Instead of going for the traditional Memorial Day backyard BBQ’s, my friend and I headed to the Saugatuck River in Westport for an afternoon of kayaking.
For the kayak rental, we visited Eastern Mountain Sports on the Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield. One of their staff members was very helpful and provided the suggestion of kayaking the Saugatuck. The rental cost $50 for a full day, and included the kayak, life jacket, and paddle. (If $50 seems a bit high, you can call the Fairfield Kayak Company, where you’ll find a 4 hour rental for only $30. Another great choice for rentals is a company called Downunder Kayaking in Norwalk.)
We entered the river from a state-owned public boat launch under the I-95 bridge. There were plenty of parking spaces, and it was very easy to get into the water. To get there, we had to pass the Bridge Street Bridge, which was built in 1882 and is the oldest surviving moveable bridge in Connecticut.
Once in the water we chose to go downstream, where the river opens to a large estuary and then spills into Long Island Sound, passing large homes and boats along the way. After about 2 hours of casual paddling around the calm river, we loaded the kayaks on top of our cars and headed towards downtown Fairfield for a burger and beer at Archie Moore’s Bar & Restaraunt on Sanford Street — a great way to finish off the day.
Next time you kayak down the Saugatuck in Westport, dock your craft at the Napoli Sul Fiume just before the Post Road overpass, and then stop in at the Westport River Gallery. And if you like a large picture that cannot fit on your “yacht,” we can ship it anywhere in the world.