A Little Bit About a Lot of Things

I was invited topreview the Lighthouse Cruise aboard the Sea Jet this past Thursday. Beginning on June 27th, it will run every Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday, until September 9th. It will run on Saturdays only from September 12th to October 10th. The cruise is about 2 hours, leaving the Cross Sound Ferry’s New London terminal at 12:30pm and returning at approximately 2:30pm. Tickets are $28 for adults and $14 for children ages 2-11 (children 2 and under are free). There is limited parking at the terminal for $10 a day, otherwise, there is garage parking nearby. Check out their website for more information.

The Sea Jet is a high speed catamaran. What’s a catamaran? It’s a multi-hulled ship, consisting of two parallel hulls of equal size (shown above is one of the hulls). High speed ferries are often catamarans.

The tour takes you to see 8 lighthouses and historical sites along the Thames River and on Long Island Sound and Gardiners Bay. You couldn’t have asked for a better day, the sun was shining and the water was smooth! While the ride was smooth, some passengers felt they needed Dramamine – make sure to stop ahead of time and pick some up as they do not sell it at the terminal or on the boat.

The cruise was narrated by local expert Ted Webb (above). Ted had a wealth of knowledge of the area and the historical sites – it was a real pleasure listening to him. The tour is great for people who love lighthouses and even for people who don’t know much about them (read: me). It was just so nice to spend the day learning something new and being outside on the water on a beautiful day. The boat has two air conditioned levels, there are seats in the middle (shown above), with tables around the perimeter. The top deck is open for better viewing.

The boat has food aboard for purchase. Items include sandwiches (Caprice (shown above), Ham and Swiss, Turkey wrap, Roast Beef and a Chicken Salad wrap), pastries (those black and white cookies looked delicious), pretzels, coffee, and alcoholic beverages.

The first lighthouse on the trip was the New London Lighthouse: The oldest lighthouse in Connecticut, the original New London Harbor Light helped guide colonial privateers who sought shelter up the Thames River during the American Revolution.

It’s not every day that you see a submarine being escorted into the harbor: General Dynamics’ Electric Boat Division, where the first nuclear powered submarine was built, is located in New London Harbor.

New London Ledge Lighthouse: A French Second Empire structure architectually unique for a lighthouse, the Ledge Light is unusual for another reason – it’s reportedly haunted by the ghost of an early keeper!

North Dumpling Lighthouse: During Prohibition, the keeper of the North Dumpling Lighthouse was accused of signaling to liquor smugglers. Today, its owned by the inventor of the Segway Human Transporter.

Race Rock Lighthouse: Many ships had been lost on Race Rock Reef before Congress decided to erect Race ROck Lighthouse. Built on a ledge where fast currents and conflicting seas are the norm, the foundations alone took seven years to build.

Orient Point Lighthouse: Also known as the Coffee Pot Lighthouse, the cast-iron clad and brick lined Orient Point Lighthouse was marked for demolition by the Coast Guard in 1970, but was saved by public outcry.

On the tour we also saw the Avery Point Lighthouse, the Little Gull Island Lighthouse and the Plum Island Lighthouse (not pictured), you will just have to take the cruise and see them for yourself. In addition you will see Fort Trumbull and Fort Griswold, both compromised during the Revolutionary War by turncoat Benedict Arnold. You will also pass ruins of a former military fort used for Navy torpedo target practice in WWII, and Plum Island, longtime home of the Dept. of Homeland Security’s Plum Island Animal Disease Center laboratory. And you’ll get a great view of New London’s historic waterfront.

For more information on the Lighthouse Cruise and the Cross Sound Ferry, visit their website: https://www.longislandferry.com/

Disclaimer: I was invited with a guest to preview the Lighthouse tour by the Cross Sound Ferry Company. The tour and food were complimentary. All opinions are my own.

Tags: boat, connecticut, cruise, CT, events, sponsored