Connecticut River Boaters Hope for Smooth Sailing Through East Haddam Swing Bridge

“I cannot believe [it], getting the bridge open is going to take so much stress off my shoulders,” said Old Saybrook’s Riley Anderson.

Any sort of boater will likely agree - springtime is often a race against the clock to get the boat in the water.

“We’re kind of behind schedule,” said Scott Davidson, co-owner of Midway Marina in Haddam. “It’s a little normal, except for the bridge.”

Those who winterize their boats north of the East Haddam Swing Bridge, but dock them to the south, have experienced an added roadblock due to an ongoing restoration project.

“I was planning to put it in three weeks ago, but because of the bridge delays, that put us back all the way until right now,” Anderson said.

According to the CT Department of Transportation (DOT), the bridge incurred damage during operation back in April, which has prevented it from opening to boat traffic.

“Of course, there’s frustration,” Anderson said.

Bridge delays have also affected business for boatyards like Midway Marina.

“Lost a lot of business because of it, and we might lose more unless they cooperate down there,” Davidson said.

DOT announced that the bridge expects to open four times this Sunday, but said the swing span is still in a state of disrepair. The plan is to open every hour from 9 a.m. to noon, but DOT warned that if engineers find problems, all other openings would be canceled.

For those making the trip, Davidson suggested bringing an anchor.

“Play it safe, because you don’t want to run into that bridge. There’s a lot of current out there right now,” he said.

The East Haddam Swing Bridge is one obstacle for some boaters on the river, but there are other variables this time of year that can make successful navigation a little more involved.

“There’s always a spring freshet, and the debris gets pretty bad when the water comes up,” Davidson said.

There’s the obvious form of debris, but sometimes a boater’s next headache isn’t always visible.

“Sometimes it can be very hidden, so you might see a little stick floating down the river, but it could be a whole tree saturated underneath that,” said Cathy Malin, naturalist for the Connecticut River Museum in Essex.

The U.S. Coast Guard says that right now, water temperatures range from high 40s to low 50s – still dangerous, especially without a life jacket or proper cold-water gear.

“You can go into what’s called cold water shock, which even if you’re a strong swimmer, can impact your ability to get to a safe place and rescue yourself,” said U.S. Coast Guard Commander Michael Vega.

There’s also the higher tide and rapid current, which makes the trip south a little faster without added power.

“Shouldn’t be any need to exceed any of the speed limits, and just be aware of the no wake zones even though you might not see the no wake buoys yet,” Malin said.