Old Harbor

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

Merit

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

   

Starfish.... And Other Threats

"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

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

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.

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

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

Working The Ledge

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

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

Soundbounder: Phyllis Ann

Map

Mystic Drawbridge 7:45 A.M.

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

Quinnipiac River Park

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

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

Bon Voyage Empire State

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

Raven

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

Pegasus Visits Mystic

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

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

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

Heading For New Haven

Tugboat Connecticut; south of West Haven; August

Eatons Neck Coast Guard Station

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

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