New London Ledge
by
Jim Streeter

1.  I grew up in Groton  (by the way, the New London Ledge Lighthouse is actually in Groton) and spent a considerable amount of time at the Eastern Point Beach park which is on land directly south east of the lighthouse.  As a teenager I spent many a night sitting on the rocks with my first found love and watching the "submarine races".  I recall how beautiful and romantic it was to sit and hold this girl in my arms as we watched the light cast its red and white rays of light upon us.  Also, on those not so clear nights, I recall how we listened to the deep and recurring sounds of the foghorn from  the lighthouse.  I was fortunate to have married this same teenage love and over thirty-eight years later we were blessed with the opportunity to give a little of ourselves back to the same lighthouse which meant so much to our relationship.

2.  During the day and one half which was spent at the lighthouse a great variety of marine traffic was observed passing by the structure.  For those that don't remember, let me refresh your memory and list the ones that I recall:  a nuclear submarine, a small cruise ship; several different ferry boats (one with a fire truck as cargo);  two United States Navy Seal gun boats; a harbor pilot boat; several small fishing boats; several yachts; several pleasure craft; a fishing dragger with outriggers extended; several lobster boats; numerous sail boats of various sizes, a tug boat with a barge in tow;  a United States Coast Guard patrol boat; a Navy [river] security patrol boat; several small local police boats; the Project Oceanography boat; a lighthouse tour boat; two water jet ski boats and two kayaks.

With all of these different crafts I can't help but wonder what the hell the first lighthouse keeper would have thought.  Can you imagine what would happen if, in his second or third life, he was returned to the lighthouse today!!  We probably would have a second "Ernie" on our hands. 

3.  I think one of my fondest memories of the NELL New London Ledge Lighthouse trip which I will always remember will be how seven people from different walks of life all bonded together as a team to accomplish a common goal for the weekend.  The friendships we developed over that weekend will last a lifetime and I for one will always refer to the work we accomplished, as well as our overnight stay at the lighthouse, as a "WE DID IT!" story