The Cos Cob Pelican

Mianus River, Greenwich, September 26

Al Bennett Pier

Al Bennett Pier, Bridgeport; March 2010

CT Coastal Access Guide: Seaside Park
Map

Nellie

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

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

Cakewalk V

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

Saugatuck Rowing Club

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

Norwalk Oyster Festival

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

Mon Lei Update

An online acquaintance from Mystic provided me with some information on the Mon Lei he researched last year. Here is what he wrote:

 There is a lot of conflicting information on the history of this boat... probably because Riply is dead and the current owner (or at lease recently current owner) seems to be prone to weaving a good yarn. Here is what I know.

•Dates for the boat's construction range from 1854 (sourced from a 1973 news paper article where the then professional captain claimed it was "119 years old") to 1920. No source that I was able to find put her build date at any thing younger than 1920. None of the sources sound any more or less authoritative than the last, but based on the other news paper comments about the captain who said she was "119 years old", I would give his account the least credance.
•One source indicated that she was built in Aberdeen, near Hong Kong
•The boat is 50 foot, with 3 masts, 2 cabins, a galley and a bar.
•In 1937 the boat was sold to "5 Englishmen", unidentified by name. They sailed her from Hong Kong to San Francisco for the 1939 Worlds Fair, taking 83 days to get there.
•At some point between 1939 and 1946, Robert Ripley bought the boat and renamed her "Mon Lei", meaning "Infinity". He used her for promotional junkets and relaxation, keeping her on the east coast and making as far south as Florida and as far north as New York.
•Ripley died in 1948 or so. At some point after his death, the boat transfered ownership to Mystic Seaport.
•In 1954, Alen Sands York buys the boat from Mystic Seaport. Sands is apparently a flamboyent raconteur, working in advertising and living a lifestyle akin to that which you would see on Mad Men. The boat becomes part party barge and part advertising prop for his business.
•In 1959, the boat is leased by North West Airlines for a promotional junket to advertise NWA's Asian routes. According to an article from time, the boat was in pretty bad shape and required a substantial refit. She is sailed up and down the coast as part of that junket.
•The next mention I can find of her is in 1974, when Sands apparently lent the boat to a friend / client who had her in Florida. The friend also sounds like quite the booze hound / play boy.
•I can find mention of Sands still owning the boat in 2002, and it still being on the NYC waterfront. I don't have any mention after that date.
The articles that indicated the build date as being 1920 were actually about Robert Ripley, with no reference to Alen Sands. Which leads me to believe that they were sourced directly from Ripley. As he was the preceding owner, I would suspect that his data would be more accurate than Sands data. But Ripley was also known for tales that beggard belief.

This seems to make more sense than the stories claiming she was built in the 1860's or 1890's. Also, the NOAA Vessel Documentaion website lists her as being constructed in the 1930's.

NOAA: Mon Lei Documentation
Soundbounder: Mon Lei
Frogma: Mon Lei (scroll down)
Tugster: Mon Lei
Sailing Anarchy Forum: Mon Lei Thread

Mon Lei

I have seen many unique and interesting boats on Long Island Sound, but a 19th century Chinese junk was never one of them. I first saw the Mon Lei this past February when I visited the oyster docks in East Norwalk. Except for a partially exposed transom, she was covered under her winter tarps which prevented me from getting a full view. I made a mental note to return in April. 

At first, I was highly skeptical that this was the 150 year old ship which has sailed the world. Built near Hong Kong, she is 50 feet long and was once owned by Robert Ripley. She also served time with an airline company that used her to promote their flight service to the Far East in 1959. Unable to find much current information on her, I suspected that this ship was either a replica, or simply had the same name (for example, there are lots of boats named Kon Tiki).

The trouble with online research is that misinformation gets repeated just as often as accurate information.To paraphrase an old Chinese proverb: One website tells a lie, and hundreds of others repeat it. While I am not totally convinced, I am starting to believe that this may indeed be the original Mon Lei. It sure would be nice to find out for sure.

Tugster: Other Harbors

Frogma: Mon Lei Photos (scroll down)

Note: Mon Lei means 10,000 miles, and can be used to imply infinity.

New Creek In Westport

Sherwood Island is sometimes known as Connecticut's first state park, but that is not entirely accurate. As early as 1914, the state began acquiring the first 48 acres of shoreline property here, but opposition and a lack of access prevented the park from opening until 1937. Hammonasset State Park meanwhile, opened in the summer of 1920.

The combination of ponds, salt marsh, and creeks that surround Sherwood Island had been altered as early as the 17th century. The Sherwood Millpond attempted to control the flow of water with a series of ditches and dams. By the early 20th century, the New Creek along Sherwood's eastern border was dry much of the year. Access to the proposed park was possible by crossing over from Burial Hill Beach. In 1929, Westport officials (opposed to the park) altered the flow of water once again, in an attempt to sabotage access by dredging and widening the creek.. It took another eight years for the state to purchase additional land and provide access to the 234 acre state park we know today.

Friends Of Sherwood Island: History

Sherwood Island 365

CT Coastal Access Guide: Sherwood Island State Park

Friends of Sherwood Island: Map of original 48 acres

SOUNDBOUNDER: Old Mill Beach In Westport

Beyond The Dry Highway & No Trespass Sign

Map

Sad Day At Black Rock

I always hate stories like this. This weekend, someone went to St Mary's By The Sea in Black Rock and used a chainsaw to damage and destroy 15 sycamore trees that line the walkway of this attractive park. Some trees were toppled, while others received slices that circumvent the trunks and will eventually kill them.

Maybe I have watched too many detective shows over the years, but this doesn't seem like a random, teenage, vandalism act. Someone planned this, and when the nor'easter created a distraction, they made their move. 

While most of us were focused on the trees brought down by the storm, a more sinister destruction was taking place at the same time.

Black Rock Online: Vandals Target St Mary's

Tina Zappile Blog: Photos

Black Rock Garden Club: Reward Offered

CT Coastal Access Guide: St Mary's By The Sea

photo credit: Black Rock Garden Club 

Fayerweather Island Lighthouse

Fayerweather Island Lighthouse (aka Black Rock), March, 2010

First Lit: 1823

Discontinued: 1933

New England Lighthouses

Lighthouse Friends (map included)

CT Coastal Access Guide: Seaside Park

Flickr: Fayerweather/Penfield Lighthouses

American Lighthouse Art: Black Rock Light

Historic Buildings Of Connecticut

Hope

This is the boat I originally intended to visit on that Friday afternoon earlier this month. Built in Greenwich in 1945, Hope is believed to be the last oyster sloop built on Long Island Sound. Unfortunately, I know little else about her. Caught up in the moment, I entirely  forgot to ask Norm Bloom any questions regarding her. To the best of my knowledge, she has been owned by the Norwalk Seaport Association since the 1980's.

Last year, I read an old New York Times article that discussed oystering under sail. A man named Philip Teuscher filmed an oral history of the men in Norwalk and Bridgeport who had worked these last remaining boats. The documentary was to be entitled The Last Drift.

Sadly,I have been unable to locate the film. My emails to several local historical societies remain unanswered, and  google searches only provided me with more information on Vin Diesel than I would ever want to know. Perhaps the film was never completed. Nonetheless, I will continue to look for it.

New York Times: Recollections Of Oystering Under Sail

Soundbounder: Oyster Sloop Christeen

* Update: David Berkowitz of Bridgeport was kind enough to email and inform me that the University of Connecticut has copies of Last Drift. I am now in the process of contacting them.

THANKS DAVID!!!  

Lobsters Too

Oystering is the main activity for Norm Bloom and Son, but clams and lobsters are part of the business too. We didn't talk much about clamming, but when one of the company lobster boats came into view, the conversation naturally went in that direction. 

In the late 1990's, lobsters in Long Island Sound suffered a widespread die-off that destroyed most of the lobster industry here. There have been many theories about the causes, and Norm seems to believe that it is a combination of these that led to the crash in population.

1. 
   
   Lobster populations thrive in colder waters, and decrease as you move southward. The Sound is at the southern end of the larger population area. As water temperatures increased, the Sound became too warm for lobsters to thrive.
2. 
   
   The rise in water temperatures allowed a parasite to flourish which destroyed the lobster population.
3. 
   
   The use of pesticides, including the extensive spraying to combat West Nile Virus, may have been equally destructive against lobsters.
4. 
   
   A transfer of a disease from bait used by lobstermen.
5. 
   
   An overpopulation of lobsters brought on by over feeding. The abundance of baited lobster traps led to an increase in size and overpopulation.  Smaller lobsters feed on the bait yet can escape the traps or be thrown back by lobstermen. Too many traps led to an unnatural population.

Time flies when you are talking about lobsters. As Norm finished explaining his theories about the die-off, the crackling of ice against the hull made it clear that we were approaching the dock. After pivoting the boat, he put her in reverse and backed in to the narrow slip. I grabbed the frozen spring line, jumped off the boat at mid ship, and made it fast to the cleat. The lobster boat we had passed followed right behind. 

(More To Follow)

Washington Post: A Knell For Lobsters

Boston Globe: Shell Shocked

Sphere: The Pesticide Myth

Sphere: Lobster Related Posts

Norm Bloom & Son

Soundbounder: Fruits Of Winter (part one)

Soundbounder: I Love It Out Here... (part two)
Soundbounder: Mary Colman (part three)
Soundbounder: Lifting The Dredge (part four)
Soundbounder: Little Growler (part five)

Little Growler

One of the last boats Norman Bloom and I visited that Friday is also one of the newer boats in the fleet. Little Growler is a fiberglass dredger built in the late 1980's. While somewhat smaller in size, the operation that takes place aboard her is more or less the same. She was working an area north of the other boats, and was much closer to the  Connecticut shoreline.

"That area over there used to only have a few houses." Norm said as he motioned to the stretch of shoreline that extends from East Norwalk to Westport. He then went on to describe the slippery slope that follows this development. There is runoff from the roads; expensive lawns loaded with fertilizers; and soon there is a dock and a boat outside each home. "That was all 2-3 feet of water in there at one time."He explained.

I knew the area he was describing well. My summer job in high school was at Rex Marine in South Norwalk. Several times I had worked on customers' boats docked in the back yards along this stretch that Norm had pointed to. I remember thinking how nice the homes were, never once realizing that there could be a negative impact from them. I also thought back to something I had read in the book, This Fine Piece Of Water.  Development is mostly decided upon at the local level. Each proposal, in isolation, produces a "small but acceptable burden of pollution". When combined however, the destruction is large.

Norm then went on to describe a group called Harbor Watch, who test and moniter the water quality around Norwalk Harbor. "They are always testing." He told me. There are also plans to relocate the groups' laboratory alongside his office. 

Oysters feed by filtering suspended particles in the water, and the quality of water is essential to their existence. While harbors such as Norwalk may be cleaner than they were 30 years ago, the threats from sewage, chemicals, destruction of marshes, and development remain constant. No clean water, no oyster industry.

(More To Follow)

Harbor Watch

Norm Bloom & Son

Hartford Courant: Saving The Oyster

Soundbounder: Fruits Of Winter (part one)

Soundbounder: I Love It Out Here... (part two)

Soundbounder: Mary Colman (part three)

Soundbounder: Lifting The Dredge (part four)

Norwalk River Watershed Association

Soundkeeper

references: This Fine Piece Of Water, by Tom Andersen; Yale University Press; pages 172-73

Lifting The Dredge

When I hear the word dredge, I usually think of the process of excavating a harbor bottom to make it more navigable. A dredge however, is an oystering term, as well. It is an odd looking contraption, that I can only describe as being part-basket and part-rake. Instead of  altering the Sound's bottom, it's purpose is to gather oysters with as little damage as possible. Damage to the bottom means damage to the oysters, and a bed not properly dredged, can destroy the harvest. 

Careless dredging isn't the only threat to an oyster. Strong noreasters and hurricanes can wreak havoc on  beds by burying them under sand. A large presence of starfish can devour a bed over time, as well. Pollution meanwhile, remains the  most constant and pressing threat (later post). While I was aware of these threats, Norman Bloom mentioned another that I had not considered;... theft. 

Often the oyster beds are marked by little more than a wooden stake that rises a few feet from the surface. In certain years, some beds may flourish while others do not. Norman described a scenario where a boat may be working a bed with limited results, but finds the edge of the bed is more productive. It can be very tempting to cross over that line and dredge someone elses bed. "You have to keep your eyes open". Norman said.

The moment he said those words, it answered a question I had not asked earlier. On our way out of the harbor, I noticed he didn't follow the channel's eastern course, and instead seemed to be zig-zagging all over the place. At one point we were over near Sprite Island, which was far north of the channel and our destination. "Maybe he is taking me on the scenic route." I joked to myself. It now seems very clear that while he was talking to me about getting only 31 cents an oyster, he was also keeping an eye out for other boats dredging his beds. 

Pollution, starfish, storms, and theft. There are a lot of things to keep an eye on at once. 

(More To Follow)

Norm Bloom & Son

Soundbounder: The Fruits Of Winter (part one)

Soundbounder: I Love It Out Here This Time Of Year (part two)

Soundbounder: Mary Colman (part three)

Mary Colman

Like many farming and fishing industries, there are both good and bad years for oystering. Sometimes the good or bad years can last a decade. One of the first questions I asked Norman Bloom was what kind of year has it been. Perhaps I didn't phrase my question correctly, or maybe he fully understood , but decided to take a different angle with his answer. He said the biggest problem is the costs for fuel, maintenance, insurance, etc, are all going up, but he is still being paid the same price for oysters as he was twenty years ago. I asked him what he gets paid for a bushel, and he told me that they are no longer priced per bushel.Oysters are now sold by the count of one hundred. A bushel of one hundred sells for 31 dollars, or 31 cents per oyster."And that includes delivery in most cases", he told me.

He seemed disgusted by the fact that the price of oysters in restaurants and seafood markets has increased significantly, while the price he is paid remains stagnant.* I am not sure if this was a plan in the works, or if he was simply brainstorming, but Norman talked about wanting to set up a system where he would sell directly to restaurants and stores in the region. The oysters could be sold at a lower price, so long as the savings was passed on to the consumers. "The goal is to get more people eating oysters", he said.
We approached the Mary Colman, which is another 1920's era oyster boat in the fleet. She is a smaller version of the Ringgold Brothers but appeared to be in much better condition. The pre-fab pilothouse was a clear indication she had undergone extensive renovation. The crew seemed especially happy to see us. Perhaps the isolation of being on a boat in Long Isand Sound during February, made any interaction a special occasion. Then again, maybe they were just glad it was Friday afternoon, and the paychecks had arrived.

(More To Follow)
Soundbounder: The Fruits Of Winter (part one)
Soundbounder: I Love It Out Here This Time Of Year (part two)
Soundbounder: Lifting The Dredge (part four)
Norm Bloom & Son

* I call this the Poinsettia Process. North of San Diego is the town of Carlsbad CA, which is famous for it's poinsettias. Every November the plants are shipped to wholesalers, who then ship them to the distribution centers of chain stores. Eventually they make it back to the grocery stores and Home Depots in San Diego, and sell for the same price as they do in Hartford and Brooklyn. It happens with seafood too.

I Love It Out Here This Time Of Year

I have never been out on Long Island Sound in February. To the best of my memory, I don't think I have ever been aboard a boat here during the 90-plus days we call winter. I have ventured out in early December and late March, but never in between. Not everyone however, spends their winter months ashore. While boats such as mine sit idle under tarps and shrink wrap, oyster boats along with ferries, tugs, and lobster boats continue their daily routine.

Winter is a busy time of year for oystering. The colder water makes harvesting ideal compared to the warmer months when the shellfish spawn. The winter holidays also create a high demand, which had never occured to me. Another benefit of winter harvesting is the absence of recreational boats. There are few things as frustrating for a crew as trying to do a job, while keeping an eye on a jet-ski that is drawing circles around the boat . " I love it out here this time of year", Norm told me.

After passing Pecks Ledge Lighthouse, the fleet of boats came into view. Our first stop was alongside a larger and more utilitarian looking boat than the traditional  wooden dredgers in the fleet. The Kristen Laura is a suction boat whose  purpose is to clean the oyster beds of silt, barnacles, etc, and to transport them from one location to another. "This boat makes no money", Norm said. This meant that the Kristen Laura was a maintenance boat and was not used for actual harvesting. Just as a farmer needs to own lots of machinery and equipment that does not gather a crop, so too does an oysterman. In many ways, oystering is more similar to farming than commercial fishing. There are seeds that need planting, fields that need plowing, and weeds that need pulling. Oystering is aquatic farming

The Kristen Laura held her course and maintained a speed of about 5 knots. A crewmember saw us and immediately waved as we approached her port side. I grabbed the envelope full of payroll checks, left the cozy protection of the small cabin, and headed aft. "When I get right up alongside her, you hand those to him", Norm said. "Make sure he has them before you let go. Don't drop them!"

I braced my legs against the gunwale of our small boat, reached out with my left hand to grab the black metal rail of the Kristen Laura, and handed the envelope off with my right hand. "He's got 'em!" I yelled.

(More To Follow)

Norm Bloom & Sons 

Soundbounder: The Fruits Of Winter (part one)

Soundbounder: Mary Colman (part three) 

Soundbounder: Lifting The Dredge (part four)

The Fruits Of Winter

There are many things I have wanted to do this winter, such as go on a seal watch, and see some of the ice boating in Old Lyme. One activity that never crossed my mind was to deliver paychecks to the oyster boats southeast of the Norwalk Islands. That all changed this week.
On Friday I stopped by the Norman Bloom Shellfish Company in East Norwalk to look at some of the old oyster boats. I asked permission at the office before walking the dock to an old sloop named Hope, which is believed to be the oldest remaining Long Island Sound oyster sloop. About ten minutes later, from the corner of my eye, I spotted a man walking down the dock. It was clear to me that this was not someone who had left some tools aboard a boat, or was out for a casual walk. I was his destination. I pretended I didn't see him and quickly began memorizing a few lines about how I had been given permission.
I couldn't have been more wrong! As his footsteps grew louder I heard him call out to me asking if I would like to see some more boats. He needed to deliver some paychecks to the crews from Bridgeport working outside the harbor. Caught completely off guard, I told him I wasn't properly dressed to be out on the water in February. "You'll be fine" he said. "We'll only be out for a half hour or so". I would be able to take some pictures of the boats in action, and besides, he could use a hand.
Moments later, we were tossing the lines from the dock and making our way across a thin sheet of harbor ice. I introduced myself and told him a quick line or two about Soundbounder. He said his name was Norm. "Norman Bloom?" I asked.
"Yeah, that's me", he answered back.

(More To Follow)

Norm Bloom & Sons
Soundbounder: I Love It Out Here This Time Of Year (part two)
Soundbounder: Mary Colman (part three)
Soundbounder: Lifting The Dredge (part four)