The Connecticut River and Stonington

No voyage home is complete without visiting places of the heart. While the Chesapeake provided much in the way of new aquaintences, delicious food, laughter, family, somber moments, and beauty, it took a visit to old stomping grounds to make the circle be unbroken. A trip up the Connecticut River and an overnight in Stonington gave a chance for Brio's captain to touch the past and reconnect with special times.

Gillette Castle sits high above the Connecticut River. It was built in the early 1900s by an American actor famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. William Gillette lived there from 1919 until his death in 1937. Gillette held many theatrical events there and its grounds are striking.

Further up the River is the Goodspeed Opera House in Chester, Connecticut. Again, this is located on the River.

The River itself is a study in successful land use regulation. There are vast stretches of the River that are undeveloped suggesting what the River looked like even back when Adriaen Block discovered it in the 1600s.

Continuing east from Long Island Sound to Fisher's Island Sound, Brio played in the following sea. The sea state became evermore exciting as the wind whipped the waves into 3-foot, then four-foot seas. After a quick trip over 25 miles, our destination for the night came into view: Stonington Point. Brio entered the harbor and motored to Dodson's Boatyard.

Stonington sits at the eastern end of Fisher's Island Sound. Views to the south and east are of open water and the Atlantic Ocean. To the west are views of the Sound, bounded by the Connecticut shore and Fisher's Island, New York. It is an ecological masterpiece of bodies of water, shift sands of Westerly, Rhode Island to the east and fierce tides draining from Long Island Sound to the west.

Informational Sign at the Southern Tip of Stonngton Point

Stonington itself was made wealthy in part because freight and people traveling by land from Boston to New York had to be transported from Stonington by boat to the other side of the Connecticut River since the Connecticut River and the Thames River at New London had no bridges to carry passengers and freight.

The British were well aware of Stonington's strategic importance, and the British did what the British knew had to be done during the Revolutionary War: they bombarded Stonington with cannon from their ships. Note the date of August 1775, just two months after the bloody Battle of Bunker Hill where the British may have won the battle, but at a tremendous loss of life.

The British came back during the War of 1812 to bombard the town again. This time, the residents were better prepared. Unlike many of the unanswered attackes by the British along the shores of the Chesapeake, the people of Stonington had cannon and repulsed the British.

Cannon balls fired by the British have been collected from around town and preserved.

Plaques have been erected as well.

Since these battles, Stonington erected a lighthouse at the point. This now serves as the town's museum.

Eventually bridges were built over the Thames and Connecticut Rivers and shipping between Boston and New York no longer had to be sent by boat to and from Stonington. Stonington Village entered a period of relative quiet.

Among the Older Buildings in the Village

Today, the main street boasts excellent restaurants.

And quirky art.

And a beautiful view from the Point to the south. Note the flag snapping in the 25-knot breeze.

The next day, October 23rd, Brio left Stonington and headed east across Rhode Island Sound and up Buzzards Bay, leaving Cuttyhunk and the Elizabeth Islands to starboard. Those four-foot waves from Fisher's Island Sound became five-foot and six-foot waves in the open waters of Rhode Island Sound. It was an exciting ride home to Marion.

Welcome home.

Cheers,

Brio