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Old 13-06-2012, 16:29   #16
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Dutch harbor west passage.RI. +1 for Wickford RI and they have courtesy moorings. Cuttyhunk mooring fee was 10 bucks a few years ago. Stonington ct is cool. I anchored but questionable if I was okay where I dropped but not in the channel . I found anchoring more possible then charts and guides suggested. Odd that closer to new York on the long island side I found no issue. The mooring fields left room for anchoring on the edges. Later up it appeared more trouble but I didn't push into many of those places. Ct river is hard. There is a cheap mooring on the creek upstream of Lyme river marina.on the stbd side that has inexpensive moorings further up the big yards had reasonable rates. Ct river valley is incredible. Really worth enjoying
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Old 13-06-2012, 17:06   #17
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Re: Anchorages on Long Island Sound ?

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Shelter Island would be a very nice week or more. four foot draft would get you in everywhere.
Only stop off would be Port Jefferson Harbor, then anchor in Dering Harbor right across from Greenport. Dingy or ferry ($1) across to Greenport.
If Port Jefferson is too close, maybe Mattituck. I haven't been in but it was recommended by someone else in another thread.

We went through Plum Gut [between Plum Island and Orient]. It can be exciting. If the wind and current are in your favor it isn't a big deal. I could imagine going through at the wrong time to not be much fun. Oh and the ferries run through there. If in doubt, someone in another thread recommended the next passage east, between Plum Island and Gull Island.
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Old 13-06-2012, 17:18   #18
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I grew up and learned to sail on the lower Connecticut River, Chester, Essex, old Saybrook, Old Lyme, out to the Sound and over to Long Island. I could spend years cruising there again. Take at least an afternoon at least as far up as Essex, or up to the bridge at the Goodspeed opera house and Gillette Castle if the current isn't too strong and the wind is friendly. Lots of coves and marinas.
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Old 13-06-2012, 18:23   #19
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If your up by Essex . Go to Gillette castle. If you have Kidd they will live the steam train ride. Thumbs for getting up to these points.
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Old 13-06-2012, 20:23   #20
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Re: Anchorages on Long Island Sound ?

Hmm, between Huntington Bay and Mystic (~75nm from the entrances, as I measure) ?

Try Duck Island Roads at Westbrook, CT. 41°15'29.58"N , 72°28'45.63"W
~45nm from Huntington.

Fairly well protected from all winds; just check the forecast and set accordingly (we've anchored pretty close to the beach in early fall winds from the north.)

I will second the active captain website; I posted some notes on Bill's Seafood which is a fairly long dinghy ride in on the east fork. Also, Westbrook has a damn large Brewer's Marina if you need fuel & stuff.

Anyway, while in Mystic, be sure to stop by Stonington. Cute place.
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Old 13-06-2012, 21:19   #21
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Re: Anchorages on Long Island Sound ?

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Not great for anchoring in my opinion... lots of mooring fields.

Coldspring Harbor
Eatons Neck near North port
Centerport
East side of Port Jef (or the north west corner)
Inside Mattituck
By the dutch windmall Gardiners bay
Smith Cove Shelter Island
West Harbor Fishers Island
Dutch Harbor Jamestown
Tarpaulin Cove Vineyard Sound
Old Greenwich
Wickford

You won't find many pretty... isolated, protected, good holding, spots... too populated and over developed...

LIS southern NE is not Maine.
He has a 4 foot draft. He will have PLENTY of room to anchor in those on your list that I changed to red.

Also you mentioned Old Greenwich... yes it's crowded with moorings, but he would have plenty of room to anchor in the Greenwich Islands, Norwalk Islands, Charles Island (Milford), behind the breakwaters in New Haven, Branford (north of Daymark Green 7 marked as "big mermaid"), Niantic, New London, The Thimbles, Oyster Bay (multiple areas) and Lyoyd's Point. Mattituk is a good spot for him, as is Duck Island Rhodes (Westbrook). Also what about Northport Bay at the east end near Northport Harbor and the west end behind the sandy beach? All good spots for a boat that draws 4ft MLW. Going west there's Manhasset, Hempstead and Little Neck Bay's, and City Island.

I can think of more. All you need to do is read the charts.
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Old 14-06-2012, 09:34   #22
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Re: Anchorages on Long Island Sound ?

Lots of good information here. Thanks!

Been reading up on Mattituck. Sounds like the perfect spot for a layover. I try to cruise during the week to avoid weekend crowds, so it sounds like it would a great place to stop on the way out.

I live in Huntington, so am very familiar with Oyster Bay, Lloyd Harbor, Huntington & Northport Bays and Port Jeff.

I wish reading the charts was all that's required. Huntington Harbor looks like a great place to anchor, by the chart, but there isn't enough room to swing a cat, no less an anchor. Local knowledge is really helpful.
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Old 29-06-2012, 21:33   #23
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We have been in Mattiuk, a nice stop over on the way out the Sound. Plum Gut has variable condition dependent on tide with or vs wind of course. We have stayed a few times at Greenport, Deering Harbor, Sag Harbor. On the Ct. Side Fishers Island is a nice anchorage as is Noank and Mystic. Sometimes it's just worth the 25 bucks to pick up a mooring and sleep soundly if you know what I mean.

We will be up cruising there starting August 15 when we leave the Chesapeake till after Labor Day. Let us know where you wound up and like.

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Old 03-04-2013, 09:29   #24
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Re: Anchorages on Long Island Sound ?

Does anyone have first hand experience anchoring at the Thimble Islands? I'm headed that way and have read in various places that the most popular anchorage is between High Island and Pot Island. However, Embassy Guides basically advises avoiding anchoring there (and in most of the Thimbles) because it's a cable area with a rock bottom, nasty currents and is not particularly well protected (sounds awful). Without local knowledge, is Embassy correct that anchoring in the Thimbles is dicey at best?
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Old 03-04-2013, 10:03   #25
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Re: Anchorages on Long Island Sound ?

ActiveCaptain show cruisers anchoring off of Rogers and Money islands
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Old 03-04-2013, 10:43   #26
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Re: Anchorages on Long Island Sound ?

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Does anyone have first hand experience anchoring at the Thimble Islands? I'm headed that way and have read in various places that the most popular anchorage is between High Island and Pot Island. However, Embassy Guides basically advises avoiding anchoring there (and in most of the Thimbles) because it's a cable area with a rock bottom, nasty currents and is not particularly well protected (sounds awful). Without local knowledge, is Embassy correct that anchoring in the Thimbles is dicey at best?
Been through there many times. I agree with the assessment you summarized from Embassy Guides. It's a fair weather anchorage, and a nice place to drop a lunch hook (one of the few places I would buoy the anchor with a trip line). Even if you cruise through as a "tourist" you need to be wary of ledges and boulders.

If you want to anchor in that area I prefer Branford Harbor or go east to Clinton or Duck Island Rhodes (Westbrook).
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Old 03-04-2013, 11:35   #27
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Re: Anchorages on Long Island Sound ?

Spent a nigh at Thimbles last September. I grabbed an empty mooring ball from a local yacht club for the night but I spoke to the skipper of a nearby boat who was anchored and holding with no problems.

Easy anchorages for OP on CT side are Charles Island and Duck Island. Port Jefferson is also a nice anchorage but do not go all the way into town, there are anchorages in both the western and eastern sides of the harbor closer to the entrance.
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Old 03-04-2013, 16:08   #28
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Re: Anchorages on Long Island Sound ?

Sailfasttri said it best ":just look at your charts".Been to most all mentioned above ,but I will keep a few to myself.you can find them tho by looking at the charts. Yes on weekends the crowds will be out but often when the sun rises on Sunday they will be heading home.There is almost always a place to get an anchor down outside or within a mooring field ,and if you seek solitude you may have to anchor in a more open roadstead in settled weather; and with a 4' draft and a little daring you can snuggle into places that rarely see a craft anchored overnight.

As everywhere, there is a powerful herding instinct that causes many to anchor only where there are others and to eschew any location that does not show an anchor symbol in the cruising guide. Overall these are quite protected and well marked waters with sandy bottoms that provide forgiveness in the event of any miscalculation.
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Old 04-04-2013, 03:36   #29
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Re: Anchorages on Long Island Sound ?

There was space for my 37' in between the moorings at Dering Harbor. Dinghy over to Greenport for provisions etc. Try to time the crossing to avoid wind over tide.
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Old 04-04-2013, 04:55   #30
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Re: Anchorages on Long Island Sound ?

I've over nighted on the hook in the Thimbles with no problem... but the winds were light.

Deering Harbor, like so many is full of moorings and has anchoring restrictions.... or the harbor is so full of moorings that one has to anchor so far out it becomes quite the dinghy ride to shore.
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