Connecticut Water Trails Association
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Connecticut Water Trails Association |
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Connecticut Water Trails Program Connecticut Coastal Paddling Middlesex County Old Saybrook
Site Location:
Basic Information: Type: Tidal River Water Type: Saltwater Season:
Site Contact Information:
Site Coordinates: Longitude 72.345657 ºW Latitude 41.290706 ºN
Location Map:
USGS Quadrangle: Essex Navigational Charts:
Driving Directions:
I-95 to Old Saybrook, CT (exit 67). If Southbound, you are on Elm Street - go left at
end of ramp, drive straight until you hit Main Street (North Cove on
right side). Make right. If Northbound, stay on right fork of ramp. Go
straight until you see Main Street (Sunoco station). Make left. Sheffield Street is on left side across from Police
Station. If you go past the firehouse, you've gone too far.
Directions Map:
Boat Launch Information:
ADA Access:
Site Description:
Environment:
Additional Info:
Although the
North Cove by itself is a easy body of
water to paddle, if you go along the entire trail to
South Cove and
back, it gets tricky as you have to navigate on the Connecticut River,
which has some chop, is windy and has strong currents.
You drop in at Sheffield Street,
which is the street that runs next to Town Hall, at Main Street. At the
end of the street is a town mooring field. You unload your kayak, and
then park up the street at the middle school. Once in the water, there
are pretty homes, nice marshes to view and moored boats to paddle past. If you choose to explore further, head up the river to see the Amtrak trains traversing the river, or head south to South Cove, another sheltered area that is perfect for pleasant paddling. Going south you have to paddle past the Saybrook Point Inn and marina. South Cove is terrific to paddle because it is extremely shallow, limiting motorboat access on the water.
NOAA Chart:
USGS Quadrangle:
Type of Water:
Paddle Length:
Put In:
Longitude: 72°21'2.22"W Latitude:
Take Out:
On The Water: If you travel further down the river you'll pass North Cove. The first lighthouse you'll come up to is Lynde Point built in 1838. Then as you pass South Cove is the Saybrook Breakwater light - built in 1886. Across the channel from Lynde Point is Poverty Island a great place to pull out and stretch your legs. Behind this island is the Great Island Wildlife Management Area. You can also take a side trip to the Lieutenant River. On your return trip to the launch stay to the eastern side of the river until it narrows. You may have to float and wait for motorboat traffic to pass before you can cross over to your starting point.
What You’ll See:
Cautions:
Site History:
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Paddling The Connecticut River
