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SOUND HARBORSVisitDarienPopulation: Darien 12,000. Rowayton (See Norwalk)Commercial Marine Facilities:Municipal Marine Facilities Fair.Distance from Docks to Provisioning Stores: Darien Va mile; Rowayton: by thedocks.To Business Center: DarienVi mile. Rowayton: Alongside docks.To next Harbor East: 5?* Nautical miles.To next Harbor West: 4Vi Nautical miles.The business district of Darien is on the Boston Post Road about two miles inland from the shore. The area was first settled in 1641 and incorporated in 1820. Most of its shoreline is nowtaken up with handsome homes and large estates though, in the early days before good roads and bridges across the numerous creeks and inlets made land travel practical, it was an important center for waterborne commerce.Approaching the Darien River there is a flashing green 4 second lighted buoy to the northwest of Long Neck Point. This should be left to port as is the case with all green lighted navigation aids when entering a harbor. A straight course can be laid for the dock at the Noroton Yacht Club w'hich maintains range lights during the summer months. Skippers of deep draft boats should take note of the bar running between Peartree Pt. and Pratt Island. The chart shows 5 feet at low water but such figures are subject to change, and the sea over the bar is likely to be rough in strong winds, particularly if the current is running counter to the wind. Once inside there is plenty of water past Peartree Pt. and up to the Darien Boat Club dock.Up until about 1900 the rii)er was quite a bustling port, with trading schooners, oyster sloops and lobster boats. There were wharves, grist mills and a smithy at Rings End Landing, where the bridge crosses the river below Gorham Pond. The channel wras much deeper at that time, enough so that during the Revolutionary War, H.M.S. Diligent, an armed brigantine, sailed up to Rings End Landing and captured the Eagle, an American sloop of 30 tons, which was lying at the mill wharf taking on a cargo of flourintended for the Revolutionary troops. Small boats can still navigate up to the bridge, though any craft draw'ing over 18 inches is likely to run agroundMRon the mud at low tide.Landing facilities are pretty well limited to the yacht club and boat club docks. There are no stores or fuel docks in the harbor and the anchorage is usually extremely crowded. Nevertheless Darien River is an active small boat area, and a good protected harbor of refuge m case of a blow.Farther to the East, on the other side of Long Neck Point, is Scott Cove. There is no record of anyone named Scott having lived there in the early days but many of the first settlers were of Scotch descent, hence the name. To approach the Cove from the West, make for the white spindle on the rock just East of Hay Island and leave this to port. There is a beautiful quiet anchorage w’ith good swimming in the deep water just North of Hay Island. Entering from the west, keep fairly close to the Fish Islands and be careful to avoid the unmarked rock aw^ash at lowr water almost ia the center of the harbor mouth. Proceeding into the Cove itself, favor the west side of the passage by Great Island and be on the lookout for submerged rocks. There are no buoys and it is a good idea to refer to the chart before attempting passage.Once inside Scott cove, your movements are limited only by the amount of water your craft draws. There are no landing facilities but the area is full of small coves, tiny islands, salt meadows and tidewater lagoons. These provide cover and feeding grounds for the hundreds of different varieties of birds living or stopping there briefly during the year. The Fish Islands are small and uninhabited with excellent fishing off the surrounding rocks. Contentment Island is a private residential area and landing is not permitted.Five Mile River is the place to go for gas, supplies and docking facilities. The Tokeneke side on the west bank is private but the east, or Rowayton side has marinas, yards, supply stores, restaurants and a town dock. A straight course can be held from Green’s Ledge Lighthouse to the flashing green 4 second can buoy #3 southwest of Butler Island and from there up the center of the channel. Above #6 nun buoy the channel bends to the east slightly and continues past the wharves and yards. The harbor is narrow and local rules require that boats anchor in linealongside the channel.Reprinted from:CONNECTICUT BOATING GUIDE$1 a copy at book stores, marine suppliers, Town Crier office.Svnday, June 14, 19S9
Newspaper Details
Fairfield County Fair
Fairfield, Connecticut, US
Sun, Jun 14, 1959
Page 11
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USA 06 Jun 2022
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