The Campsites of Selden Island LbNA #984
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Nearby Boxes
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Apr 22, 2003 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Lyme |
| County: | New London |
| State: | Connecticut |
| Boxes: | 4 |
| Planted by: | SwampYankee&Sunshine  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | metacom |
| Last found: | Jul 19, 2015 |
| Status: | FFFFF |
| Last edited: | Apr 22, 2003 |
The Campsites of Selden Island
Difficulty: moderate,with some steep hills and bush whacking/short hikes. Time: Allow about 30 minutes round trip hiking time per letterbox, most will be less. Boating time will vary depending on mode of transportation.
Selden Island is an island on the Ct River in Lyme across from the Deep River docks and therefore accessible by water only, although some maps and the DEP refer to it as Selden Neck. The north end of the neck was breached during a severe freshet in 1854 making it an island.
The following isn’t to discourage anyone from trying to find our letterboxes. We only want searchers to be informed and have fun finding them. We spend a lot of time on the CT River and enjoy it immensely. We want our boxes to be found and the finders to have a safe and enjoyable time. Therefore, here are some things to consider prior to hitting the water:
The CT River has a lot of boat traffic on the weekends during the warm summer months, not as much during the week. Don’t expect everyone to slow down. Most boaters will extend a little common courtesy but there are some who will not. Be wary of wakes also. A small boat pulled up on shore can get swamped and a larger one can get stranded when hit by a wake cresting on shore, you may consider leaving someone behind to tend to the boat. Early mornings in the summer, excluding weekends, are superb. The river is like glass and the traffic is minimal.
The coast guard requires all vessels to have a Personal Floatation Device (PFD) on board for each passenger. The State of Ct requires all persons in canoes and kayaks to wear their PFD between Oct 1 and May 30.
For motor boats and sail boats, the entrance to Selden Creek at the north end of the island gets very shallow at low tide, down to a foot or less.
If you’re rowing or paddling you may want to consult a tide chart before heading out. It could make the journey quicker and easier.
Two boat launches are fairly close to the island. The carry in launch at the Hadlyme side of the Chester ferry, Rt. 148, and at the Deep river docks, although the last time I was at the Deep River docks the launch was labeled for Deep River residents only. The river is also accessible at the launch in East Haddam at the mouth of the Salmon River and in Old Saybrook under the I-95 Bridge.
Campsites can be reserved for one night stays by contacting Gillette’s Castle. They are all well labeled. The boxes are located to allow letterboxers to find them without disturbing campers.
The Cedars
(this box was moved to a more accessible location 10/1/07 due to lots of prickers and fallen trees)
This is the most northerly camp site and the only one not on the Connecticut River. As you enter the north end of Selden Creek you will see a sandy area about 15 yards long with picnic tables, fire ring, and outhouse. This is the main Cedars campsite. As you approach this spot look to the right for a smaller sandy spot, about 3 yards long. This is where you need to pull in. There is a fire ring, but no tables. Climb up the little bluff and look to the right. Take the unmarked path due west. The path will twist and turn around the north end of the island for about 100 yards and come to an area with a lot of cedars and exposed ledge. As you enter this area look to the left about 15 feet off the path to a large cedar about 2 ½ feet diameter at it’s largest spot. From this tree walk 18 steps at 155 degrees to a much smaller cedar with exposed roots. Look in the rocks among those roots for the Cedars Letterbox.
Hog Back
The next campsite heading south on the river, is Hog Back and it’s also the most northerly one on the river side of the island. You can pull in either north or south of the campsite. If you go south make sure you make a wide turn to avoid the ledge just under the surface about 20 yards in front of the camp site, the letterbox is planted to the north. From the campsite follow the path a short way along the water’s edge, to a large beech tree with the names of past campers carved into the bark. From this tree walk northeast past two large boulders, across the low hill, through a hemlock graveyard, to the first ledge outcrop at the base of the hill. If you look closely on the top of the left side you can make out some quarry marks left from centuries ago. Look up the steep hill to the southeast to see a large, double trunked tree in the shape of a V, with a hollow at the bottom. Climb the hill and from the tree look north. The box is hidden at the base of the ledge just to the right of the big oak tree about 30 steps away.
Spring Ledge
The middle campsite on the river is Spring Ledge just south of the navigational aid Red #36. This is our favorite picnic spot during the spring and fall when the traffic on the river lightens up, mainly because the large cliff to the north does a great job blocking the wind and the sun shines in across the water and keeps it nice and warm. If you want to hear a boring but unbelievable story about something that was lost and found here let us know. Your search starts at the extreme southern end of the beach, past the loose stones and the two ledge out crops. Pull into the southern most sandy area, which is quite small, and almost hidden at high tide. Look to the left of it and see a four sister maple next to the large ledge. Look uphill at 110 degrees from the sisters to a 2 sister oak that is next to another ledge. The tree has a large bump at the base,that looks like a nose,pointing south . Look on the ground between the tree and ledge for the Springledge campsite letterbox. At all but high water notice the two large slabs of granite left by the quarries after the invention of cement.
Quarry Knob
The most southerly campsite is Quarry Knob. The letterbox is planted on the ridge between the campsite and Cold Spring, which is around the point to the north. From the lower picnic area at the campsite follow the trail around the hill to the north and up to the rocky cliffs. From the left of the cliffs, climb up to the top of the ridge. Look for a ”horseshoe” sticking out of a large rock. Beside the horseshoe shaped anchor point find the survey marker “Neck No.2”. Continue northeast over the top of the ridge to find two stonewalls. Just past a VERY large fallen dead tree, the letterbox is hidden near the top of the place where the two walls meet.
If you want to continue around the island, you are about half way down the west side or a quarter way around the island. Entrance to Selden Creek is at the southern tip of the island. Once in the creek you must slow down, as the entire creek is a “No Wake” zone, and is ideal for canoes or kayaks. Beware of the swans in the late spring and summer. There is one that can be aggressive when the hen is on the nest or little ones are around. If you are in a small boat or canoe/kayak there are a couple side streams to explore. Spring brings the wonderful yellow iris, and in the fall the banks of the creek and beyond are full of wild rice. The fall colors are spectacular.
As always, remember to leave the boxes as well hidden (or better) then you found them. Our email address is on all of them if supplies or repairs are needed. Good luck and enjoy.
Sunshine, Swamp Yankee, and the Toad dog.
Difficulty: moderate,with some steep hills and bush whacking/short hikes. Time: Allow about 30 minutes round trip hiking time per letterbox, most will be less. Boating time will vary depending on mode of transportation.
Selden Island is an island on the Ct River in Lyme across from the Deep River docks and therefore accessible by water only, although some maps and the DEP refer to it as Selden Neck. The north end of the neck was breached during a severe freshet in 1854 making it an island.
The following isn’t to discourage anyone from trying to find our letterboxes. We only want searchers to be informed and have fun finding them. We spend a lot of time on the CT River and enjoy it immensely. We want our boxes to be found and the finders to have a safe and enjoyable time. Therefore, here are some things to consider prior to hitting the water:
The CT River has a lot of boat traffic on the weekends during the warm summer months, not as much during the week. Don’t expect everyone to slow down. Most boaters will extend a little common courtesy but there are some who will not. Be wary of wakes also. A small boat pulled up on shore can get swamped and a larger one can get stranded when hit by a wake cresting on shore, you may consider leaving someone behind to tend to the boat. Early mornings in the summer, excluding weekends, are superb. The river is like glass and the traffic is minimal.
The coast guard requires all vessels to have a Personal Floatation Device (PFD) on board for each passenger. The State of Ct requires all persons in canoes and kayaks to wear their PFD between Oct 1 and May 30.
For motor boats and sail boats, the entrance to Selden Creek at the north end of the island gets very shallow at low tide, down to a foot or less.
If you’re rowing or paddling you may want to consult a tide chart before heading out. It could make the journey quicker and easier.
Two boat launches are fairly close to the island. The carry in launch at the Hadlyme side of the Chester ferry, Rt. 148, and at the Deep river docks, although the last time I was at the Deep River docks the launch was labeled for Deep River residents only. The river is also accessible at the launch in East Haddam at the mouth of the Salmon River and in Old Saybrook under the I-95 Bridge.
Campsites can be reserved for one night stays by contacting Gillette’s Castle. They are all well labeled. The boxes are located to allow letterboxers to find them without disturbing campers.
The Cedars
(this box was moved to a more accessible location 10/1/07 due to lots of prickers and fallen trees)
This is the most northerly camp site and the only one not on the Connecticut River. As you enter the north end of Selden Creek you will see a sandy area about 15 yards long with picnic tables, fire ring, and outhouse. This is the main Cedars campsite. As you approach this spot look to the right for a smaller sandy spot, about 3 yards long. This is where you need to pull in. There is a fire ring, but no tables. Climb up the little bluff and look to the right. Take the unmarked path due west. The path will twist and turn around the north end of the island for about 100 yards and come to an area with a lot of cedars and exposed ledge. As you enter this area look to the left about 15 feet off the path to a large cedar about 2 ½ feet diameter at it’s largest spot. From this tree walk 18 steps at 155 degrees to a much smaller cedar with exposed roots. Look in the rocks among those roots for the Cedars Letterbox.
Hog Back
The next campsite heading south on the river, is Hog Back and it’s also the most northerly one on the river side of the island. You can pull in either north or south of the campsite. If you go south make sure you make a wide turn to avoid the ledge just under the surface about 20 yards in front of the camp site, the letterbox is planted to the north. From the campsite follow the path a short way along the water’s edge, to a large beech tree with the names of past campers carved into the bark. From this tree walk northeast past two large boulders, across the low hill, through a hemlock graveyard, to the first ledge outcrop at the base of the hill. If you look closely on the top of the left side you can make out some quarry marks left from centuries ago. Look up the steep hill to the southeast to see a large, double trunked tree in the shape of a V, with a hollow at the bottom. Climb the hill and from the tree look north. The box is hidden at the base of the ledge just to the right of the big oak tree about 30 steps away.
Spring Ledge
The middle campsite on the river is Spring Ledge just south of the navigational aid Red #36. This is our favorite picnic spot during the spring and fall when the traffic on the river lightens up, mainly because the large cliff to the north does a great job blocking the wind and the sun shines in across the water and keeps it nice and warm. If you want to hear a boring but unbelievable story about something that was lost and found here let us know. Your search starts at the extreme southern end of the beach, past the loose stones and the two ledge out crops. Pull into the southern most sandy area, which is quite small, and almost hidden at high tide. Look to the left of it and see a four sister maple next to the large ledge. Look uphill at 110 degrees from the sisters to a 2 sister oak that is next to another ledge. The tree has a large bump at the base,that looks like a nose,pointing south . Look on the ground between the tree and ledge for the Springledge campsite letterbox. At all but high water notice the two large slabs of granite left by the quarries after the invention of cement.
Quarry Knob
The most southerly campsite is Quarry Knob. The letterbox is planted on the ridge between the campsite and Cold Spring, which is around the point to the north. From the lower picnic area at the campsite follow the trail around the hill to the north and up to the rocky cliffs. From the left of the cliffs, climb up to the top of the ridge. Look for a ”horseshoe” sticking out of a large rock. Beside the horseshoe shaped anchor point find the survey marker “Neck No.2”. Continue northeast over the top of the ridge to find two stonewalls. Just past a VERY large fallen dead tree, the letterbox is hidden near the top of the place where the two walls meet.
If you want to continue around the island, you are about half way down the west side or a quarter way around the island. Entrance to Selden Creek is at the southern tip of the island. Once in the creek you must slow down, as the entire creek is a “No Wake” zone, and is ideal for canoes or kayaks. Beware of the swans in the late spring and summer. There is one that can be aggressive when the hen is on the nest or little ones are around. If you are in a small boat or canoe/kayak there are a couple side streams to explore. Spring brings the wonderful yellow iris, and in the fall the banks of the creek and beyond are full of wild rice. The fall colors are spectacular.
As always, remember to leave the boxes as well hidden (or better) then you found them. Our email address is on all of them if supplies or repairs are needed. Good luck and enjoy.
Sunshine, Swamp Yankee, and the Toad dog.