Retired Nomads - Part 2 : Hammonasset Beach State Park, Thimble Islands & Lighthouse

Hammonasset Beach State Park, Thimble Islands & Lighthouse – CT - September 8

Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison is the state’s largest shoreline park, with over two miles of land to roam with views of the Long Island Sound in the background.

We spent an hour or so here and we found quite a few birds on the trails and a few in the marsh.

Hammonasset Beach State Park

Blue Heron carved into the wooden shingles

turtle carved into the wooden shingles

Willow Flycatcher

Song Sparrow

Eastern Phoebe

Black and White Warbler

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Red-eyed Vireo

Common Yellowthroat - female

European Starlings

Great Egret

Greater Yellowlegs

Little Blue Heron

Common Yellowlegs

We checked out the beach before heading to lunch for Connecticut Hot Lobster Rolls.

Lobster Landing in Clinton is rated one of the best, so we ate there and were not disappointed. Unlike yesterday, these were hot and buttery with lots of lobster claws on a buttery roll. When most people think of lobster rolls two things come to mind: Maine and mayonnaise. While that is the more traditional way to serve lobster rolls, sometime in the 1920s a restaurant in Milford named Perry's decided to swap the mayo for clarified butter and serve the sandwich served warm instead of chilled. Not surprisingly, this new roll was a hit, and was named for its state of origin. Though Perry’s is long gone, the rolls are found all over Connecticut.

We went for some ice cream before driving to Stony Creek.

The Thimble islands are off the coast of Connecticut in Long Island Sound. They are an archipelago of tiny, storied islands. One of the Thimble Islands is so small, it holds nothing more than a gazebo. We met for the tour on the Sea Mist for the 45 minute tour around the tiny islands. The Captain told us a lot of stories of pirate treasure, circus legend Tom Thumb and a newlywed couple's revenge on a meddling mother-in-law. We had such a beautiful sunny day to enjoy the scattering of small islands. We sat on the top deck to enjoy the sun and the wind.

Depending on the height of the tide and your definition of an island, there are anywhere from 100 to 300 islets within three miles of Stony Creek. These pink granite islands range in size from less than a half-acre to 12 acres, with around 23 of them inhabited. Locals attribute the name of the chain to the thimbleberry, a relative of the black raspberry said to be previously found here.

The islands are all different in appearance. Some are bare granite, while others are thickly wooded, and still others are elaborately trimmed with houses, gazebos and docks. Houses range from small, rustic cottages to gingerbread Victorians and even a Tudor-style mansion. Many of the islands have city water piped from the mainland, though only a handful have electricity, and there are no automobiles. All but one is privately owned, and there are no hotels or public lodging.

the Sea Mist boat we took

we walked around Stony Creek until it was time to board

Captain Dave's boat leaving for their tour (same size boat except no top deck)

the map of the Thimble Islands on the restrooms

we sat on the top deck in the back

flag on our boat

Osprey with a fish

this is the one with only a gazebo

We had planned to visit Lighthouse Point Park, but it was $25 to enter and all we wanted to do was see the lighthouse, so we skipped that. We did get a distant glimpse of a different lighthouse called the Southwest Ledge Light.