2008 REED’s East Coast Edition - Pilot Notes
Long Island Sound
Gateway to the Mid-Atlantic
REED’s RECOMMENDS: There’s not another port anywhere
quite like Connecticut’s Mystic Seaport (www.mysticseaport.org),
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located on the north shore of Long Island Sound. Pilot your way to
ilo
P
41°18.3N, 71°59.15W and you will be set to shape your entrance to
the winding, narrow channel that least to the historic seaport. Chart
13214 is the one you’ll need, and you should respect all buoyage.
The Mystic River railroad bridge will open on demand unless there
is a train expected, and the Mystic River bascule bridge (US Route
sland
1) opens at 40 minutes past each hour from 0740-1840. The bas-
cule bridge opens on call prior to 0840 and after 1940. Both bridges
monitor VHF 9 and 13.
L
ong I
Vessels arriving to tie up at the museum docks should arrive any
time after the 1240 bridge opening and depart prior to the 1240
opening. Contact the dockmaster, who monitors VHF 68, July 1
through Labor Day. There is very limited anchorage above the bas-
cule bridge, and water outside the channel is very shallow.
REED’s strongly recommends making reservations for the limited
dock space, and that can be done by phone or mail. A deposit of
$100 or one night’s dockage, whichever is less, will hold your space.
Call 860-572-5391, 0900-1600, M-F, year-round to use a credit card,
or mail a check to Dockmaster, Mystic Seaport, 75 Greenmanville
Ave., Mystic CT 06355.
A visit to the Seaport might be a good time become a member,
since one of the benefits is free dockage October 13-April 1 (except
Saturdays), two nights maximum per visit.
Mystic Seaport is a world-class resource for any sailor. The world’s
last wooden whaleship, the 113-ft Charles W. Morgan (designated
a National Historic Landmark in 1977 and built in 1841), the full-
rigged Joseph Conrad, 111-ft LOA, built in 1881 and sailed around
the world by Captain Alan Villiers, and the S&S schooner Brilliant,
built in 1932, are just a few of the wonderful boats, sail and power,
that you can board.
We can’t say it strongly enough: Any cruise of Long Island Sound
deserves a layover and tour of marvelous Mystic Seaport.
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