Stonington Harbor Light—now the Old Lighthouse Museum— Children romp in the surf at duBois Beach, located on the southwest became the home of the Stonington Historical Society in 1925. shore of Stonington Point. The Many Sides of Stonington

Home to the last fishing fleet in and a wealth of historic and natural wonders, this salty Connecticut town has managed to preserve the past while embracing the present. by Holly Parker photographs by Car yn B. Davis

The author (right) and her guide Jerry Wylie paddle their kayaks off Stonington’s Sandy Point, which also proves to be a fine anchorage for a powerboat.

48 Northeast Boating Magazine | November 2007 Girlfriends sit and chat outside Zia’s Jewelry & Accessories on Water Some of the town’s former mills and factories have been converted into Street, one of Stonington’s quaint downtown shops and boutiques. condominiums, like this one on the southeast side of Stonington Point. The Many Sides of Stonington

t 7:30 a.m. the parking lot at the Barn Island boat The Barn Island Wildlife Management Area (BIWMA) launch bakes in the August sun. Waves of heat roll is the largest in the state, sprawling more than a thousand off the newly laid blacktop; seabirds drowse as I acres on the shores of and featuring gaze past Sandy Point to , barely four miles of hikeable trails. Once permitted for development visible though the haze. This will be the hottest as a golf course, the woods and marshes of the BIWMA are Aday of the year. now the protected home of dozens of bird, mammal and fish A pickup with two kayaks mounted on the roof rolls up. species. The low tide and the heat keep us from exploring the While most people in this southeast corner of Connecticut are marsh, but terns and sharp-tailed sparrows perch onshore to hard at work, I will be beating the heat on the water, explor- watch us get underway. Settled into my kayak, I rock my hips, ing Stonington’s nooks and crannies with kayaking guide Jerry feeling out my new ride. It’s like an extension of my legs; I go Wylie. Wylie, 58, jumps from his truck and starts unloading from 5 feet, 2 inches to 13 feet in an instant. Back straight, gear: paddles, spray skirts, water bottles and charts. We drag our hands shoulder width apart on the paddle, I push forward vessels to the water and I clamber inside gracelessly. Thankfully, with one hand and pull with the other. I clear the launch and there is no one around to observe my form. am afloat in a few quick strokes. ➤

Northeast Boating Magazine | November 2007 49

for the angler

Watch for fluke in spring, blues in summer and albies in the fall by Tom Schlichter T o n the rela- m R i c

tively protected h a r waters of d s o I n Fishers Island Above: The trawler Anne Kathryn is a part of Stonington’s still Speedy false albacore tears things up off Sound, Stonington, proud commercial fishing fleet and working waterfront. Connecticut offers Stonington in the fall. Opposite page: Sailboats moored in Wequetequock Cove, a quiet and exciting fishing pros- scenic anchorage off Little Narragansett Bay. pects from late spring right through Halloween. Stripers up to 40 pounds kick off the season, invading the nearby Watch Hill reef system in early May. These bass, says captain Steve Burnett of the Wylie leads the way. He came to Connecticut in 2001 and Stonington charter boat Lauren B (860-572-9896, www.fishwatch hill.com), are feasting on herring and squid and will eagerly slam started his company, Connecticut Coastal Kayaking, in 2003. reverse Atom poppers, herring chunks, large deceiver flies and He has paddled all over the world but loves the state’s varied pink, yellow or red squid flies. The reefs can be dangerous, how- waters. “It’s world-class,” he says. “It has everything—big tidal ever, so use caution when fishing this area. rivers, small forested rivers, lakes, tranquil marshes full of birds, Fluke arrive in late May, providing good fishing close to the beaches, rocky islands, historic tall ships and lighthouses.” beach off Napatree and Stonington Points or farther out along The going is easy, but sweaty. My feet swelter in the Noyes Shoal. Good numbers of fluke can also be found to the east neoprene booties and my lower body steams under the off Misquamicut Beach in in 40 to 60 feet of water. black spray skirt. Cool bay water drips from my blades onto “The bottom off Misquamicut is sandy,” explains Burnett, “and my knuckles and forearms. A few early-riser boaters are ideal for drifting live mummichogs, squid strips or even whole anchored off Sandy Point, a spur of land that was once a part squid. The average fish runs 19 to 22 inches, but fluke up to 10 of nearby Napatree, but is now an island. A hummock of sand pounds are taken every year at this spot. As the fluke settle in for and scrub, Sandy Point is popular with boaters, beachgoers the summer, try fishing off Isabella Beach on the south side of and especially fishermen, because the surrounding shallows Fishers Island, where the fish will feed on any moving water.” nurture schools of baitfish that attract larger predators. July and August mean action with chopper blues up to 12 According to Stonington Harbormaster Eric Donch, Sandy pounds around Fishers Island, Watch Hill Reef, Middle Ground and Latimer Reef. You can pop them on top, but trolling umbrella rigs or Point is owned by the former Mashantucket Land Trust (now diamond jigging over structure is often more dependable. called the Avalonia Land Conservancy, Inc.) and is managed by The bottom-bouncing crew can delight in fine porgy (scup) the Stonington Community Center, which sells season passes fishing during July and August in 35 to 40 feet of water off Latimer or charges a nominal daily fee. Donch describes the Sandy Point Light and around Reef. Clam baits are best for the scup, scene as a beach version of the TV show “Cheers.” which average one to two pounds. “It’s a pretty regular crowd that hangs out towards the west- Soon after Labor Day, false albacore begin to slice though ern end of the point,” Donch says. “You can almost count on Fishers Island Sound. You can entice these speedsters with Deadly whose boat will be in a certain position on any given Saturday Dicks, Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows, white Zoom Super Flukes and Fin-S- and Sunday.” Fish. In the fly department, epoxy anchovies or Skok’s Mushmouth We pass into the waters that separate Napatree and Sandy streamers usually do the trick. Look for the albies to show around Points, our kayaks inches above the smooth bottom. In my Watch Hill, Ram Island Reef and in the rips off Fishers Island—but shadow, spider crabs scurry, claws upraised at the silent don’t blink or you’ll miss the run. intruder above. My blades scrape the bottom, the soft sand “The fall is pure mayhem,” says Burnett, “the kind of fishing you hissing at their touch. As I pass into deeper water, fingers of sea don’t want to miss. All the predator species slam together as they grass caress the hull. I forget the heat as I gaze into the green tear into schools of baitfish heading south from New England or exiting the local rivers, creeks and harbors. Surface action explodes coolness below. in late September, and October sees wild casting and jigging for Wylie enjoys paddling the waters around Stonington, bass and blues throughout Fishers Island Sound. Given mild weath- which offer a variety of waypoints for kayakers of all levels. er, both species will stay into November.” “I love the quiet and intimate waterways at Barn Island, the expansive beach at Napatree, the harbor full of yachts,

50 Northeast Boating Magazine | November 2007 sailboats, and fishing boats and even the occasional surf off fragments of shattered pottery that failed to meet standards or Napatree Point,” he says. was used as scrap to help fire pitchers, vases and jugs in the My kayak rolls only slightly as we round Napatree. Even works’ massive kilns. the sea is lazy today. A cluster of ancient pilings marks the pier I dip my hand into the cool water, and my fingers close on a that once graced Rhode Island’s most westerly point. Perched perfectly formed hollow handle. I pull it, smooth and slippery atop the angled pilings, a flock of cormorants stretches its with sea growth, to the surface and lay it on the foredeck. A wings to dry in the sun. The beauty of sea kayaking lies in its periwinkle has made a home on this hollow antique. I can see near silence. Jerry and I stop talking as I glide closer, my pad- where a potter’s thumb pulled and shaped the handle almost dling slow and controlled. While cormorants are notorious two centuries before. Although it never rested on a shelf, it has pests, I can’t help but admire them. Awkward and even ugly found a safe haven on the ocean floor. I drop the handle over- ashore, they are graceful swimmers, and any animal that can board and watch it settle on the bottom. glide through both air and water is worthy of respect. I drift After a day of paddling, Wylie likes nothing more than to among the pilings to get a closer look. And then the cormorants relax and “enjoy the sunset and a glass of wine at Skipper’s acknowledge me: Without even a glance in my direction, they Dock.” While it’s only noon, a beer by the bay sounds pretty lift their tail feathers and defecate into Fishers Island Sound. inviting. We paddle back to the Barn Island ramp and say our Unconcerned with stealth, I quickly backpaddle. The graceful goodbyes. I am off to town for a beverage and a bite. ➤ cormorant proves to be one stinky bird, but I try not to let that dampen my admiration. Now that I’ve had my fill of seabirds, we turn back towards Stonington. Cutting across popular cruising grounds, we are careful to stay close together. Luckily, the heat seems to have slowed everyone down, and we make the crossing to the east side of Stonington without incident. We pass elegant captain’s homes turned summer cottages, their green lawns peppered with white Adirondack chairs. Massive stone foundations crumbling into the bay appear to port, and Wylie paddles into a shallow nook between the seaweed-covered rocks. He reaches overboard, his kayak tipping precariously. Unconcerned, he rights himself and hands me his find—a shard of Stonington pottery plucked from the stony bottom. Stonington was once renowned for its pottery, produced from 1780 to 1834 in a bayside factory. At the end of Shinbone

Alley (now Water Street) William States established a pottery m i r t works in 1811. The imprints of “W. States” and “Swan & States, o a r t . Stonington” are well known among pottery aficionados. Here, c o alongside the site of States’ factory, the bottom is littered with m

Northeast Boating Magazine | November 2007 51 The tower of the Old Lighthouse Museum offers a bird’s-eye view of Stonington Harbor.

Water Street is Stonington’s spine, running north to south The fishermen’s association is working as hard as it can to pro- from Dodson Boatyard to duBois Beach and the Stonington tect the fleet and enhance what it has. They just got a grant to Lighthouse Museum. In between, captains’ houses serve as upgrade the docks and have an approved permit to extend the summer residences, antique shops and boutiques for the town’s pier. That will give them more space and help protect the area many visitors. Home to the last commercial fishing fleet in Con- where they offload their catch.” necticut, Stonington lives a dual life. At once quaint and upscale, On most summer weekends Water Street is packed with resi- it also celebrates the hard work of its fishermen and -women. dents and day-trippers. They jam the shops, snapping up preppy As I drive into town I pass under a banner announcing the summer ensembles and maritime antiques. Donch and his boat- blessing of the fleet. It is the weekend locals look forward to the ing brethren know that the survival of Stonington the fishing most. “There’s a block party from Saturday afternoon until Sun- village depends on these visitors of Stonington the summer des- day afternoon. On Sunday morning everyone gets onto the boats tination. “They visit town for the good restaurants, sandwich for the parade and they have the blessing,” Donch says. “My wife shops, antiques shops and jewelers. It’s a quaint shopping area. grew up in town. At the blessing she sees at least half a dozen I think there is a decent balance between tourism and fishing,” classmates she doesn’t see during the year. It’s a social reunion. Donch says. It helps keep that tradition of the town alive.” Skipper’s Dock, a lunchtime hotspot, bustles with Capri-pants- As in many New England ports, Stonington’s fishing fleet is and khaki-shorts-wearing patrons. A Hinckley Picnic Boat bobs endangered. Fishermen have long appreciated the harbor’s easy at the dock below the pier where I feast on fist-sized scallops atop a access to Long Island Sound and the Atlantic, but it gets harder fresh green salad. From my perch on the pier, the character of Ston- and harder to make a living on the water and the price of water- ington is clear. To the south, a jetty juts west, protecting the yachts front real estate continues to rise. However, Donch and his com- and draggers that call the harbor home. Enormous summer cot- patriots remain hopeful. tages overlook a commercial fleet that is the pride of Connecticut. “As the government regulations get tougher and the quotas A brick-and-stone building, once home to a factory, domi- get smaller, it is going to limit the income any boat can make. nates the skyline and serves as testament to the town’s man- continued on page 77

Tidal currents off Sandy Point and Stonington Harbor can present a Many of the shingled homes and cottages in Stonington border the challenge to boaters navigating the area. harbor, with private drives and paths leading to the waterfront.

52 Northeast Boating Magazine | November 2007 Stonington at a Glance

Getting There Stonington Harbor—41˚20.10’ N, 71˚54.49’ W—is easily reachable by boat from Long Island Sound and Fishers Island Sound. Located approximately 96 nautical miles east of the entrance to the East River in New York, roughly 120 miles south-southwest of Boston and about 18 miles north of , Stonington Harbor is well marked and deep, with a mean low water of 10 feet in the middle of the harbor. (Beware: if you go east past Stonington Point into Little Narragansett Bay, the water becomes quite shallow—1 to 5 feet MLW.) From the west on Susan Knox reads a newspaper at Nonie’s Deli, a once popular Ston- ington eatery that since the author’s visit has permanently closed. Long Island Sound, pass north of Ram Island Shoal and Ram Island, between the white day beacon “ER” on Ellis Reef and the red buoy “4” on Cormorant Reef. Head toward red buoy “2” on Red Reef and the www.zacksbarandgrille.com) and fine coffees and teas at the Yellow flashing green light on the breakwater off Wamphassuc Point—the har- House Coffee and Tea Room (860-535-4986). bor’s entrance is to port just beyond the light. From the east and south, enter between Fishers Island and Watch Hill, Rhode Island, and head for Attractions and Events the flashing red buoy “6”. From there head north toward red buoy “2” When it comes to history and nature, Stonington has both covered. in Fishers Island Sound and proceed north, staying well left of Middle Known as “the Borough,” Stonington was a hotbed of activity during Ground and the breakwater. The harbor’s entrance is straight ahead the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 and successfully repelled and to the right of Wamphassuc Point and the breakwater. Use NOAA bombardments by the Royal Navy in each war. The 1823 Stonington chart 13214. Of course, if you’re planning to paddle Stonington’s waters Harbor Light, the first lighthouse to be commissioned and built by it’s a good idea to bring along a compass and chart. the federal government, is a popular attraction today as the Old Light- house Museum (860-535-1400) and is owned and operated by the Dockage Stonington Historical Society (www.stoningtonhistory.org). The soci- Transients should call Dodson Boat Yard (860-535-1507; www.dod ety also maintains other historical sites throughout town, including the sonboatyard.com) located at the head of the harbor. They offer slips and Capt. Nathaniel and Alexander Smith Palmer House (860-535-8445) mooring rentals, and they also run a launch service in the harbor and and the R. W. Woolworth Library (860-535-1131). have an onsite restaurant called Boom. Founded in 2002 Stonington The 1,013-acre Barn Island Wildlife Management Area (860-424- Harbor Yacht Club (860-535-0112; www.shyc.us) offers more than 240 3000; http://www.lisrc.uconn.edu/coastalaccess/) is the state’s largest feet of transient dockage and monitors VHF channel 78. If the marinas coastal property for wildlife conservation and includes salt- and fresh- aren’t an option, Stonington harbormaster Eric Donch notes that the water wetlands where visitors can paddle, hike, fish and watch birds. A town offers free use of its dinghy dock for those boaters who prefer to short walk from Stonington’s busy waterfront area are the Dodge Pad- drop anchor. No overnight dockage is permitted, but the price is right dock and Beal Preserve (860-887-6786; www.geocities.com/avalo for those willing to swing on the hook in the well-protected harbor. nialc/) located off Main Street on the eastern side of Stonington Point, “The anchorage will be on the west side of the harbor—to port as or “the Point.” A walkway meanders through salt marshes and offers you come in—west of green can “7”,” Donch said. “The transient dock great views of wildlife and a prime view of Watch Hill Light, Napatree is directly opposite, tucked in between Skipper’s Dock (a restaurant) and Sandy Points, Sandy Point Island and Sandy Point Beach all on and the yacht club.” Little Narragansett Bay. On the southwest shore of the Point is where Trailerboaters can launch at the Barn Island boat ramp off Palmer you’ll find duBois Beach (860-535-2476; www.lisrc.uconn.edu/coastalac- Neck Road, and for paddlers who wish to explore Stonington’s cess/site.asp?siteid=629). Stonington has many eclectic shops, boutiques marshes, inlets, creeks and beaches, Jerry Wylie’s Connecticut Coastal and stores, including Junie Moon’s Victorian Boutique (860-535- Kayaking (860-391-3837; www.ctcoastalkayaking.com) offers lessons, 0613), La Grua’s (860-535-1030) and Zia’s Jewelry & Accessories (860- tours and events. 535-2298). Antiques and galleries are another Stonington staple, with seven shops located on Water Street alone: Boathouse Antiques (860- Restaurants and Accommodations 535-4714), the Brick Gallery (860-535-3030), Devon House Antiques & For great eats check out Noah’s on Water Street (860-535-3925; Gallery (860-535-4452), Grand & Water Antiques (860-535-2624) and www.noahsrestaurant.com) or tie up your dinghy or boat at Skipper’s Orkney & Co. (860-535-4402). Dock (860-535-0111; www.skippersdock.com). The Water Street Café (860-535-2122) offers Sunday brunch, and the Inn at Stonington (860-535-2000; www.innatstonington.com) and Orchard Street Inn For More Information (860-535-2681; www.orchardstreetinn.com) are nearby bed-and-break- For information on Stonington businesses and events, including village fast options. Be sure to also try Zack’s Bar & Grille (860-535-0301; fairs, visit www.stoningtonboroughct.com or www.thecomo.org. —H. P.

Northeast Boating Magazine | November 2007 53 The Many Sides of Stonington continued from page 52 ufacturing history. Generations of Stoningtonians manufactured horse head nails, firearms, machinery for spin- ning silk and Coke bottles here. The build- ing now houses the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club and pricey condos. Sweaty and salty from my paddle, I feel out of place among shoppers comparing a pip- ing plover decoy and an art deco lamp purchased in one of the town’s many antiques shops. “Is that a bird or what?” the triumphant shopper trumpets, strid- ing down the ramp to the Hinckley. In search of a place to cool off, I stroll down Water Street, perusing boutiques and antiques shops. I love old post- cards. As I flip through boxes of cards from around the world in the nautically themed Boathouse Antiques in Bailey’s Alley, I struggle to keep the sweat from dripping from my brow. I have to find air conditioning, and fast. Thank goodness for Nonie’s, bedecked with shamrocks and lace curtains. The tiny deli (which has since closed) is packed with locals evading the oppres- sive heat by ordering ice cream and milkshakes. The windows and walls are plastered with announcements: readings at the town library, a concert by the Coast Guard Dixieland Band, a Portu- guese pig roast. As he mixes a strawberry milkshake, the proprietor takes a bakery order from a local restaurateur. I munch on a chocolate chip cookie and enjoy the cool, manufactured air before heading back into the humid out- doors. Armed with an iced tea, I turn the corner on Pearl Street and follow my nose to the commercial pier. Six monster draggers are tied up along the north side of the pier, their festival flags drooping in the sodden air. To the south, a hodgepodge of smaller draggers and lob- sterboats are decked out for the blessing. On the pier, workers wash a fleet of refrig- erated trucks bearing the logos of Ston- ington Seafood Harvesters, Fleet Fisheries, Seawell Lobster Pound and Gambardella Wholesale Fish Dealers. Come Monday, after the blessing, the parades and the festivals, it will be business as usual. The Northeast Boating Magazine | November 2007 77 The Many Sides of Stonington

state’s last commercial fleet will head back out to sea, cruising past some of the area’s most glamorous summer cottages as they leave the harbor. The Stonington Harbor Light stands at the end of Water Street, overlooking Barn Island to the east and Stonington Harbor to the west. Gray and weathered, the stone lighthouse—now called the Old Lighthouse Museum—is also home to the Stonington Historical Society. I climb the tower despite the heat and peer out over a haze-blanketed sound. To the west, relief appears in the form of growing thunderheads, ballooning and bubbling. Below on tiny duBois Beach, sun worshippers are few—beachgoers hide in the shade of a gazebo or lounge neck deep in the water. In simple exhibits of pottery shards, paintings, yellowing photographs and artifacts, the lighthouse museum dis- plays Stonington’s history: Manufactur- ers of everything from guns to plastics made the enormous factory their home; noble patriots fought off naval attacks just south of duBois Beach; Nathaniel Brown Palmer made Stonington his homeport when he discovered Antarctica. The wind picks up as I wander back up Water Street to the immaculate town park. Settling under a tree with a good book, I wait for my dinner reservation at Noah’s, a town dining institution. The air begins to move and thunder rumbles. My boyfriend Aaron joins me after work, and just as we begin the walk back into town, the sky erupts. A tremendous clap of thunder and flash of lightning accom- pany the release of enormous raindrops from the darkening sky. We run for cover. Dripping, we scam- per into Noah’s. With warm bread, cool glasses of white wine and the freshest sea- food in Connecticut on the table before us, we watch as the rain rushes down Water Street, washing away the heat.

When she’s not busy shaping young minds at a Massachusetts prep school, Holly Parker explores and writes about New Eng- land ports of call.

78 Northeast Boating Magazine | November 2007