Full Transcript for Episode 3: Making Waves in Connecticut

history of the earth. 00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:46.400 We have so many waterfalls, partly because we have a lot of water. 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:58.000 We get between an average of 47 and 52 inches of rain a year, which is higher than Massachusetts or Rhode Island. 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:02.879 And that's partly because of Long Island Sound. 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:11.520 Because we have moist air coming from Long Island Sound blowing north, but it's very flat towards the sound. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:23.439 And so as the air rises when it comes into the higher areas, cools slightly, you reach the dew point, the water comes out of the air, the clouds, and you get rain. 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:26.000 And so we have a lot of rain. 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:32.479 And then with all of these fractures, we basically have a sponge with all those little holes that sponges have. 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:38.960 And we have those holes because of our fractured rock, but then also because of what happened with the glaciers. 00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:46.319 But way before the glaciers, 200 million years ago, after these oceans had come together, there was a giant continent. 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:54.560 And it was there were giant continents earlier, but this particular giant continent is one many people have heard of called Pangaea. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:59.039 So during Pangaea time, we were connected to Africa. 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:09.840 And we don't know what happens to create a new ocean, but we know it happened. 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:15.439 And so North America and Africa started to rift apart. 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:19.439 And when they rift apart, it isn't like a straight zipper. 00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:21.839 They're like these little side zippers. 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:25.600 And one of those little side zippers is the Hartford Basin. 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:26.160 Oh. 00:04:26.560 --> 00:04:36.240 The Hartford Basin, if things had gone differently, the east side would be in Africa and the west side would be in North America. 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:38.399 That's kind of wild to think about. 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:40.319 It is wild to think about. 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:53.920 It's all about the rocks and what's happened to the rocks. 00:04:54.639 --> 00:05:04.319 Because in addition to these tectonic activities I've mentioned, right now we have a big overprint on what happened during the glaciers. 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:07.759 So first of all, we have this rift basin. 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:22.160 So that's to me, when I think of the rift basin, I think of the East African Rift, where you have faulted rocks and then you have a string of little volcanoes and lakes. 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:24.639 The East African Rift Valley is full of lakes. 00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:27.680 So we have a rift valley that goes up into Massachusetts. 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:38.240 It doesn't go north into New Hampshire and Vermont, but it does go into Massachusetts, and that's a line of weakness, and that's where the Connecticut River flows. 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:40.079 So we have that. 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:53.920 Then we also have when the glaciers, so we have this weakness in the crust, where we have this rift basin, and then we have the glaciers that came like 200 million years later. 00:05:54.720 --> 00:06:01.600 And when they came, they gouged out large stretches, particularly softer rocks. 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:10.240 And so we have scours where the glaciers made a long little hole where the water could go. 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:16.560 And there are also places where it just made scooped out little basins and water could collect there. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:30.000 And then one really fun thing is sometimes when a glacier is uh retreating, bits of chunks of ice break off and they sit there and they melt. 00:06:30.319 --> 00:06:33.600 And now you have another pond, and those are often called kettle ponds. 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:40.319 And we have a kettle pond state park in Connecticut from one of these bits of ice that's stuck there. 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:55.600 Another cool thing is because we have uh Long Island Sound, which is an estuary, which is a mixing of fresh and salt water, a lot of that salt water goes up the Connecticut River, Connecticut Long Tidal River. 00:06:56.079 --> 00:07:12.959 So it goes up the river and we have a basically a it's an estuary too, the Connecticut River till some people say Hartford, but probably Cromwell is a big tidal river with salt moving up and down, or at least the water. 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:34.800 One of the things that's amazing to me is in the world there are these places called Ramsar sites sites, Ramsar sites, and these were designated beginning in 1971, uh wetlands of uh international importance. 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:37.839 Well the Connecticut River is one of those. 00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:50.399 And if you think about it, it's so amazing because other places, for example, another Ramsar site in uh the US are the Everglades, the Chesapeake Bay. 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:50.879 Wow. 00:07:51.040 --> 00:08:03.759 So we have a few of these, and we have it right here in Connecticut, and the mouth of the Connecticut River has you know, you can canoe there, you can kayak there, you can take a sailboat, you can do all kinds of things there. 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:15.839 But it's such an important place for ecology and hydrology and studying what's happening with the migration patterns of all these, particularly birds. 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:32.639 And um in terms of like what I actually do on a weekly basis, I have a dog and there's a state park in Connecticut, Wadsworth Falls State Park, which is a five-minute drive from my house. 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:35.679 And I have a dog who likes to run. 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:44.639 And we go there a couple times a week in the morning, and there's a brook, Laurel Brook, which isn't connected. 00:08:44.720 --> 00:09:02.639 I

I don't think it's connected to the waterfalls, but you can still go to the waterfalls, but there's a path along it, the Laurel Brook path, and it is just so magical to see the water, and both uh the surroundings and the amount change as the year progresses. 00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:14.159 So, you know, in the winter there's crusty ice and maybe icicles, and it it has that magical winter look to it, and then in the spring it just booms with water. 00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:15.120 There's so much water. 00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:18.399 It's like this I wouldn't walk across it, even though it's a brook. 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:19.039 Yeah. 00:09:19.200 --> 00:09:20.720 That water's moving fast. 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:27.200 And then the plants are starting to come out, and it's I just love looking at spring flowers. 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:46.000 In the summer, not so much water, but you can see more of the rocks that are exposed, because it's in the Hartford Basin sedimentary sequence, so you can see the layers of rocks where dinosaurs used to roam and fish used to swim in the in the rock fossils. 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:46.559 Yeah. 00:09:46.799 --> 00:09:47.840 You can see that. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:52.320 So I mean, not walking by, but you know they're there. 00:09:52.799 --> 00:10:02.080 Yeah, I I just think we're so fortunate to have such such and so many and varied beautiful water places to visit. 00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:07.919 Of course, when your state is named after a river, you have to start there. 00:10:08.159 --> 00:10:12.240 Connecticut literally translates to Long Tidal River in Algonquin. 00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:15.120 So the Connecticut River is the obvious place to begin. 00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:19.759 It's one of the state's defining features, historically and geographically. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:24.559 It has carried commerce, connected towns, and shaped communities for centuries. 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:29.200 Towns like Middletown and Haddam have always lived with the river as part of their identity. 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:36.720 Whether that means scenic views, working waterfront history, or just the simple fact that the river changes how a town feels. 00:10:36.960 --> 00:10:41.039 The river is more than just an obstacle you have to go up 84 to cross, though. 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:50.879 Take a hike alongside the banks at Haddam Meadows State Park, or if you've got a boat, try Selden Neck State Park in Lyme, which is only accessible from the water. 00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:53.840 Of course, you could always have the boat come to you. 00:10:54.080 --> 00:11:01.519 Take a ride on the Chester had Lime Ferry, in operation since before the Revolutionary War, and see the Connecticut River from your car. 00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:04.960 But the Connecticut isn't the only majestic river around. 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:11.519 One of Connecticut's greatest summer playgrounds, the Farmington River, is tubing territory, fishing territory. 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:14.159 It's picnic near the water territory. 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:25.039 Farmington River tubing in New Hartford gives you the chance to go in thinking you're about to have a calm float, and two miles down the river you've spun around backwards in the third set of rapids and are bumping into somebody else. 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:27.679 Well, everyone is laughing too hard to care. 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:35.360 You start the day thinking you're in a nature moment, and end it with wet shoes, a sunburn, and a plan to do it again next year. 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:40.559 And then there's the Housatonic River, which deserves more attention than it sometimes gets. 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:45.039 It's beautiful, important, and deeply tied to conservation in the state. 00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:50.240 It's great for canoeing and photography, but it also reminds you that rivers need care. 00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:59.679 They're not just scenery, they're living parts of the landscape, and they remind us to keep moving, or at least keep floating in the right direction. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:04.559 From the rivers, we moved to Connecticut's more chill water zone, lakes. 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:09.360 And you have to start with Candlewood Lake, spanning across Fairfield and Lichfield counties. 00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:17.600 The small state has roughly 3,000 lakes, but this is the biggest one by area, and it's the place to go as soon as the weather gets warm enough. 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:22.799 People go there to fish, float, and generally just relax for a few hours. 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:34.960 Candlewood, being man-made and formed by flooding land, is filled with old stories attached to it, right down to the small farming villages, largely abandoned before the flooding project, that now rest underwater. 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:37.120 You might catch me on a boat out there. 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:41.840 But there's all sorts of water sports like paddleboarding, which you won't see me attempting. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:43.600 I don't have the balance for that. 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:46.159 But if you do, it looks like so much fun. 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:54.240 For a quieter charm, the sort of place where you can actually hear yourself think while you're out on the water, try Bantam Lake in Lichfield County. 00:12:54.399 --> 00:13:00.320 Same with Lake Lilinona, which doesn't allow swimming, but is great for the sort of kayaking I can get behind. 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:02.960 The kind where you're just drifting around in summer mode. 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:05.840 No one is in a rush, and everyone has a cooler. 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:17.519 And if you want something smaller and more family-friendly, Bolton Lake, which is actually three lakes, and Mansfield Hollow, are the kinds of places that work beautifully for a low-key afternoon. 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:21.519 Just show up, spread out a blanket, and enjoy a simple day outside. 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:36.720

I got to spend a little time talking to Deputy Commissioner Mason Trumbull at DEEP, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, about Connecticut Lakes and all of our other bodies of water, and what DEEP is doing to keep us and our waterways safe this summer. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:39.039 Well, hello, Amanda. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:40.320 My name is Mason Trumbull. 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:46.240 I'm the Deputy Commissioner for Environmental Conservation at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:47.919 It's a bit of a mouthful. 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:51.600 I like to say I have one of the funnest jobs in state government. 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:54.080 I oversee everything related to the outdoors. 00:13:54.240 --> 00:14:04.720 So state parks, forests, uh boating, anything that involves getting outside of Connecticut, uh also making sure we conserve our natural resources. 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:10.879 So think uh fisheries, forestry, wildlife, all those um natural resources that make the outdoors so special. 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:15.679 Connecticut in regards to water has a huge variety. 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:22.960 Uh you can kayak in a lake in the morning and then tube down a river in the afternoon and then watch the sunset over the Long Island Sound at night. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:31.279 How does deep balance keeping all of these different water experiences accessible while also protecting them for future generations? 00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:33.919 That's a great question. 00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:41.679 We do have some incredible natural waterways and water bodies here in Connecticut. 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:53.360 Really, in order for folks to go outside and enjoy the outdoors in in any respect, but especially on waterways, uh it's important to make sure it's important to us to make sure uh that we first and foremost protect them. 00:14:53.600 --> 00:14:57.360 So we have a water quality uh monitoring program here in the state. 00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:04.000 Uh we know that uh watersheds are protected through making sure we have public lands to protect those water bodies. 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:18.240 So we preserve, we work to preserve not just the water bodies themselves, but the shorelines around those water bodies to make sure that even though we're a small state and a densely populated state, we have plenty of opportunities to have a really uh unique and pristine experience on our water bodies. 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:21.440 So being out on the water is kind of a beloved pastime. 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:21.919 I don't know. 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:22.960 Like I grew up doing that. 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:30.799 What goes into making sure all of these experiences, lakes, rivers, uh spending time on the shoreline, stay safe and sustainable? 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:45.919 Aaron Powell From a sustainability perspective, we want to make sure that we have responsible outdoor recreation on our state lands

and making sure that we're preserving and conserving those lands and the resources so the fish, the wildlife that make those public lands so special. 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:49.440 And so we have a variety of programs here at DEEP designed to do that. 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:54.799 For folks who want to get out and enjoy those water bodies, our goal is to provide equitable uh access to the outdoors. 00:15:54.960 --> 00:16:03.759 So making sure that we have we have a system of over a hundred boat launches across Connecticut to allow folks to get out on those water bodies. 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:07.679 And then um we also have, you know, we also encourage folks to leave no trace. 00:16:07.759 --> 00:16:16.159 So if you, whether you're in a park, a forest, or on one of our water bodies, uh pack in, pack out, make sure that you leave uh those natural resources better uh than you found out. 00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:17.919 Leave with everything you came with. 00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:18.879 Exactly. 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:19.919 Leave nothing behind. 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:27.120 Take only memories, take pictures and memories and and uh make sure you pack out all your trash and uh don't leave a trace. 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:38.559 Aaron Powell Long Island Sound doesn't get the same hype as like the ocean sometimes, uh, but Connecticut technically only has like a tiny little bit of shore uh in Stonington. 00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:40.960 But I I love the sound. 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:44.240 In your opinion, what makes the sound special? 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:48.799 Long Island Sounds uh it is pretty special here in Connecticut. 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:59.120 And as a father of young children, I think some of our coastline here in Connecticut is some of the most accessible and best coastlines that you can bring, uh especially young families to. 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:10.160 We we do have some gentle waves here in the state that the kids can play in, but you're not looking at some of the larger, you know, more powerful waves that you t would traditionally see on the the open Atlantic coastline. 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:21.440 So just from a the a children and and kind of a more peaceful uh beach experience, I think we have we have some pretty unique beaches here in Connecticut that provide uh a pretty special family-friendly experience. 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:22.319 Aaron Powell Oh, I like that. 00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:30.480 I didn't even think about and I take my daughter to the shore every summer, and I didn't even think about like the beaches being a lot more chill because we're on the sound. 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:31.039 That's nice. 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:31.680 It is. 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:37.759 And of course, you know, uh as any beach, uh there are still dangers with currents and waves and and water. 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:48.079 So we do have, you know, to your to your point earlier, we do have lifeguards uh at many of our state park beaches, not all of them, but if you go to our website, ctparse.com, uh you can see what beaches have lifeguards. 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:52.480 We have lifeguards starting at Memorial Day weekend, and that'll increase uh coverage through July 4th. 00:17:52.559 --> 00:18:03.759 And from July 4th uh through the peak of the summer, we have uh consistent coverage on many of our beaches, not all, but many, uh, to be able to provide safety uh for families and uh folks who want to get out in the water as well. 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:06.720 I grew up on um kind of like a lake area. 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:14.160 And I when I was growing up uh in the summer, we'd go fishing occasionally, kind of back on the lake, we'd take a boat out, um, you know, cast a rod. 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:19.200 I haven't done that since I was a kid, but I do know a lot of people around here who love to fish. 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:27.599 Can you talk about if you wanted to start fishing as a Connecticut resident and you've never done that this summer, what do you what do you need to do? 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:29.039 Like what does that entail? 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:33.920 We have many different ways and varieties of fishing here in the state, and I can take you through some of them. 00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:39.599 So to hit your example first, the traditional kind of lakeside or lake fishing experience. 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:45.599 We have our biggest and best lake here in Connecticut uh is Candlewood Lake from a boating and fishing perspective. 00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:51.759 It's the most popular over 5,000 square or 5,000 acres, uh, over eight square miles. 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:54.640 So it's a big lake in northwestern Connecticut. 00:18:54.720 --> 00:18:57.599 We have two boat launches on that lake, Lattins Cove and Squant's Cove. 00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:01.680 Latin's Cove's in Danbury and Squant's Cove is further up the lake. 00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:03.599 So to provide, you know, it's a big lake. 00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:05.839 We want to provide ample access for people to get out on it. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:08.799 Great fishing, great boating, and it sees a lot of use. 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:12.079 So it's a busy, it's a busy lake in the summer, uh, no doubt about it. 00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:16.720 But it is, if if folks are looking for that, a big lake experience canded with Lake Zit. 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:24.799 That being said, we have many lakes and ponds across the entire state, many of them smaller, but maybe less on the radar as well. 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:27.359 So really cool opportunities to explore those. 00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:31.359 If you want to fish, we have a trout stocking map or a stocking map online. 00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:43.359 So you can go online and uh look at where in the state uh we've stocked and look at that visually on a map so you can find the lakes and ponds near your where you live or where you want to recreate. 00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:50.640 And it also

shows you like when we stock, so you can try to uh time your trips to take advantage of those fishing opportunities. 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:56.079 So uh lots and lots of opportunities all across the state, eastern western Connecticut, uh, to do that. 00:19:56.319 --> 00:20:00.960 Boating and fishing is the number one driver of the outdoor recreation economy in Connecticut. 00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:03.039 And one of the reasons for the I don't think I knew that. 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:03.359 Yeah. 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:07.680 We actually so we actually have the second largest outdoor recreation economy in all of New England. 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:09.119 Um in our little state? 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:10.000 In our little state. 00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:20.319 And so some of those traditional quote unquote outdoorsy states uh that you think about in May, New Hampshire, Vermont, we actually have a larger outdoor recreation economy than than all of those states. 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:22.799 So one of the reasons for that is our shoreline. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:25.039 And so you mentioned Long Island Sound. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:29.519 Uh we have an incredible shoreline here in Connecticut with lots of opportunities to saltwater fish. 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:40.720 So whether you want to go out for striped bass, blue fish, you want to go farther out to try to go for tuna, black sea bass, lots of opportunities right here in Long Island Sound, and then farther out if you want to bow it out even further. 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:48.400 So we have many merinos, many charter services, lots of boat launches that we maintain on Long Island Sound as well. 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:55.440 And so really cool opportunities if you want to try to do some saltwater fishing to get out on the water here in Connecticut and do some of that as well. 00:20:55.519 --> 00:21:08.880 Aaron Ross Powell If you could get every Connecticut resident and visitor to do one thing differently when they're enjoying our lakes and rivers and shorelines, or um something that would help protect the places, what would you encourage people to do? 00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:13.039 We have the Passport to Parks program here in Connecticut. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:24.720 And I would and the Passport to Parks program allows anyone with a Connecticut registered vehicle to enter any state park or forest uh without a parking fee. 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:25.440 Oh wow. 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:32.720 And so just to put that in perspective, if as an out-of-state resident, if you want to go to one of our popular beachside state parks, Sam Manassa State Park, is$22 for the day. 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:34.480 Reasonable, a very reasonable fee. 00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:41.119 Uh but as a Connecticut resident with a Connecticut registered vehicle, you can go um to a state park without paying a parking fee. 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:47.839 And so I would encourage every state resident to visit at least at a bare minimum, go

to one park every year. 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:48.319 Yeah. 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:49.839 That makes it so accessible? 00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:50.720 So accessible. 00:21:50.880 --> 00:21:54.960 And the nice thing about it is we have 142 state parks squished into a very tiny state. 00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:59.839 To kind of put that into perspective, uh, New Jersey has approximately 30 to 40 state parks. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.160 State parks, Rhode Island has 15 to 16. 00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:04.960 So, like we have a lot of state parks in a very similar area. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:09.039 So chances are there's a state park near where you work or where you live. 00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:13.200 And so the Passport of Parts program allows you to go on your lunch break. 00:22:13.359 --> 00:22:21.119 Maybe just it's as simple as eating lunch, swinging into the state park with your car and having a 15-minute lunch break and just w watching the waves. 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:22.160 Enjoying it, yeah. 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:22.559 Right. 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:26.319 Maybe on your way home from work, you go to a state park and go for a quick run. 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:28.079 And I'll I'll take it one step further too. 00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:30.160 You ask them what can folks do to protect the parts? 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:33.119 Well, if you first of all, the first step is visiting, right? 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:34.319 Go check it out. 00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:44.000 And then once you find that park, that river, that outdoor space that means a lot to you, then find out how you can take care of that space. 00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:46.240 So maybe it's a maybe it's a beach cleanup. 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:52.079 Maybe it's as simple as advocating for support, for funding, et cetera, for those public lands. 00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:59.599 Maybe it's volunteering or taking a class through one of our uh wildlife or forestry programs to better understand how you can protect those natural resources. 00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:08.160 So there's lots of things that you can do to help protect those resources, but it starts with, first of all, understanding where they are, why you like them. 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:14.240 And then once you once you find the outside place that's special to you, then you can find a way to take care of that place. 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:17.200 And protect your little corner of your nature. 00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:18.559 Exactly. 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:29.440 Though the lakes and rivers have an outsized share of the state's natural beauty, Connecticut also has some incredible hikes that lead to my personal favorite water feature, the waterfall. 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:32.880 Kent Falls State Park is the obvious star here. 00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:37.759 It has that classic layered cascading look, especially when the mist catches the light. 00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:42.880 The trail is short but stare-heavy, moving upwards alongside the falls as you go. 00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:47.680 Best of all though, it's an easy stop for a picnic and a quick photo op. 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:55.279 Then there's Chapman Falls at Devil's Hopyard State Park, which gives you beauty and folklore at the same time. 00:23:55.759 --> 00:24:00.160 Even the name sounds like somebody was trying to make the place memorable, and it worked. 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:06.480 It's one of those classic Connecticut spots where the scenery is strong, and the story around it only makes it better. 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:12.400 And if you want something a little less crowded, Enders Falls in Granby is a great pick. 00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:17.599 Like Kent Falls, there's no challenging hike required, just some stairs. 00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:23.759 You hear the water before you see it, and then you get there and think, yeah, this was worth the drive. 00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:26.640 Unlike the others, it's a quick visit. 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:28.160 But it doesn't have to be. 00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:30.880 You can just sit and enjoy the ambiance. 00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:37.920 I love a waterfall because, to me, it makes the day feel slower and a little more peaceful. 00:24:38.160 --> 00:24:40.160 It's hard to get a bad photo of one. 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:53.200 Whether I'm in a swimmable spot like Chapman Falls, or standing at a viewpoint like Enders, the sound of the water and the excitement from those around me make the state's waterfalls some of the best shared joys in the Connecticut outdoors. 00:24:53.519 --> 00:25:00.240 Okay, here's a little interlude, because Connecticut's water story isn't just about where you jump in or dip your toes. 00:25:00.400 --> 00:25:04.640 It's about what ends up in your glass, your pint, and even your pizza dough. 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:11.440 Village Springs is one of those behind-the-scenes players that most people never think about, but its water is everywhere. 00:25:11.599 --> 00:25:19.759 With water that comes straight from Springs in Ellington, you can find it filling anything from private label individual bottles to five-gallon commercial dispenser jugs. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:21.759 Same with the local soda. 00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:33.519 Fox in Park, Hosmer Mountain, and Averies, who turn Connecticut water into the fizzy stuff that shows up at picnics, delis, supermarkets, ice cream shops, and so many other places around the state. 00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:36.880 If you haven't tried them all, this summer is a good time to start. 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:41.200 The flavors are creative, and the list is longer than you might expect. 00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:46.880 All three have hub stores that you can buy bottles from directly, in addition to their distribution across the state. 00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:49.599 The water doesn't just show up in soda, though. 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:53.039 It's in places where people don't always realize they're tasting Connecticut. 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:55.839 Take Athletic

Brewing Company based in Milford. 00:25:56.079 --> 00:26:00.079 They're brewing non-alcoholic craft beer you can drink anywhere. 00:26:00.319 --> 00:26:09.839 With a presence in dozens of stores across central Connecticut, and even more flavors available for shipping nationwide, they're using local water, which is key to the flavor. 00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:17.039 Good ingredients and very clean, very intentional water highlights something on the more wonderfully odd end of the spectrum. 00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:18.720 H2 dough. 00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:24.880 It's canned New Haven tap water, designed specifically so you can make New Haven style a pizza at home. 00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:32.079 The idea is that the water here is such a big part of what makes the pizza dough work that you can't fake it with whatever comes out of your faucet. 00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:39.759 So they just put the real thing in a can, included a recipe guide and a video tutorial, and made it available to the world. 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:45.839 We're going to do a deep dive into pizza in a couple of months, but until then, try your hand at a pie at home. 00:26:46.160 --> 00:26:56.720 So yes, this is a water episode, but it's always worth remembering that the same water that feeds the lakes and rivers also runs through our taps, bottling lines, breweries, soda plants, and pizza dough. 00:26:56.880 --> 00:27:03.680 It's obviously in the things we drink, the food we brag about, and the small local businesses that make this place feel like home. 00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:06.559 Just remember to recycle the can or bottle when you're done. 00:27:06.880 --> 00:27:09.200 Drink in hand, we head to the coast. 00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:13.440 Because Connecticut may be small, but it absolutely knows how to do shoreline. 00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:19.440 Start with Hammanasset Beach State Park, or Hamo, if you want to sound like you've been going there forever. 00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:22.960 If it's a good summer day, the entire state might show up. 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:25.279 But the crowds are there for a reason. 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:33.039 Toddlers, grandparents, teenagers, retirees, people carrying too many chairs, everyone covered in sunscreen. 00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:43.039 Hamo has its signature Long Beach at two miles, but there's also 550 campsites, hiking, and bird watching in the nature preserve, which is super exciting to me. 00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:47.680 I don't know what's happened in the last five years, but I've become obsessed with birds. 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:55.279 From there, you can ride along I-95, or even better, Route 1, looking out over Long Island Sound. 00:27:55.519 --> 00:27:57.680 It's not the open ocean, technically. 00:27:57.920 --> 00:27:59.920 At least not until you hit Stonington. 00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:02.079 But it has its own pull. 00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:09.119 The sound shapes the towns along it, bringing the seafood culture, the boat traffic, and the sunsets.

00:28:10.079 --> 00:28:18.559 Then there are the Thimble Islands, a couple hundred small rocky outcrops, twenty-five of which are large enough to have an array of summer cottages perched on top. 00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:22.559 And it's exactly the kind of place that makes people start telling stories. 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:25.519 A cruise through the islands feels special right away. 00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:29.279 So special that it's a popular location for a wedding cruise. 00:28:29.519 --> 00:28:35.200 The landscape is gorgeous, and there's always some local lore floating around about pirates and buried treasure. 00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:39.599 Several operators run boat tours in the area, and these are a must. 00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:43.200 Most of them offer single tickets to join a tour that runs about an hour. 00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:45.359 But many can be chartered for groups. 00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:49.039 Seeing the shoreline from the water changes the whole experience. 00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:54.880 Add in a little kayaking around the islands, and suddenly you're having one of those magic summer days. 00:28:55.200 --> 00:28:59.920 Ocean Beach Park in New London is one of Connecticut's classic seaside boardwalks. 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:11.839 It's got a long stretch of soft sand, calm sound-facing water that's great for kids, and a full boardwalk stacked with mini golf, water slides, an Olympic-sized pool, arcade games, rides. 00:29:12.079 --> 00:29:19.279 And if you just got done listening to last month's podcast, way too many opportunities to say, okay, fine, one more ice cream. 00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:26.799 You can spend the morning swimming, the afternoon drifting between the pool in rides, and the evening strolling the boardwalk. 00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:30.079 So far, the water's been pretty serene. 00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:31.599 Let's fix that. 00:29:31.920 --> 00:29:38.000 Lake Compounds is where Connecticut reminds you that water can also be part of pure joyful chaos. 00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:44.000 It's the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the country, which already gives it bragging rights. 00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:49.599 But the water rides in the section known as Crocodile Cove push it into a whole other category. 00:29:49.839 --> 00:30:00.880 Make an easy day out of two wave pools, playgrounds, multiple water slides, a lazy river, splash zones, and that change of clothes you meant to bring, but definitely left in the car. 00:30:01.039 --> 00:30:03.279 I would recommend trying not to do that. 00:30:03.519 --> 00:30:04.960 Ask me how I know. 00:30:05.359 --> 00:30:09.039 This is a place where your shoes are going to be wet whether you planned for it or not. 00:30:09.200 --> 00:30:20.240 Arrive early to beat the crowds, stake out a spot near your favorite attraction, bring some sandals, and enjoy the contrast between the still of an actual lake and the thrill of the adventure rides here. 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:24.480 As I've mentioned, the water throughout the state has always had a purpose. 00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:28.000 It moved goods, people, ideas, and armies. 00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:30.799 It connected places before the highways came in. 00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:34.559 It powered the mills and factories that drove the Industrial Revolution. 00:30:34.720 --> 00:30:40.720 The waste that once filled the Connecticut River spawned the environmental movement in New England and eventually the country. 00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:45.519 So now we widen the lens a little, because this summer isn't just any summer. 00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:51.519 We're in the lead up to America's 250th anniversary, and Connecticut has plenty to say about that. 00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:57.119 In the earliest chapters of the country's story, that history isn't just something sitting in a museum. 00:30:57.359 --> 00:31:02.480 It shows up in the towns, harbors, roads, and public celebrations all over the state. 00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:10.880 Across Connecticut, you'll likely see the patriotic season show up with fireworks, historical programming, and plenty of town pride. 00:31:11.119 --> 00:31:17.200 Regardless of which corner of the state you're in, there's a good chance you'll find a celebration for America's big anniversary. 00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:21.039 And when you're celebrating, maybe with a side of fried dough. 00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:28.640 Perhaps take a blanket, find a spot near the water, and consider how integral it's been to the fabric of the very place you're sitting. 00:31:28.880 --> 00:31:38.480 I spent a little time talking to College Dean, Connecticut History Buff, and my friend Jason Scapiticci about how our waterways contribute to the story of America. 00:31:40.240 --> 00:31:41.759 I'm Jason Scapatic. 00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:46.799 I'm the Dean of Students and Faculty for Connecticut State Community College at the Capitol campus. 00:31:47.119 --> 00:31:50.079 So I work in downtown Hartford in the old G Fox building every day. 00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:53.119 And on the side, I do history lectures because that's my background. 00:31:53.200 --> 00:32:02.240 So I'm the bowtie historian, and I do like lectures at libraries, senior centers, all sorts of things around the state on various history topics that I want to research. 00:32:02.559 --> 00:32:05.200 Yeah, you know a lot about a lot of things. 00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:06.240 Well, thank you. 00:32:06.400 --> 00:32:07.200 I hope so. 00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:08.960 Genuinely. 00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:13.200 Like I just, if there's a question I have about history, you're the person that I call. 00:32:13.599 --> 00:32:16.160 Hey, I'm glad to be your phone a friend call for that. 00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:17.839 I th I think I'm pretty good at it. 00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:19.200 For sure, for sure. 00:32:19.440 --> 00:32:25.200 Today we're talking about America's 250th and how that relates to water. 00:32:26.319 --> 00:32:31.759 Can we talk a little bit

about how did the rivers and lakes of Connecticut shape the early story of America? 00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:35.839 Well, first of all, water was the primary means of transportation. 00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:37.359 So that is crucial. 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:42.480 That's why Connecticut has some of our earliest settlements along Long Island Sound, right? 00:32:42.720 --> 00:32:47.359 So, you know, New London, New Haven, uh down further Fairfield. 00:32:47.599 --> 00:32:49.839 Those were all some of the earliest settlements. 00:32:50.079 --> 00:32:56.720 And then what we see is that uh Europeans, of course, navigated the rivers as far as they could with ocean-going vessels. 00:32:56.960 --> 00:33:04.160 And so, for example, back at this, if we're talking about early America, oce some ocean-going vessels could make it as far as Hartford. 00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:06.160 Hartford would have been a port, right? 00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:06.559 Yeah. 00:33:06.799 --> 00:33:10.640 And so Hartford had a vibrant riverfront for lots of its history. 00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:19.839 So right up and through really the mid-20th century, um, our cities would have been much more connected to their water in a way that we don't experience it as much today. 00:33:19.920 --> 00:33:23.759 Aaron Ross Powell We don't, we don't, because that's not how commerce travels anymore. 00:33:23.920 --> 00:33:24.720 Trevor Burrus Exactly, right. 00:33:24.880 --> 00:33:33.759 But back at that time, I mean, commerce was so this was water was so important to early America because so just taking, for example, the Connecticut River. 00:33:34.079 --> 00:33:42.079 Okay, so the Connecticut River but uh starts as we know, Long Island Sound, right, goes all the way up past Hartford, goes all the way up to into Vermont. 00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:48.960 And so what that meant was that goods could be floated down to a port further down like Hartford, yeah. 00:33:49.119 --> 00:33:57.839 And then be loaded onto ships that could go all the way out into the ocean and then ultimately either up and down the coast or of course back to Europe, right, to bring goods back to Europe. 00:33:58.000 --> 00:34:06.480 So water is so crucial for us in terms of our early development, in terms of how we developed as a people, we were focused on our waterways. 00:34:06.640 --> 00:34:17.519 Uh and that's what you you know, the early part of America, you if you studied this, the earliest transportation things that the government funded besides turnpikes were canals. 00:34:18.159 --> 00:34:19.039 I don't think I knew that. 00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:26.960 Aaron Ross Powell Yeah, so canal there was like a canal boom in early 1800s America because that was the most efficient way to move merchandise. 00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:29.360 Uh heavy merchandise could be moved much easier, right? 00:34:29.519 --> 00:34:30.559 Roads were not good. 00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:31.199 Yeah. 00:34:31.360 --> 00:34:36.559 So water's so important to the development of us as a state, but also the whole country, really. 00:34:36.800 --> 00:34:38.880 Because that's where we started along our waterways. 00:34:38.960 --> 00:34:42.559 Aaron Ross Powell So places like New London and Mystic aren't just cute coastal towns. 00:34:42.719 --> 00:34:45.360 Um they were like working ports. 00:34:46.239 --> 00:34:53.039 How did whaling, shipbuilding, and overseas trade from Connecticut's harbors help fuel bigger American stories? 00:34:53.119 --> 00:34:59.920 Aaron Ross Powell Well, what we we have the beginning here of America's a very capitalist country, right? 00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:00.559 Aaron Ross Powell For sure. 00:35:00.800 --> 00:35:01.519 For sure, right? 00:35:01.599 --> 00:35:03.360 That's what we're established on, right? 00:35:04.000 --> 00:35:11.519 And so without these trades, without this trading economy, America wouldn't have developed the way that we did develop, right? 00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:17.360 America also industrialized soon, as as you know, compared to the rest of the world, right? 00:35:17.519 --> 00:35:18.960 Western society did that. 00:35:19.280 --> 00:35:23.199 And so we're so dependent on the waterways still. 00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:33.360 One of the examples that I when I talked to students about this is look at if you look at Hartford and you look at Colt, Colt built their huge armament factory where? 00:35:33.679 --> 00:35:36.400 Not inland, right on the Connecticut River. 00:35:36.559 --> 00:35:39.360 So they could then load things and float them down. 00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:42.880 Or when the railroads came, of course they had a railroad as well. 00:35:43.039 --> 00:35:45.119 But the river was so important to them. 00:35:45.440 --> 00:35:47.840 It was an integral part of how they how exactly. 00:35:48.000 --> 00:35:51.760 How they were gonna develop as a as a company in that case. 00:35:51.840 --> 00:35:55.360 But um but for our state, it was these were integral. 00:35:55.679 --> 00:36:05.360 Hartford has a series of dike systems that were built in the mid-20th century to prevent the Connecticut River from flooding downtown Hartford after some really bad floods. 00:36:05.679 --> 00:36:14.639 Colt does that and he protects his factory in like the 1860s and 70s with a dike system that he had built to protect his factory. 00:36:14.800 --> 00:36:17.679 He needed the water, but also the water could be destructive. 00:36:18.320 --> 00:36:22.880 And so, yeah, so he made his sure that right that factory was going to be preserved. 00:36:23.199 --> 00:36:33.920 So it's interesting that that you know, one of those that's a huge company, a major company in America's development, and of course started along the river, needed the river, but also protected itself from the destructive powers of that river. 00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:36.480 A lot of our rivers were part of that. 00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:39.840 I mean, I you're talking about, quote, the industrial revolution. 00:36:40.079 -->

00:36:40.239 Yeah. 00:36:40.800 --> 00:36:48.000 Can you walk us through maybe a town or a mill where water uh power changed everything? 00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:55.039 Aaron Ross Powell So to take, for example, what we s what what we'll see, to use uh my hometown of Manchester as an example. 00:36:55.360 --> 00:36:55.519 Yeah. 00:36:56.000 --> 00:36:59.599 So Manchester now uh has this huge apartment complex, right? 00:36:59.679 --> 00:37:01.039 That was the Chiny Mills. 00:37:01.199 --> 00:37:03.199 That was a silk manufacturing empire. 00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:12.079 The Chenies started with one small mill in the early 1800s that was powered by a paddle wheel on the Hawkenham River. 00:37:12.159 --> 00:37:15.039 And they built it just down from their homestead, their house. 00:37:15.280 --> 00:37:16.719 The house they grew up in. 00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:23.280 And so this it's it's a little the Hawkenham River's not that big, but it was enough to power that that wheel. 00:37:23.519 --> 00:37:23.840 Yeah. 00:37:24.159 --> 00:37:27.039 And then that is their first source of power. 00:37:27.199 --> 00:37:33.519 Now, eventually, of course, as the Industrial Revolution progresses, the Chinese are going to not rely on water power, right? 00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:36.559 But they're still going to rely on water to power their plants. 00:37:36.639 --> 00:37:41.119 They need it for their steam engines and s and such uh things like that that powered their plants. 00:37:41.440 --> 00:37:56.960 But yeah, without water power and without these abundant resources, right, of water, we wouldn't have had these early things start out because the first mills were powered by water before ultimately, you know, steam boilers and things like that take over. 00:37:57.039 --> 00:38:03.920 Aaron Ross Powell So down along the shoreline, especially around Groton, the water ends up tied to submarines and naval history. 00:38:04.480 --> 00:38:10.239 How did Can you talk about the Long Island Sound and how did that help shape America's military story? 00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:11.440 Sure. 00:38:11.599 --> 00:38:15.360 Uh so obviously electric boat is a big deal for us, right? 00:38:15.760 --> 00:38:20.079 But Long Island Sound would have been integral for the revolution. 00:38:21.440 --> 00:38:26.320 So for example, it was it was a major supply. 00:38:26.800 --> 00:38:30.239 And as you may be aware, Connecticut was called the Provision State. 00:38:30.320 --> 00:38:35.360 Aaron Ross Powell So Connecticut uh was known for being able to supply the Continental Army. 00:38:35.519 --> 00:38:36.960 That's why we were called the Provision State. 00:38:37.039 --> 00:38:40.960 And again, Long Island Sound was important to that, because that's how all the goods were coming in. 00:38:41.440 --> 00:38:48.400 Um and so like Wadsworth, if you've heard of the Wad Daniel Wadsworth who built the art museum, that his family fortune, they're traders. 00:38:48.559 --> 00:38:52.320 And they were among the

people who supplied the Continental Army. 00:38:52.559 --> 00:38:57.760 And without Connecticut's waterways, right, that that's what made us one of one of the crucial states. 00:38:58.079 --> 00:39:03.119 And then, of course, as you touched on a little bit, Mystic is going to become a whaling community. 00:39:03.199 --> 00:39:07.119 Uh they're going to become famous for that, um, for these uh whaling ships. 00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:18.400 And then, you know, I think it's interesting to go to the Charles Morgan, right, and see like this wooden whaling ship when uh when, of course, obviously that was the height of technology at one point, these these vessels. 00:39:18.559 --> 00:39:22.000 And then uh you can go and, of course, tour the the Nautilus, right? 00:39:22.079 --> 00:39:25.920 The first nuclear-powered submarine, which is docked in grotten. 00:39:26.000 --> 00:39:32.719 And so you can get uh a I think a really cool snapshot of different periods of nautical history in Connecticut. 00:39:33.039 --> 00:39:33.119 Yes. 00:39:33.360 --> 00:39:35.199 Have you d have you done the submarine tour? 00:39:35.599 --> 00:39:36.159 Absolutely. 00:39:36.400 --> 00:39:36.960 Absolutely. 00:39:37.119 --> 00:39:38.800 Uh I think it's fascinating. 00:39:39.039 --> 00:39:42.719 I don't know how people lived on this for like weeks or months at a time. 00:39:43.039 --> 00:39:43.920 That's so scary to me. 00:39:44.239 --> 00:39:44.639 Me too. 00:39:44.800 --> 00:39:44.960 Yeah. 00:39:45.280 --> 00:39:48.159 I toured it and when I'm done touring it, I'm ready to get out. 00:39:48.480 --> 00:39:48.800 Right? 00:39:49.199 --> 00:39:53.519 Anyone who's ever lived on a submarine or spent any extended period of time, I know. 00:39:53.760 --> 00:39:56.639 They're impressive to me because like that makes me so claustrophobic. 00:39:56.880 --> 00:39:57.119 They do. 00:39:57.360 --> 00:39:58.159 I'm with you 100%. 00:39:58.719 --> 00:40:00.800 But so fascinating to go down and tour it. 00:40:01.119 --> 00:40:01.440 For sure. 00:40:02.239 --> 00:40:04.239 I think I think that's something I might do this summer. 00:40:04.559 --> 00:40:05.039 You should. 00:40:05.519 --> 00:40:20.880 If someone's standing this summer on a Connecticut beach or a riverbank or a harbor and they want to feel that 250 years of American history, can you talk about one specific scene or one specific story that you'd like them to picture while they're looking out at the water? 00:40:22.800 --> 00:40:35.440 So I I will say that I I like to, since I do work in Hartford and I am there frequently, I like to go and stand at the Riverfront Recapture Plaza down on the river in Hartford. 00:40:35.760 --> 00:40:40.880 And I just like to think about what would this have looked like 200 years ago. 00:40:41.199 --> 00:40:47.280 Because 200 years ago, this would have been a completely different scene for us. 00:40:47.440 --> 00:41:10.880 It would have been a vibrant waterfront, bustling with activity, you know, so loading and unloading of ships, taking of goods in for sale, there would have been pushcart vendors, things of that nature, things that that we see in movies, but these would have all been here in our cities and towns in Connecticut, the the ones on the rivers and the the shoreline. 00:41:11.360 --> 00:41:16.559 And it would have been very different from our the way we experience our rivers and coastal coastlines today. 00:41:16.960 --> 00:41:17.199 Yeah. 00:41:17.519 --> 00:41:22.880 So if people wanted to find you for a lecture, where where could they find you? 00:41:23.280 --> 00:41:30.480 I have a website, bowtiehistorian.com, and so they can uh send me a message through the website if they would like to. 00:41:30.719 --> 00:41:34.400 Uh, and I'm happy to uh book a lecture with them. 00:41:35.760 --> 00:41:37.519 So that's our water tour. 00:41:37.760 --> 00:41:50.159 Lakes where you can slow down, rivers that keep the state moving, waterfalls that make you stop and stare, a shoreline that knows how to host a summer, and enough amusement park chaos to keep things interesting. 00:41:50.400 --> 00:42:00.800 Connecticut may not have tropical sands, but it has something that I think is better: variety, history, and plenty of places where you can spend a summer day without ever getting bored. 00:42:00.960 --> 00:42:12.559 I'm your host, Amanda Elgy, reminding you that wherever you wander this summer, splash a little, eat something delicious, wear sunscreen, and of course, remember to stay hydrated. 00:42:12.800 --> 00:42:15.920 See you next month for another episode of Perks and Recreation.