There are tremendous opportunities to boat or paddle at the refuge!
Salt Meadow, Westbrook: Paddling along Westbrook's Menunketesuck River in late spring or summer provides great views of the refuge's Salt Meadow Unit and marsh birds like egrets, ibises, willets, herons, kingfisher and osprey. In fall, the paddle is absolutely beautiful, and it allows visitors to see foliage in every shade of red, orange yellow and brown. Bald eagles frequent the area and can be seen at any time of year. For access to the river, there is a small boat launch at Kirtland Landing on CT Rt. 145 in Westbrook that is open to the public without charge. Parking is available for up to 8 vehicles.
Both kayaks and small motorboats may access the refuge at Outer Island very easily, as a launch area is available in the center of Stony Creek, Branford (approximate address: 2 Indian Point Rd, Branford, CT 06405). The Outer Island dock is in place from late May to late September, subject to removal for extreme weather. There is no fee to dock of to visit the island.
Sheffield Island has a dock available each summer (run by the non-profit Norwalk Seaport Association - docking fees do apply) for motorboat access. Paddlers may also land at the refuge on the north beach at any time of year, but should be cautious of rocks along the shore in the intertidal areas.
On refuge units where there are currently no docks, such as Chimon Island and Calf Island, kayakers may pull up to the open beaches and explore the refuge from there. Motorboats may be anchored offshore in designated areas and visitors may use a dinghy or swim ashore. Boaters should be sure to obey "no landing" signs. Municipal launch facilities for both motorized and nonmotorized craft are available in each town. Norwalk launch facilities include Veterans Park (address: 200 CT-136, Norwalk, CT 06855) and Calf Pasture Beach (address: Calf Pasture Beach Rd, Norwalk, CT 06851). The closest launch area to Calf Island is Greenwich's Byram Park (address: 36 Game Cock Rd, Greenwich, CT 06830).
Important: Paddling to any of the refuge islands is only recommended for people with good experience, as the conditions of Long Island Sound can be a challenge!