By mid-September you can feel the boating season slowly ending so most of us try to grasp whatever is left. WE have to balance that desire with the knowledge that if one waits too long before hauling out, the winter preparations will done under chilly conditions.
On Thursday, October 3rd we packed up for four days on the boat. Four days that would begin with Al helping Dan haul Cutting Class and end with Dan helping Al haul Kindred Spirit. While Dan and Al worked on Cutting Class, I was home prepping a dinner for all four of us. I drove my own car down mid-day. There was a method to this madness of two cars. The four of us, Dan, Marcia, Al and me, had a nice dinner onboard Kindred Spirit that evening. Ooops! No pictures.
The weather forecast was playing games again, changing frequently. Friday morning actually looked pretty nice so we left the dock and decided to go for a ride up the Thames River (for non-nutmeggers, that is pronounced with the “TH”, not like the British Thames River with the silent “H”.
The Thames River. The east side is Groton and the west side is New London.
UCONN’s Avery Point campus from a different angle.
Part of Eastern Point Beach, the Tyler House sits at the tip of the Thames River. Built in 1905, the building was preserved by local residents in 1970 and is used for offices, snack bar and first aid/lifeguard station.
Just 400 feet northwest of Tyler House is a very unique structure that sits on stilts on a small rock island, less than six-tenths acre in size. I wondered just what this structure was. The address is listed a “0 Hobbs Island” but the first reference to it as Hobbs Island is in a quick claim deed dated 1975. Going back 100 years, the little parcel was known as “Billy’s Island, possibly because of a goat found there after a severe storm.
The design of the three-story house is described as a combination of a medieval Russian church design with accents of Japanese architecture. It must have great views of the river and the boat traffic. The house was for sale in 2020 for $375,000. I wonder who bought it?
Homes along the eastern shore of the Thames River.
General Dynamics Electric Boat, established in 1899, has been the primary builder of submarines for the United States Navy for more than 100 years. If you are lucky you may get to see a submarine out in the waters around New London. We have on a couple occasions.
That green awning is the outdoor dining space for Paul’s Pasta Shop, a local restaurant that has been making fresh pasta and delicious meals since 1988. We have enjoyed a few meals there.
Next on our little Thames River tour is what I think Al really wanted to get a closer look at – New London’s State Pier, where the windmill turbines are staged and assembled.
It is a very different view compared to peering over the side as we drive over the Thames River on Rt. 95 by car.
The parts for one turbine include towers, nacelles, and three blades. Once out at sea, a fully assembled tower will stand over 350 feet tall. The nacelle, which houses the generator, gear box and drive train of the turbine, weighs more than 500 metric tons.
The components for one full turbine are loaded onto a barge and shipped offshore for installation. The process repeats itself for each turbine and is highly weather dependent.The barge carrying the components is the size of a football field. We have seen these barges on their delivery trips.
We had a very close-up look at the blades.
Just south of the New London State Pier is New London, from the ferry terminal on the right, the train terminal, and the waterfront.
All the various ferries that go in and out of New London – the Cross Sound ferries (high speed, traditional vehicle-passenger, and passenger only), Block Island ferry, Fishers Island ferry, Cross Sound Ferry Lighthouse Cruises. Busy terminal!
Ferries are bigger and faster than Kindred Spirit so we give them a generous amount of space and stay out of their way.
Shaws Cove Bridge is a swing bridge and serves as a significant part of the shoreline railway route of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. It opens on signal 24 hours a day throughout the year. Crockers Boatyard is on the other side of the bridge, requiring boaters to wait or call for openings.
Fort Trumbull State Park – The huge granite fort was originally built to protect the New London Harbor from British attack and later served as part of the country’s coastal defense system. The current fort standing today was constructed between 1839 and 1852 and is unusual for the Egyptian Revival features incorporated into its design. Visitors can experience views of the harbor and explore the interior. We should put this on our list to visit by land.
There are still plenty of sailboats in the water at the marina.
The New London Harbor Pequot Lighthouse, originally built in 1760, was the first one in the harbor and only the fourth to be built in the American colonies. This structure was built in 1801 and is 90 feet tall. It is now private property.
And dear Ledge Light, our favorite since we can see it from our mooring. Ledge Light is in each of our boat’s photos in the heading for the blog.
It was a lovely and interesting seven-mile cruise up and down the Thames. It is right next door to Shennecossett but we rarely go there.
We stayed over night on our mooring and spent the next day relaxing and preparing the boat for the haul out.
Mary Jo was taking a walk around Avery Point and sent this pic with an “I see you!”
The sun sets on the day and on another fine summer boating season.
Sunday morning I headed home with a loaded car while Al and Dan hauled out Kindred Spirit.
We did the Thames trip this spring with the family. It had been a while since we went up – things have really changed with the windmill operation now. Have a good winter!
I hope she sleeps well! It was a good summer filled with friendship, sailing and of course ice cream! Thank you for sharing your adventures with us landlubbers!
Prue Preston
We did the Thames trip this spring with the family. It had been a while since we went up – things have really changed with the windmill operation now. Have a good winter!
Ellen Margel Seltzer
I hope she sleeps well! It was a good summer filled with friendship, sailing and of course ice cream! Thank you for sharing your adventures with us landlubbers!