden, but it was cold out, and I don't like standing still.

When I reached the east side of the bridge, I could see farm fields and the encroaching sprawl on the whitewashed horizon. It was then that I realized I had passed through here before.

Returning from Vermont last summer, I had taken a slower, more indirect route through this obscure stretch of river valley. Steering clear of the interstate, I meandered southward on county roads through tobacco farms and vegetable fields. With the windows wide open and my bare foot on the dash, I had stopped at a small store for a seltzer and a phone call.

It was now clear to me that the same store was directly in front of me.

It's strange how people and places of little significance can reappear later in life, under completely different circumstances. A negative streak intersects with a previous, unrelated positive path. The good times and the bad get all tangled together - interwoven is too orderly a word.

This trip to Northampton didn't have the carefree feel of that late summer drive. I was passing through town on a much more serious matter. This time, the glass was half-empty and there was no way to make it half-full. The farmhouses and colonials no longer boasted an aura of riverside, orderly bliss. Instead, I looked out at the clapboard, and wondered about the modern day turmoils taking place inside the facade.

Norwottuck Rail Trail: website

Northampton MA: Map

Bruce Springsteen: The River

Johnny Cash: Turn Your Back On Your Family, You Aint No Good

Sunrise At Orchard Beach

2011-02-09T15:26:00.000-05:00

Triborough Bridge 1961

2011-01-23T07:44:00.000-05:00

Life Magazine Archives: George Silk, Photographer

Soundbounder: NY Boat Show 1961, 1972

1961 New York Boat Show

2011-01-20T23:41:00.012-05:00

"You should have seen the Atlantic Ocean in those days."*

There are several funny lines by Burt Lancaster's character in the 1979 movie Atlantic City. As a longtime resident of the declining resort town, he first appears to be someone who remembers the town's glory days. As the movie progresses, you start to realize he is someone who is hopelessly nostalgic about a past that never truly existed. Not only were the organized crime rackets better back in his day, the ocean was better too. Pursuing a much younger Susan Sarandon, it becomes clear what he misses most about the past is his youth.

I don't think I am blinded by nostalgia however when I describe the New York National Boat Show in the 1960's and '70's. Life Magazine covered it; the Tonight Show stopped by; and Jackie O' brought John-John too. It was like Super Bowl Sunday.... a January ritual....a mid winter classic.

You should have seen the boat show back then.

We would arrive on a Friday night; check out the spanking new boats; mingle with summer friends; gaze in awe at the swanky new gear; and leave with stuffed shopping bags full of brochures and giveaways. Afterwards, we would eat at Lima's Fish-A-Teria (any fish you wish). My dad would have the fried fish special with a Lowenbrau; I had linguine with red clam sauce and a Freddie Bartholomew. My dopey older brother would ask for beef burgundy, in white wine, without the beef. It was a cosmopolitan and nautical, slapstick nirvana.

Four decades have done nothing to diminish those midtown-Manhattan, Polaroid days. Yes, the mostly mythical Mad Men era of girdles and scotch gave way to a more gritty and declining New York in the early 1970's. Films such as Serpico, The French Connection, and Midnight Cowboy show a city on its last legs, far removed from Breakfast At Tiffany's and An Affair To Remember. New York no longer had God (or Gerald Ford) on its side.

The New York National Boat Show however, was Burt Bacharach in a turtleneck, and Sterling Hayden smoking a pipe; with Natalie Wood-dressed girls inviting us aboard. Created in 1905, it was held in such long lost locales as the second Madison Square Garden, Grand Central Palace, Kingsbridge Armory, and the New York Coliseum. It is the Coliseum (1958-1986) years where it reached its highest fame. It is also the years I remember best.

Like baseball's All Star Game, the show began to lose its cache sometime in the 1980's. And also like the All Star Game, it was for a multitude of reasons:

the autumn in-water shows are now larger.
potential customers today don't need to wait for a product to appear at a show in order to view it.
many boats today are not transportable by land due to their height and width.
there are cheaper ways for companies to showcase their wares.

The photos above are from the Life Magazine/Google Archives circa 1961. I am not sure, but it looks like they are delivering a Stephens Cabin Cruiser to the big show; maybe a 35-36 footer. Rolling through the streets of Manhattan......I sound like an old coot, don't I?

You should have seen the teamsters in those days.

The New York Boat Show is underway at the Jacob Javits Center, January 19th-23rd. Though only a shell of its former self, it is still a fun way to spend a winter afternoon. Sadly, Lima's Fish-A -Teria is long gone; so are the Freddy Bartholomews.

NY Boat Show

Google/Life Archives: 1961 Boat Show Delivery

Soundbounder: Triborough Bridge 1961

Video: 1964 Boat Show Newsreel

Video: 1963 Boat Show Newsreel

YouTube: 1970's Lowenbrau Commercial (Merv, you're a genius)

YouTube: Burt Lancaster, Atlantic City (quote is at 1:15)

Extremes IV

2011-01-16T10:06:00.001-05:00

Just three months separate these photos of an unnamed millpond located on the backside of Orchard Beach in the Bronx. With a late fall foliage this year, there were many shoreline areas of the Sound holding onto their summer green well into October. Much like the tides, change came gradually at first, but then very fast. In a matter of weeks, we went from summer-like days to the starkness of winter: barren trees, dying grass, then snow, then ice. In this same short span, I went from living aboard a boat to trudging through fields of snow. So long deck shoes; hello duck boots.

NYC Parks: Orchard Beach

10,000 Birds: Dipping On Owls At Pelham Bay Park

photos: (top to bottom)

mid October

late November

late December

early January

Lost In Woodmont

2010-12-16T19:42:00.001-05:00

I wasn't exactly sure where I was. I knew I was several miles west of New Haven but anything more precise or specific was hazy at best. After following streets with straightforward names like Beach Rd and Ocean Boulevard, the path became more confusing with each road becoming more narrow and circular. Was I in Milford? West Haven? I didn't know.
I spend a good portion of my floating life worrying about getting lost in fog. All the electronic devices in the world can't prepare you for that moment when a buoy isn't where you thought it would be. It is a scary feeling.
Unless you are hiking in the wilderness, getting lost on land is child's play. You are not lost in the classic sense, you are just not where you thought you would be. A little bit of backtracking or asking for directions usually regains your bearings.
But on this November morning, I felt I had been blindfolded and spun around several times. At least three times I passed the same house with a tiki bar on the front porch. The one-way streets all seemed to circle back to where I presently was. I was lost in a maze and couldn't find my way out.
I later learned I was in the Woodmont section of Milford. Originally a summer community, it is now a mixture of various sized homes and designs. A walkway with random park benches wraps the shoreline and provides access to several small beach areas squeezed between the rocky shoreline
The most unique feature of Woodmont however is the rock themselves: orange phyllite. They provide a sharp contrast to the expected granite along these shores.
According to the Geology Of Connecticut, the rock is "a slate or phyllite, highly fissile, sericitic, and usually dotted with minute garnets."

More Nellie Photos

2010-11-30T14:39:00.000-05:00

Soundbounder: Nellie (original post)
SY Nellie: Website

Nellie

2010-11-19T14:34:00.005-05:00

Nellie is a powerful reminder of the age-old relationship between yachts and wealth. A century ago, this gaff-rigged cutter graced the western waters of Long Island Sound, flying the burgees of such exclusive yacht clubs as Larchmont, American, and Seawanka. She is the product of an era when sailing was a pastime reserved for men with pedigrees and summers off. An era when the western Sound served as the epicenter and playground for that crest of idle wealth.
Designed and constructed by the legendary Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol, Rhode Island, she was launched in 1903 for Morton Plant of New Haven, an heir to Reconstruction era railroad lines in the southern U.S.. With a 35' LWL and a deck that extends 46', she was one of three boats built to this design (Harold S. "Mike" Vanderbilt and J. Malcom Forbes owned the other two).
Surviving numerous owners and several different names (Butterfly), Nellie spent nearly 8 decades of the 20th century in western Long Island Sound. She had an auxiliary engine added in 1935; a new deckhouse in 1941; and suffered severe damage from a boatyard fire in 1959. Succumbing to the ravages of time, she
began her second century undergoing a 7 year restoration project which was just recently completed.

Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to get a first hand view of Nellie and meet her crew. What an enthusiastic, accommodating, and fun group they are! I was invited aboard and given a tour which included a wealth of information about her history. She is a special boat and their pride in her was evident.

She is scheduled this winter to undergo work on some punchlist items from her recent restoration. Come spring, she will be back in the western Sound, ready to grace the waters for the next hundred years.

SY NELLIE: website (this is one of the best websites for a boat I have come across. Take some time and enjoy the photos and videos of her history and restoration. I highly recommend a visit; a long visit. You won't be disappointed)
Wooden Boat Magazine: Nellie (some beautiful photos of her undersail)
Herreshoff Marine Museum: website
YouTube: Interior Tour
Picasa: Nellie: Oyster Bay Spring Classic photo credits: Karen Martin

Clearwater Hauled In Norwalk

2010-11-17T12:48:00.001-05:00

While the sloop Clearwater spends most of her time on the Hudson River, she occasionally ventures east of Hell Gate into the waters of Long Island Sound. Making an appearance at random waterfront festivals, this vanguard of waterway restoration has from time to time, brought her message to the shores of Connecticut and Long Island.

With an overall length of 106' and a mast height of 108', she is modeled after the 18th and 19th century Dutch ships that worked the waters of New York Harbor and the Hudson River. The brainchild of Pete and Toshi Seeger, the Clearwater was launched in 1969 with the intent to bring awareness and appreciation to the Hudson's beauty, heritage, and frailty. According to their website, the message was always simple yet powerful:

"To the people who see her broad sails from the shore, the message is a poignant reminder of the potential beauty and wealth of our region’s much-abused and neglected waterways."

Clearwater's primary focus has always been the Hudson, but her influence has been far reaching. The Quinnipiac, Save The Sound, Oyster Bay Waterfront Center, and numerous other organizations along the Sound are following in the wake of The Great Hudson River Revival.

When I read Monday that she was hauled for some short-term hull maintenance, I made a quick visit to Norwalk Cove Marina to get a closer view. Under threatening skies, it appeared the work was nearly finished and she was awaiting to be splashed once again. Never one to sit idle for too long, she was berthed at the 79th Street Boat Basin by Tuesday evening.

Clearwater Website

New York Times: A Sloop Named Clearwater

Vessels Of The Hudson

Maritime Systems: Clearwater Location

Tugster: Clearwater Related Posts

YouTube: Making History Again

WWII National Submarine Memorial

2010-11-11T13:12:00.001-05:00

WWII National Submarine Veterans Memorial, Groton

Submarine History: History of the Memorial (additional photos)
Soundbounder: Battle Of Point Judith
USS Nautilus Museum (nearby)
US Submarine Veterans, Groton
Map

Raven

2010-11-09T17:39:00.000-05:00

The lobsterboat Raven rests quietly in her railway cradle; Stony Creek, November 2010

November

2010-11-05T18:33:00.003-04:00

"November always seemed to me the Norway of the year."

EMILY DICKINSON

Hauling a boat is a ritual that I often try to postpone. When the calendar reaches November, a strain of denial seems to overtake me. I become convinced that there will be plenty of warm days ahead. I try to remind myself of the years when I sailed on Thanksgiving weekend. A few peppers still growing in the garden reinforce this delusion. Unfortunately, the calendar and the thermometer do not lie. Sailors, like aging starlets and men with bad combovers, need to acknowledge the passing of time.

The sail from Noank to the Connecticut River boatyard is an easy one. It is the preparations that are most consuming. I needed to make sure the yard had a dock space available. I also had to make arrangements for getting back to Noank to retrieve my car. Finally I had to dig through my bedroom closet for gloves, a wool hat, and the rest of my winter wardrobe. A gentle autumn day on land can sometimes feel like January just a few miles from the shoreline.

November is lonely on the water. An occasional commercial boat is the only other vessel you may see. The shoreline in the distance seems deserted too. Gone are the crowds that flocked to these beaches just six weeks ago. Waterfront homes that overflowed with guests, look empty and silent. Their awnings and Adirondack chairs have been removed from the lawn. Only an occasional whiff from a fireplace tells you that someone is home. A lighthouse that seemed like a quaint image for artists and tourists in June, becomes a utilitarian navigation aid in November.

November is also a sad month on the water. No matter how enjoyable the time might be, you know the days are numbered. This year is no different, as my day is spent looking back in time, rather than forward. I think of my trip to the Thimble Islands, and a starry night anchored in West Harbor. Any sort of thought to suppress my approaching winter ashore. The seasons of the year have come full circle.

I arrived in Saybrook without a hitch, and made my way to the train station the next morning.

It was a spectacular fall day with sunny skies and temperatures in the 60's. As the train passed through Niantic, Long Island Sound came into full view. There were several boats in the distance, taking advantage of the lovely weather. For a brief moment, I started thinking that I should drive back to Saybrook and take one more sail. There would certainly be enough time, and it would be a shame to waste such a nice day.
Eventually I realized that this would not be possible since I had already removed the sails from the boat. My sailing season was over, and there was no way to delay its inevitable end.

But in spirit, it never ends.

This was originally posted in November 2008; but I had no readers then.

Cakewalk V

2010-11-05T09:56:00.001-04:00

Who says we can't build things here anymore? This August, Derecktor Shipyard of Bridgeport launched and christened Cakewalk V, the largest private yacht built in the United States since the 1930's. Measuring 281 feet in length, with a beam of nearly 47 feet, the $82 million vessel is the newest toy for Charles Gallagher, a private equity investor from Denver.

With her six decks and massive beam, Cakewalk V might very well be the largest yacht (by volume) ever built in the U.S.. The largest yacht lengthwise was J.P. Morgan’s Corsair IV, a 343-foot steam ship built in the 1930's by Bath Iron Works of Maine.

Derecktor's Mamaroneck shipyard has been a staple of the landscape for years but it is limited in size. Their Bridgeport location opened about a decade ago with the intent of attracting larger projects, both commercial and private. From oil skimmers to large yachts, the drydock here can accommodate vessels up to 4,000 tons.
In October, I got a zoom lens view of Cakewalk V from across the channel in Steel Point. After a month of sea trials and outfitting, the crew was busy putting the final touches on her. Within days she was gone; bound for warmer waters to make her world debut at the Ft Lauderdale Boat Show.

Derecktor: Cakewalk V specifications
CT Post: Cakewalk Makes A Splash
Bloomberg Profile: Charles Gallagher
Bloomberg Profile: Gallagher Industries
Derecktor Shipyards

photo credit: (bottom) Derecktor

Route 146

2010-11-04T08:16:00.001-04:00

With the fall colors now quickly disappearing, I took a short detour yesterday and drove Route 146 from Branford to Guilford. I have traveled portions of this road before, but it was always with a destination in mind. Yesterday's drive was simply a diversion from the monotony of the interstate.

Leaving Route 1 and its forest of leftover campaign signs, Route 146 winds through an assortment of landscapes, from rocky vistas to wooded marshlands. At times, I would turn onto a side road when the name sounded interesting (Sachems Head Rd, Old Quarry Rd etc), but I never explored too deep before continuing on.

Route 146 is probably my favorite drive along the Connecticut shoreline. But it is not a great "let's film a car commercial here" sort of road. It's too disjointed, too narrow, with causeways that seem prone to flooding. It's not the open road, it's a back road,... traveled by slow pokes like me, listening to Herb Alpert and taking pictures out the car window.

Soundbounder: Shell Beach in Guilford

Soundbounder: Stony Creek

Soundbounder: Chaffinch Island Park

Herb Alpert: Route 101

Map

Inlet Pond In Greenport

2010-10-30T10:11:00.004-04:00

About this time last year, I spent a day wandering around Long Island's North Fork. I had no real agenda or destination, so when I stumbled across something interesting I would stop and explore further. One of the highlights of my day was Inlet Pond Preserve on the outskirts of Greenport.

Consisting of approximately 50 acres, Inlet Pond is a county preserve maintained in cooperation with the North Fork Audubon Society. There are a network of trails that wind their way around the property; I followed the Blue Trail which circles the pond and leads to the adjacent beach.
Despite the name, there is no inlet connecting Long Island Sound to the pond. My first guess was that an inlet once existed, but had been sealed shut from some long forgotten storm. Several websites however, claim the pond is freshwater. If I were a better investigative reporter, I would have verified the salinity myself. Shoulda, coulda, woulda!

After combing the beach and circling the pond, I arrived at an observation deck which provided a nice overview of the land I had just walked. On one side, the pond was protected by a few short bluffs that were quickly losing their autumn color. And on the other, just a thin spit of sand was all that separated it from that "domesticated body of water"* known as Long Island Sound.

North Fork Audubon
From The North Fork
Gail's Trails: Inlet Pond (map)

*quote: F Scott Fitzgerald; The Great Gatsby

Stepping Stones Pier

2010-10-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

Most of the big shore places were closed now and there were hardly any lights except the shadowy, moving glow of a ferryboat across the Sound. And as the moon rose higher the inessential houses began to melt away until gradually I became aware of the old island here that flowered once for Dutch sailors’ eyes — a fresh, green breast of the new world. Its vanished trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby’s house, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams; for a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder.

And as I sat there brooding on the old, unknown world, I thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night.
Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter — to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And one fine morning .....

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

F. Scott Fitzgerald; The Great Gatsby; 1925

Map
Great Neck Parks District: Sailing & Kayaking Programs
New York Times: Eyeing The Unreal Of Gatsby Esq.

The Late Season Mooring Field

2010-10-23T06:24:00.001-04:00

Essex, October 19, 2010

Map

West Pond

2010-10-20T08:30:00.000-04:00

West Pond, Glen Cove, October, 2009

Map

Milton Point Pier

2010-10-19T17:12:00.001-04:00

Milton Point, Rye, October 2010
Map

Pegasus Visits Mystic

2010-10-16T09:35:00.003-04:00

The only thing I love more than an old sailing ship is an old tug. So when the tugboat Pegasus visited Mystic Seaport this Columbus Day weekend, I made sure to stop by. Built in 1907 for the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, she was known as a "battleship tug" because of her size and power. When purchased by McAllistar in 1953, she was converted from steam to diesel power, and served the ports of Boston, New York, and Norfolk. She retired in 1997 after a 90 year career, and is now being restored by the Pegasus Preservation Project.

When I arrived, Captain Pamela Hepburn and her crew were just finishing up their third and final day of providing tours aboard the Pegasus. This may sound like easy work, but it can also be demanding. The sunny weather brought large crowds to the Seaport this holiday weekend, and standing for 9 hours in an engine room answering the same questions repeatedly is tiring work. Congratulations to the volunteer crew for a job well done.

As luck would have it, I was invited to join them for some food and grog at a nearby restaurant. Though tired, the crew was great company, and I enjoyed having the opportunity to meet them and share a few laughs. There was a wealth of maritime knowledge sitting at that table, and I promised to keep in touch as I said goodbye and wished them well on their trip back to New York Harbor the following morning.

Tug Pegasus Preservation Project
Tugster: Mystic Weekend
Tugster: A New York Harbor Waterblog
Mystic Seaport

Crown Princess Visits New London

2010-10-13T09:19:00.001-04:00

The 947 foot Crown Princess returned to New London this past Saturday for a seven hour visit. Entering the harbor before dawn, she was greeted by the tugboat Patricia Ann which escorted the cruise ship to her berth at the State Pier. Despite the early arrival time, a good number of people turned out to witness this. Viewers lined the waterfront at City Pier and Fort Trumbull as the large ship made a 180-degree turn to prepare for dockage.

Although the Crown Princess had previously visited in September, her return was still a noteworthy event. For a moment, it seemed as if everyone in town stopped what they were doing and looked towards the harbor. Shopkeepers stood in their doorways and taxi drivers got out of their cabs as the ship passed by. Volunteers were on hand to assist the visitors, and music from the Nutmeg Fife & Drum filled the air. New London is a busy port, with ferries, submarines, tallships, and Coast Guard vessels all plying the waters regularly. It is not everyday however, that a 947 foot cruise ship comes to town.

Departing Brooklyn, the 3,000 passenger ship is touring New England and the Canadian Maritimes, with stops that will include Newport, Boston, Portland, St John, and Halifax.

Princess Cruises: Destinations

New London Day: A Princess Stops By

Soundbounder: Arrival Of The Crown Princess

Arrival Of The Crown Princess

2010-10-09T09:32:00.000-04:00

Fort Trumbull pier, New London; 6:35 a.m.

Chasing The Half Moon

2010-10-08T08:46:00.002-04:00

She was several miles west of me when I first spotted her masts breaking the horizon near Race Rock Lighthouse. With nothing but a thin silhouette to identify her, I knew instantly this was a ship I had not seen before. It was late in the day, with just a few hours left of daylight, but I decided to follow her in hope of getting a better view.

I was only gaining on her by a small amount, and if she continued to sail westward down Long Island Sound, it would be long after dark before I caught up with her. My guess however, was that she would drop anchor in New London for the evening, rather than face the 30 knot winds forecasted for the following morning. But when she passed the entrance to New London Harbor without changing her course, I debated whether to give up and sail home.

Sometime while I was busy arguing with myself over whether or not to continue on, the ship began to head north and enter Niantic Bay. This seemed like an odd destination for a ship of this size, but I was not about to complain. I fired up the diesel and motored on, fully confident that I would reach her before sundown.

Drawing closer, it became apparent to me that this was the Half Moon, a replica of the Dutch ship sailed by Henry Hudson in 1609. Launched in 1989, she was built at the Snow Shipyard in Albany, and has sailed much of the east coast and Great Lakes.

She dropped anchor in the lee of Black Point, while her crew tended to some rigging work. I circled her several times, making small talk with the crew. I learned she will be in New London this weekend, and there are plans to travel the Connecticut River this month. I joked about how I had been following them for several miles and was so happy to catch up and get a close-up view.

"Happens all the time" one of them shouted back.

Half Moon Website

Saugatuck Rowing Club

2010-10-06T06:49:00.003-04:00

The Saugatuck Rowing Club has become such a fixture in Westport that it is easy to forget they have been around for just twenty years. A former Fordham University coach and oarsman with the Garda Siochana Rowing Club in Dublin, Ireland, James Mangan founded the club by converting an abandoned rail freight station into a boathouse on the banks of the Saugatuck River. His goal was to introduce rowing to people of all ages and make the sport easily accessible.

I think it is safe to assume his goal has been accomplished. The "boathouse" is now an impressive 15,000 square-foot building with a fitness center, restaurant, locker rooms, as well as a large boat storage facility. The property and grounds are equally attractive.

With three straight days of blustery, damp conditions, I didn't expect to see much activity here on a Tuesday afternoon in October. I could not have been more wrong however, as the club was as busy as a sunny day in June. Young rowers made their way up and down the river, followed by a coach in a small motorboat. Viewers like myself, stood in the foggy drizzle and watched the action from atop the bank. I know very little about crewing; my closest experience was drinking beer at the Head Of The Charles Regatta in 1986. But I do know that I enjoy watching it, and apparently, many other people do too. The dreary weather made for poor photography, but the atmosphere was bright and fun.

One other thing I like about the Saugatuck Rowing Club is the handful of spaces along the south end of the lot reserved for "public parking". It is a nice touch from a club that has found amazing success, but hasn't forgotten its roots and original intent.

Saugatuck Rowing Club

Soundbounder: Orchard Beach Lagoon

Map

Extremes lll

2010-09-27T07:38:00.000-04:00

Big and Small
Old and New
Wood and Plastic
Expensive and Affordable
Underway and Idle

Cedar Point, East Hampton

2010-09-25T09:26:00.003-04:00

There are thin slices in the year when everything seems to come together. The winds pick up, the skies are clear, the crowds disappear, and the world is yours. It's as if someone left you the keys to paradise since they won't be needing it any longer. It's a time of year I feel most comfortable in and around Long Island Sound. A moment in time when even a place like East Hampton becomes my long-lost hometown.

If I were a film director, I might very well have situated a coming of age movie in Sag Harbor and Shelter Island Sound. I spent many summers here working aboard a 53' Hatteras and calling these waters my own. Along with Norwalk in my high school years, it is where everything, good or bad seemed to happen to me between ages 18 and 24.

But time rolls over everything, and I no longer have the attachments I once had to Sag Harbor. The docks in town are terribly expensive, and much of the atmosphere has changed too. The little bar I used to visit is now an upscale restaurant with a name I can't pronounce. The bookstore is gone; so too is the hardware store ; and few seem to remember any of the names of people I once knew here.

While the towns have changed, the waters never do!

Just east of Shelter Island and northeast of Sag Harbor is an anchorage I refer to as Cedar Point. Cruising guides rarely mention it, and when they do, it is just a line or two. The charts call it Northwest Harbor, but I have yet to meet someone who uses this name. While never crowded, the anchorage can be uncomfortable in the summer months from the wash of passing mega-yachts circumventing Shelter Island. When the late summer winds are not too strong however, from the south or west, it becomes an ideal location for a night on the hook.

The surrounding land is part of Suffolk County's 600 acre Cedar Point Park. Much like Napatree Point, it is a narrow sand spit dividing the calmer waters on one side from the more exposed. And just like Napatree, the land here was altered by the Hurricane of 1938. Prior to that storm, the 1860 lighthouse and western half of the point had been an island.

Rowing ashore, we had the beach all to ourselves. While the south shoreline was hot and windless, the northern side had enough breeze to remind us that these warm days were numbered. We managed to walk a good portion of the peninsula, catching the view of a fishing boat passing every now and then.. By late afternoon, with the sun already low in the sky, we were back aboard for an early dinner.

The shorter days make it seem much later aboard than it actually is. It's as if I enter a different time-zone and need to set my watch forward, the moment I cast the lines. There was no activity on the water and only a few stray lights could be seen in the distance. Surrounded by darkness and silence, along with the warmth of an extra blanket, I was asleep before 9 p.m..

Why is it that a 50 degree September morning feels colder than 30 degrees in January? It is one of the mysteries of the world to me. It was not yet dawn when I awoke, but I had no desire to climb out of my bunk to check the time. After unsuccessfully trying to sleep a bit more, I soon noticed the skies through the cabin portholes, slowly changing from black to pale. In no good humor, I abandoned my bunk and faced the chill of early day.

I lit the stove and lingered alongside it, embracing the traces of heat while the coffee brewed. The wind was calm, with just the sound of water slapping lightly against the hull. Sliding back the companionway hatch, I was greeted by the sunrise of another spectacular day. I climbed on deck, easily reminded of why I loved it here so much. It was good to be back.

Cedar Point County Park

Soundbounder: Cedar Point Lighthouse

Map

Five Islands Park

2010-09-15T08:14:00.002-04:00

I see this often: an appealing waterfront park is overshadowed by a grander, more famous one nearby. That seems to be the case with Five Islands Park in New Rochelle. Tucked away at the end of a narrow road lined with municipal garages and a water treatment plant, is this 15 acre city park of small islands connected by a series of bridges.

While many are familiar with nearby Glen Island, this unique space along Echo Bay remains somewhat obscure. Five Islands doesn't have the Jazz-Age design or manicured feel of Glen Island, but instead has a more natural, even rugged landscape. Pathways wander through wooded areas skirting an untamed shoreline of exposed bedrock and glacial erratics. It is easy to imagine this is what Glen Island looked like a century ago.

As with many shoreline parks, the big drawback here is that Five Islands is restricted to city residents. But on a recent September visit, I had no trouble entering the park and enjoying the beauty of a sunny, late summer afternoon.

Block Island North Light

2010-09-14T11:44:00.000-04:00

Block Island North Lighthouse, September 2009

Built: 1868

Automated: 1956

Deactivated: 1973

Relit: 1989

New England Lighthouses

Lighthouse Friends (map included)

Josh Piver Memorial

2010-09-11T08:28:00.002-04:00

Play music, walk on the beach. I won't be far from reach.

There are a large number of memorials honoring the September 11th victims in the shoreline towns bordering Long Island Sound. East of New Haven and Port Jefferson however, they become less frequent as the grip of Manhattan begins to loosen, and the loss from that day is more indirect.

An exception to this is the Josh Piver Memorial located at Stonington Point. It is a simple, stone bench with a few words inscribed, quietly looking out on the water towards Sandy Point and Little Narragansett Bay.

I did not know this young man, but I often feel as if I did. We had many things in common: like me, he loved the water; he spent his summer vacations working in boatyards; and he attended the University Of Vermont.

Josh was working in One World Trade Center (north tower) on the morning of September 11, 2001. He was just 24 years old.

The Josh Piver Foundation was established by his friends to honor his memory.

Josh Piver Foundation

One Mom's Lifesong: Honoring Josh Piver

Cantor Fitzgerald Tribute: Joshua Piver

New York Times: Portraits In Grief

UVM Alumni Tribute

Soundbounder: Looking West (September 11, 2009)

New York Times: September 11, Yet Nothing Stops The Tides

CT Coastal Access Guide: Stonington Point

Norwalk Oyster Festival

2010-09-09T08:22:00.003-04:00

The Norwalk Seaport Association will hold its 33rd annual Oyster Festival this weekend, September 10,11 and 12th. Located in Veterans Park, the event will feature arts and crafts booths, live music, children's activities, and lots of food.

What started out as a moderately-sized event in 1978 to raise funds and awareness for Norwalk's maritime heritage, has grown into a large, late summer ritual in Fairfield County.

Unfortunately, there were years when the Oyster Festival had become a victim of its own success. As the event grew in size, it seemed to turn its back on the original purpose. Large tents packed with hucksters selling miracle cleaners, Catskill real estate, and singing bass had replaced the harbor tours and other nautical attractions. There were plenty of booths selling fried dough and beef-on-a-stick, but very few oysters. For a while, it had become just another street fair.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one turned off by this. The festival this year will include the return of an oyster pavilion, harbor tours, as well as the Schooners Quinnipiack, and Soundwater. Larry Flynn of Long Tails will also be on hand to give presentations on the wildlife of the Norwalk Islands. I welcome this decision with enthusiasm.

The Norwalk Seaport Association has played a vital role in the rehabilitation of Norwalk Harbor. Their work includes the restoration of Sheffield Island Lighthouse; the preservation of the Norwalk Islands; as well as many environmental and educational programs and projects.

Their purpose is:

"to foster public awareness of our maritime resources, environment and heritage through research, education and preservation; and also to foster the preservation and rehabilitation of the area of historical value in Norwalk Harbor and Long Island Sound."

This weekend's festival serves as the primary fundraising source for the invaluable work they do.

Tickets can be purchased at the gate, or online on their website.

Norwalk Oyster Festival

Norwalk Seaport Association

Soundbounder: Norwalk Winter Oystering

Soundbounder: Peck Ledge Lighthouse

Soundbounder: Sheffield Island Ruins

Soundbounder: Norwalk Oyster Plant

CT Plus: Putting The Pearl Back In The Oyster

photo credit: (top) Norwalk Seaport; (bottom) Quinnipiack: SchoonerInc

"Boating Local" Visits Noank

2010-09-08T07:24:00.000-04:00

Tom Richardson of Boating Local paid a visit to Noank recently, and spent a few hours aboard Carina  for a tour of the local waters. We visited some obvious landmarks such as the local lighthouses, along with West Harbor on Fishers Island, and a few small islands that dot the charts.
For those of you not familiar with Boating Local, it was started by Tom and several others who previously worked for the now defunct Offshore Magazine (aka Northeast Boating). Based out of Buzzards Bay, the site covers boating and fishing for the entire New England coast. Along with marine-related news, they have done some excellent work profiling the harbors and towns from Connecticut to Maine.
I haven't spent much time in front of a camera and I must admit to being a bit nervous. Maybe not nervous, but certainly aware of the camera at all times and self conscious about it. I'm sure there were entire segments he couldn't use because of my constant slurring and tripping over words.
I did however gain a new appreciation for video work. It is not easy being on a rocking boat and putting together a film segment in a relatively small cockpit with the wind blowing. The camera itself was small, but there were tripods, battery packs, and an assortment of equipment needed to put this together.
One of the nice features about Boating Local is that along with the stories, there are often video segments accompanying  them. It is a nice touch that bridges the gap between periodicals and generic, stock footage.

I'll be contributing some stories to Boating Local, and I am glad to be aboard.

Here are some recent profiles of New England harbors:
BoatingLocal: Destinations
BoatingLocal: Homepage
BoatingLocal Meets Soundbounder: Companion Story To Video

Heading For New Haven

2010-09-07T08:04:00.000-04:00

Tugboat Connecticut; south of West Haven; August

Waiting For The Storm

2010-09-02T16:47:00.002-04:00

Recollections of my September visits to Block Island are mostly rose-colored, but in 2008 I spent several days there fearing the force and path of Hurricane Kyle. I am not in Block Island presently, but I have been thinking about that trip quite a bit today.

Much like this week, there were several days of spectacular, late summer weather. In the forecasts however, were the rumblings of a storm one thousand miles to the south. The weather remained golden, but by the fourth day, the forecast grew dimmer and there were slight signs of the approaching storm.

Walking around in Old Harbor, the roar of the surf could be heard smashing ashore. There was still sunshine and mild breezes, but the seas were building. I walked out on the breakwater admiring the surf, but in typical Soundbounder fashion, I went too far. Somewhere beyond the halfway point, I was hit hard by the spray and drenched thoroughly. Is it any wonder my camera has condensation issues?

By evening, the winds arrived and blew for two straight days, reaching a high of 62 mph at 4 AM on the second night. Kyle passed Block Island several hundred miles to the east, eventually reaching landfall in Nova Scotia. Funny, I still regard that vacation as one of my best ever.

I've been thinking about that trip today as Hurricane Earl approaches, and this time it doesn't seem so fun. I have removed Carina's dodger, along with her mainsail to reduce windage. I also added some chafing protection to her mooring lines. Hurricanes can obviously change direction, but at this moment, the path appears to be further east. That means the strongest winds will be from the east and north, which gives Carina better protection in her mooring field. I am off the boat, and will not return until Saturday. Still, I can't help but worry and wonder what else I should have done.

Yes, I look back at Hurricane Kyle with rose-colored glasses, but Hurricane Earle remains an open book.

Open House At Faulkner's Island

2010-09-02T08:19:00.002-04:00

The Faulkner's Island Light Brigade in cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the US Coast Guard, will hold their annual open house on the weekend of September 11th & 12th. Located about 3 miles from the Guilford shoreline, Faulkner's is part of the Stewart McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. The open house provides visitors a once-a-year opportunity to visit the island along with the 1802 lighthouse.

Ferry service is provided from the Guilford Town Marina, but visitors can also arrive by private boat and anchor, or paddle the 3 mile passage by kayak. Space is limited aboard the ferry and reservations are required.

I attended this for the first time last year, and I highly recommend it. The open house is well organized, and the staff does an excellent job of providing an informative and entertaining visit. This is Connecticut's second oldest lighthouse, and the remote location provides a perspective of Long Island Sound that you otherwise won't get to see.

Faulkner's Island Light Brigade
Soundbounder: Faulkner's Island
New York Times: The "U" In Falkner

Shades Of September

2010-08-25T09:52:00.001-04:00

Have you ever looked at a recent photograph of yourself and thought "Wow, time is really piling up"? You don't notice the changes day-to-day, but then a moment arrives when it is the first thing you see. You can't quite put your finger on the details of what is different, but you know it is there.

When I look at these photos of Quiambog Cove, autumn is the first thing I see. There is no fall foliage or long shadows to suggest a later date, but I can see it nonetheless. While it may have been early August with temperatures near 90, the sun was slightly lower, the grass was a different green, and the air didn't smell the same. The landscape wasn't yet dying, but it was no longer growing.

The past few days have brought cooler temperatures with high winds to Long Island Sound. It has been an early taste of fall without the subtleties in the pictures above. Cold mornings, northeast winds, and a stormfront lingering for 3 days, all provide a hint of what lay ahead in the coming months.

But summer doesn't end here. Some of my best times afloat have been in the months of September and October. The humidity and fog are often gone, and so are the crowds. Places I avoid in the summer, become accesible again. The fishing is better, and the sailing is too. If given a choice between August and September, I will choose September every time.

Despite all this, there is always a part of me that hates to see August come to an end. Maybe it is some internal clock left over from my days in school. Maybe it is the Halloween items that start appearing in stores, and the advertisements warning me to gear up for winter.

But I really think it has more to do with my outlook than anything else. When September arrives, I appreciate the return of fall for what it is. Nothing more, nothing less. In the days of August however, I always waste too many hours preoccupied with the passing of time.

Quiambog Cove: Map

Essex Museum Fire

2010-08-23T09:03:00.004-04:00

A fire earlier this month at the Connecticut River Museum in Essex resulted in significant damage to this waterfront landmark. On the evening of August 11, firefighters from three towns responded to the blaze which engulfed all three stories on the east side of the building.

Built in 1878, the building served as a warehouse for the many steamboats travelling the river. Threatened by commerial developement in the 1970's, a nonprofit group organized and created the riverside museum which exists today. Focusing on both the Connecticut River and local maritime history, it is one of the nicer regional museums I have visited.

While the fire caused significant structural damage , the museum's collection of artifacts was saved. They were forced to shut down for a period, but the museum was open to the public once again this past weekend.

CTMQ: CT River Museum

CT River Museum

Soundbounder: Mary E

WTNH: Fire Damages Museum

Farm River State Park

2010-08-02T07:33:00.004-04:00

I am reluctant to call these 62 acres in East Haven a state park. While it is certainly a park owned by the state, this is not another Sherwood Island or Hammonassett . There is no sprawling beach here, or ballfields, concession stands, or pavillions. Instead you will find a marshy piece of land that leads to a small marina and kayak launch.

I entered the park from Mansfield Grove Lane and followed a dirt and gravel road which winds its way between a large meadow and pond. A few condiminiums overwhelm the horizon at first, but they give way to a more natural landscape as you continue east. In the 1980's, this area was under heavy development pressure as old cabins and cottages were replaced by gated communties and new housing. The state was fortunate to purchase this land when it did.

Upon reaching the marina (operated by Quinnipiac University), I walked south a few hundred feet to a small beach area with some picnic tables nearby. Across the river I could see Kelsey Island, with its pink granite shoreline very much like the Thimble Islands several miles east. Geologically, this is a unique stretch of Long Island Sound.

With large tracts of available land nearly nonexistant, and waterfront prices, excessively expensive, Farm River may be the type of park we see more often in the future. There is not something for everyone here, and that is its best appeal.

CT Coastal Access Guide: Farm River

DEP: Trail Map

Map

Satterly Landing

2010-07-30T11:58:00.002-04:00

Satterly Landing Park, Mount Sinai Harbor

History of Mt Sinai
Kayaking Long Island: Satterly Landing
Map

Little Darlin'

2010-07-21T08:22:00.002-04:00

Little Darlin'; Mystic River, July 2010

Mackenzie Cuttyhunk: photo gallery

Mackenzie Boat Club: Restoration Of Little Darlin

Eatons Neck Coast Guard Station

2010-07-17T12:21:00.005-04:00

When I was about 12 years old, my parents along with myself and two younger sisters, swam ashore at Eatons Neck Basin and took an informal tour of the Coast Guard station. I don't think we entered any of the buildings, but instead just walked around the grounds and got a close-up view of the lighthouse and station. It was early on a Sunday morning and so long as we stayed out of their way, the Coast Guard crew did not seem to mind our visit. Some other people anchored nearby had the same idea, and like us, they were on their way about 40 minutes later.

When I anchored here last summer, the station was off-limits to visitors. This was really no surprise as many stations began restricting access as early as the 1980's. Those that continued an open-door policy, soon changed following September 11, 2001.

There are four Coast Guard stations presently located within Long Island Sound: Kings Point, Eatons Neck, New Haven, and New London. Just beyond the Sound are the New York Harbor and Montauk stations, while the Block Island station is now closed.

Coast Guard Station Eatons Neck is the only local station to have a lighthouse on its grounds. The lighthouse was built in 1799 and is the second oldest in the State of New York (Montauk Point is the oldest). A life saving station has existed here since the early 19th century, while the present Coast Guard station was built around 1875.
With a few exceptions, I have found the stations to be very attractive. Many of the buildings are from the late 19th century, and often look like some waterfront prep school high upon a hill. The white clapboard siding, red shingled roof, and large flagpole are a sure giveaway however, that this is a Coast Guard station (or once was).
In recent years I have noticed that many of the boathouses appear to be falling into disrepair. My guess is that as boat technology has advanced, the boathouses have become obsolete. Today, many of them seem to be used as a storage facilty or repair shop. If you look closely at the photos above, you can see holes in the roof.
Last week while I was preoccupied with the grounding of the Alabama, a fire broke out at the Coast Guard station in Menemsha, on Martha's Vineyard. According to reports, the boathouse and docks were destroyed by the blaze. I have yet to hear whether or not they plan to rebuild. Whatever they decide, it seems unlikely a new structure will match the character and charm of these old red headed ladies by the sea.

USCG History: Eatons Neck Coast Guard (vintage photos) pdf
Coast Guard USA: Station Eatons Neck
Eatons Neck Auxiliary
Lighthouse Friends: Eatons Neck Lighthouse (map included)
Vineyard Gazette: Menemsha Fire Destroys CG Boathouse
Soundbounder: Eatons Neck Basin

Gwendolyn

2010-07-15T10:53:00.000-04:00

Last I heard, the Alabama had arrived home safely in Vineyard Haven. I thought I would end this series with a tip-of-the-hat to the tugboat Gwendolyn. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find much information on her.

I have learned she was built in 1975 and is owned by Gwenmor Marine of Mystic. She is 50 feet long, and is the only working tug in operation along the Mystic River that I am aware of.

If you are as fascinated by tugs as I am, be sure to visit Tugster; a New York Harbor waterblog! Will does an excellent job covering New York's sixth borough, along with other ports of call.

Gwenmor Marine

Flickr: Gwendolyn In New London

Tugster Waterblog

Schooner Alabama

2010-07-09T17:19:00.006-04:00

Following several days of treating her like some tabloid starlet who slept in a ditch, I guess it is only fair that I give the Alabama her proper due. I must say, she looks much more attractive afloat than she does aground.

According to the website, she was designed by Robert F. McManus, a highly regarded architect of many Gloucester fishing schooners. Built in 1926, she served the Mobile, Alabama Bar Pilots until her retirement in 1966. She was brought to Vineyard Haven in 1967, but it was not until a 1990's rebuild that she was fitted for sail.

While I am no fan of the Black Dog Tourist Empire (you won't catch me wearing a Black Dog T-Shirt), I do appreciate their fleet of ships. Along with the Alabama, the Shenandoah and Chantey offer charters, excursions, as well as youth and educational programs.

Shooting My Universe: Alabama In Gloucester (beautiful photo)

Martha's Vineyard Times: Schooner Refloated In Mystic River

Soundbounder: Alabama Afloat

Soundbounder: Alabama Aground IV

Soundbounder: Alabama Aground III

Soundbounder: Alabama Aground II

Soundbounder: Alabama Aground I

Black Dog Tall Ships

Alabama Aground IV

2010-07-09T08:56:00.006-04:00

Upon being refloated, the Alabama performed a short sea trial before returning to Noank for the evening. According to the New London Day, divers today will inspect the keel for any damage.

These photos were taken Thursday morning during low tide, with the grounded schooner shrouded in fog.

New London Day: Grounded Ship Is Freed

Soundbounder: Alabama Aground III

Soundbounder: Alabama Aground II

Soundbounder: Alabama Aground I

Soundbounder: Alabama Afloat

Update: On Friday evening at approximately 6 pm, the Alabama cleared Morgan Point and made a course east through Fishers Island Sound. So long Alabama! Hope to meet again under better circumstances.

Alabama Afloat!

2010-07-08T20:21:00.004-04:00

She is free! Armed with stronger towlines and a high tide, the tugboat Gwendolyn pulled the Alabama into deeper water on Thursday evening.
I'm guessing we won't see the Alabama back in these waters for quite some time. As for me? I know I will never look at a Black Dog T-Shirt quite the same way ever again.

Soundbounder: Alabama Aground IV
Soundbounder: Alabama Aground III
Soundbounder: Alabama Aground II
Soundbounder: Alabama Aground I