August 2, 2024

Norwalk Seaport Association offers a three-hour ferry and lighthouse tour out of Norwalk, CT that will take you to this island. Three hours is more than enough time to get there, walk the very short trails/check out the lighthouse, and return. The guides point out various other islands and explain their significance while on route to Sheffield.

The wildlife refuge is a migratory stop and nesting place for various neotropical bird species as well as being a winter home for certain waterfowl. I saw quite a few ospreys while visiting.

The lighthouse was built in 1827 and, along with a nearby and small stone cottage, housed the keeper, his wife, and their twelve children. The original table where many of those children were birthed still stands in the lighthouse.

I am still on medication for my back, but things are healing nicely. I was able to walk around today without any pain. The medication makes me tired and loopy, though. I got back to my lodging at 2pm feeling wiped out, and my thoughts are fairly muddled. Looking forward to weaning off this stuff and getting back to my usual higher daily mileage.

This was my last site on LifeQuest: New England. I have now visited and hiked within all the New England (CT, RI, MA, NH, ME, and VT) National Wildlife Refuges, National Park Sites, National Natural Landmarks, National Heritage Areas, National Recreation Areas, and National Recreation Trails. I have also hiked the New England National Scenic Trail, and I have visited all the National Wild & Scenic Rivers.

That’s over 192 sites over six states. In almost all of them, I hiked all the trails contained within, which means I made multiple visits to some (Monadnock, for example).

What’s next: I’ve already done a good handful of New York sites, and I will continue to pick away at that state this month until it is time for me to see my youngest daughter off to college. After that, I’ll head to Wisconsin to do the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.