Beyond the Vision: Exploring Sheffield Island Norwalk Connecticut

Sheffield Island is a small island located just off the coast in Norwalk, CT. It is an approx. 3 hour tour (I'm not kidding!). The Ferry departs at 11:00 am at the Sheffield Island Dock adjacent to the Stroffolino Bridge and the corner of Washington & N. Water St.

The lighthouse was built in 1868 and retired in 1902.It is maintained by the Norwalk seaport association and is now a museum for visitors to experience a glimpse of history.

The island is definitely worth visiting for an afternoon excursion. The 45 minute ferry ride (with narrated tour guide) to the island is a scenic and fun adventure all on its own. Kids especially will enjoy the raising of Stroffolino Bridge as the ferry passes under. We enjoyed the fresh sea air and the general good spirits of passers by. The friendly smiles and waves as the ferry journeys out to sea invokes a general feeling of delightful seaward camaraderie.

In approaching the island, the view of the lighthouse is quite splendid. The old stone structure stands peacefully yet solidly in the center of the island, while surrounded by a medley of sea blues and greens. Even though it was thickly overcast on our visit, the hazy ambiance as we arrived was almost magical.

Exploration of the lighthouse and grounds is a treat. The lighthouse with its beautiful historic stone construction and gracefully curved windows with original shutters captures my attention. As always, I am drawn to interesting windows and the gentle light they cast upon the objects inside. The house itself is filled with an eclectic mix of museum-like items from all periods of time. Many of the items and furnishings are fascinating antiques with a unique story of their own to tell. On this particular trip the Lighthouse was filled with beautiful quilts from the Norwalk Quilt Trail.

Surrounding the lighthouse are public grounds which are well kept for tourists to enjoy. The beaches are filled with shells of all sorts, sea life, and large rocks. There is a covered picnic area and tables in and around which makes for a pleasant BYO picnic lunch.We brought a blanket and spread out on the lawn, which worked out well until the flies came. This particular day was extremely hot with temps soaring near 100 degrees, so perhaps this is why the flies and bugs were so plentiful. Regardless, I do suggest you bring a (safe and natural) bug repellent with you, just in case.

There is a very nice nature trail which goes through the Stewart B. McKinney Wildlife Refuge (see picture below). The sign states that you will hear a "symphony of sounds" and it true. A variety of birds, crickets, and sea sounds can be heard all along the trail. At the end, there is a boardwalk which leads up to a lookout. Even at a leisurely pace, the entire trail hike takes only about 15 minutes (to and from).

The ferry began its return to the mainland promptly at 1:15 which provided more than enough time to explore the island and lighthouse, and to enjoy our picnic lunch. A very pleasant way to spend an afternoon in Norwalk, CT.