Crew Log for October 5, 2022
Trip Summary:
Old Saybrook to the Thimble Islands
Trip Distance of 26 NM, Total Distance To-Date of 1,043.5 NM
Departed at 1030 hours and arrived at 1530 hours
There are not many things that wake me up, but the thunder and lightening last night was unreal. After a bright flash of lightening, quickly followed by a deafening clap of thunder, I was convinced the boat took a direct hit. Thankfully, in these parts, sv Elizabeth M is a small boat, so there were many masts higher than ours. A thunder and lightening storm in the middle of the night only served to strengthen my resolve to get out of here, if the weather was at all decent.
As predicted the winds died down a bit and were out of the north, ideal for heading west down Long Island Sound. The rain eased up in the morning although it was still cold. Winds were 10-15 knots, with gusts to 20-25 knots at times. Given the northerlies, the seas were relatively flat. While we rode the current out of Old Saybrook, enjoying over 7 knots of boat speed, we fought the current in the Sound for the first couple of hours.
As we made our way to the Thimble Islands, there were some really hasty looking thunder clouds off Long Island Sound. Gale warnings and small craft advisors were issued for Long Island, but thankfully they never reached us. As we reached the Thimble Islands, we negotiated our way through the rocky islands and picked up a private mooring ball between Pot Island and High Island, which caused us to reflect on the possible origin of the names.
The guide books describe the Thimble Islands as a glimpse of Maine in Connecticut. I am not sure about that, but they are certainly unique for this part of the coast.
The Thimble Islands are the largest group of islands in Connecticut. consisting of anywhere from a hundred to 365 islands, depending on how liberal your definition of “island” is. Located off of the Stony Creek area of Branford, Connecticut, the islands were named after the abundance of thimbleberries that grew wild here.
The Islands are generally regarded as Connecticut’s most exclusive resort destination. By the mid-1800s, the islands became a tourist attraction with steamboat excursions and a hotel. Within a few decades, people were building homes and cottages on the highly desirable shores of the islands.
The abundance of empty mooring balls and mostly vacant mansions were clues that most, if not all the residents here were seasonal. And while the Thimble Island have their share of ostentatious houses, some of the homes were very tastefully blended into the surrounding landscape, almost camouflaging them from view.
One welcomed feature of the Thimble Islands was the abundance of bird life, including Egrets, Ospreys and Kingfishers.
The Thimble Islands are generally not a preferred anchorage given their lack of protection from most wind directions. However, the conditions were ideal for our visit. After the last several days of relentless wind and rain, the peace and quite was a welcomed change. It felt great to get a good night of uninterrupted sleep. Tomorrow, we were really going off the beaten path, and head up the Housatonic River, to Stratford – Milford, Connecticut.
But more about that, next time.
Additional Photos:
I am enjoying following you two on your adventure. Be safe!
Beautiful photos!