By Mike Verrico
One couldn’t have asked for a better day than this past Sunday to have the 11th annual “Experience the Sound” hosted by the Town of Greenwich Shellfish Commission at Greenwich Point Park. With the sun out, it was a perfect day to appreciate to beauty of Greenwich Cove.
The theme for the event was “From Streams Through Soil to Sea” to emphasize that the local ecology in your own backyard is connected to the Sound and to encourage the public to be good caretakers of the land and the Sound.
With the backdrop of Greenwich Cove, the goal of the Shellfish Commission is to expand the local community’s awareness of the coastal marine life, nature, outdoor recreational pursuits, and the environment by showcasing local organizations and the educational institutions that care for and promote them.
There were plenty of activities for anyone of all ages to enjoy which took place around the Innis Arden Cottage, the Old Greenwich Yacht Club and its docks, and the old mansion area at Greenwich Point.
One could take in a viewing of the nature documentary “Osprey” by cinematographer Jacob Steinberg at Eagle Pond in Greenwich Point. “Osprey” is about an osprey pair who has built a nest in Eagle Pond each year for ten years. It is a fascinating look as Osprey follows the return of a life-long pair to their summer breeding site in Greenwich, Conn. Once a year the birds return to this quiet suburban inlet of the Long Island Sound to restore the nest they originally built years ago, each time raising a new clutch of offspring.
There was also the reopening of the Bruce Museum Seaside Center for the 2017 season. Kids of all ages enjoyed seeing, touching, and holding crabs, shellfish, small fish, and other under-water creatures in a large live-animal marine touch tank. Located at Greenwich Point in the Innis Arden Cottage, the Bruce Seaside Museum aims to educate visitors about the ecology of Long Island Sound and environmental issues. The Center offers seasonal family programs, like guided nature walks and scientific research projects.
With its many trails along the water, Greenwich Point is ideal for cyclists and fittingly, in partnership with” Experience the Sound” the Greenwich Historical Society held a historical bicycle tour of Greenwich Point.
The tour stopped at several locations with historical significance to the town and the park. As the group looped around the Point they stopped to hear stories, an took a closer look at some of the ruins of Tod’s mansion as well as vintage photos from the Historical Society’s collection.
If its summertime, it must be time for a raw bar and there was one courtesy of local commercial shellfishing companies Atlantic Clam Farms and the Hemlock Oyster Company. Located at the docks of Old Greenwich Yacht Club, oysters and clams could not shucked fast enough as a steady stream of eager people waited to enjoy nature’s finest. According to the proprietors, it was the busiest year at the event.
Those who were lucky enough got a special chance at the “Experience the Sound” to Board-a Boat. One could tour the Atlantic Clam Barge with its cutting edge technology that improves the water quality and biodiversity of the Sound while collecting clams or enjoy the Town of Greenwich Shellfish Commission’s water sampling boat and see how the how the Commission ensures that local clams and oysters are completely safe to harvest. The Town of Greenwich’s Police Boat was also available to tour and used by the Greenwich Police Marine section to provide law enforcement and emergency services on Greenwich’s 31 miles of coastline.
On a first come, first serve basis, the highlight was to hop on the Schooner Soundwaters (Soundwaters based in Stamford) an 80 foot, three-masted representation of a 19th Century Sharpie Schooner used for teaching science to students of all ages with a mission of protecting the Long Island Sound.
The trip was nearly two hours of beautiful and memorable sailing through the breathtaking views and beauty of Greenwich Harbor and of Long Island Sound. For those who were on board, it was certainly not a dull experience.
Sun block was needed as the sun was out with a few clouds before the maiden voyage. Through word of mouth it was advised to board the vessel before its launch into the Harbor. The advice was well heeded as the vessel took sail, led by Captain Michael Bagley (Direct of Marine Operations at SoundWaters) and several people were left stranded on the dock hoping to board only to be disappointed.
The concern for the fair-skinned dimmed as the clouds appeared, leading to comfortable and pleasant weather which made for relaxation and an appreciation of the gentle rocking of the waves on the Schooner .
One can easily forget that the weather can change rapidly on the Long Island Sound, and this was the case on Sunday. For nearly an hour into the trip, one’s care and stresses in life were gone as you were lulled into the waters’ timeless rhythms.
However, those clouds turned ominous and the gentle winds grew more intense. As quickly as one can imagine, a gail came in forcing the crew of the Schooner to hasten down the masts. Captain Bagley, calming but direct, gave orders to his crew, and the passengers hunkered down as the winds came and a hard drizzle of rain came down. You had no choice but to sit still and ride the storm out. The gail lasted all of five minutes, but it was five minutes that those on board were not to forget anytime soon. It was exhilarating and fun, enjoyable to be taken out of your comfort zone. The voyage back was of planning to tell friends of their Andrea Gail moment from the movie The Perfect Storm
Overall, “Experience The Sound” proved to be a fun and educational day for all, as the weather held up and some memories were made.
