sheffield island ferry

This was a family event that had wonderful scenery. Beautiful views of Norwalk harbor. A amazing boat ride to and from the island and we learned some interesting thinks about the Lighthouse from the great staff.

A large, clean and comfortable ride. Captain John is friendly and so is his crew. Great views of the Norwalk harbor.

Sheffield Island, and all the Norwalk Islands, are quite interesting. We have a boat docked in Norwalk and often go out on our own. However, belonging to the Norwalk Seaport Association gives us a couple of tickets every year to use the ferry, which we did today. It's nice to have someone else drive for a change!The boat is new, large, airy, and well-maintained and -captained. The tickets include a ride out to the island (about 30 mins)with narration, which is interesting. Even though we know most of what's said (my husband especially) we still learned something new. If you aren't from the area, it's most informative. The island itself is half-wildlife sanctuary, half-picnic drive/lighthouse. There is a fairly short nature trail (not too remarkable). The lighthouse is quite interesting and its furnishings have been added to over the years with period antiques curated by the lighthouse keeper, a venerable gentleman who knows a lot (about wildlife, horticulture and lighthouses). With the tour guide from the boat (usually a college-ager) and the captain plus the keeper, the information is wide and deep. You get an hour and a half on the island before the boat goes back, enough to certainly see the island, trail, and have a snack (n.b. they do sell lunch-size bags of Frito-Lay chips and water and cans of soda, as wel as a limited but very reasonably priced section of magnets, postcards, mugs, ornaments and notrecards - plus pirate Frisbees and plastic booty for the young'uns...most things in the Basket O'Souvenirs cost a buck (jncluding the mugs and ornaments...but I don't know how reliable the stock is!). However, if you are on an earlier boat you can stay until another boat leaves later in the day (i.e., go out on the 11:00 AM, but rather than go back at 1:00, go back at 4:00). Take a big picnic lunch and just enjoy the view and the solitude. The day we went was so clear that Manhattan was quite visible (usually it's a bit smudged on the horizon) and the sailboat spinnakers were scuttling across the Sound in force. For smaller kids, the boat ride is fun and the nature trail is short enough to be very doable, but as visitors can no longer access the actual lighthouse portion of the lighthouse, the house to them would probably look a bit like a visit to some old, old persons' abode...not very interesting (buy them a pirate Frisbee and some booty for a buck ad keep 'em happy!) For adults, it's quite charming.

Wonderful boat ride! Loved the tour guide. Saw OSPREYS!! The lighthouse is charming. Very worthwhile trip, just be sure to bring bug spray and a picnic or snacks. We will be doing this trip again I'm sure.

My boyfriend and I took the Norwalk Sheffield Island Ferry last week (August 2014). It was a bit of a cloudy day but still beautiful and warm. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and told us all about the history of Norwalk, conservation efforts, and lots of anecdotes I had never heard. We left around 3 PM and returned around 6 PM. I would say bring food with you if you are going on the 11 AM trip, but we were fine because it was late afternoon. We went on a tour of the lighthouse (probably about 15-20 minutes, it's pretty small) and then spent the rest of the time walking around the island and taking photos and exploring. I would definitely recommend wearing sneakers and bringing bug spray! The staff was great and it was a fun and relaxing trip.

My family and I took the Sheffield Island Ferry last summer and really enjoyed it. We overlooked the ferry for many years but we're so glad we finally did it. The tour guides and boat captain were very knowledgeable and the boat ride was lovely. We brought lunch, took the tour, and enjoyed the beautiful weather and great views of Norwalk. I highly recommend it.

We wanted to spend some time on the water but also see a light house so this was a perfect choice. Although I agree that the price is a little high, it was a full 3 hours of nature and relaxation so really not that bad of a deal. The ride out to the island lasts about 30 minutes and is slow and gentle with a crew member providing narration the entire time. Once on the island, you can do the tour of the light house, picnic in the tent/table area provided or walk on the nature trail. All of which are relaxing and very enjoyable. If you plan to do this tour, here are my tips. 1) Bring a picnic lunch. The crew does sell drinks and snacks on the island but they really are just cans of soda and bags of chips. Perhaps they could lower the cost of the tickets if they pushed their concessions a lot more. 2) wear comfortable closed shoes. The walking areas are mostly made of crushed seashells which if they get in your flip flops can kind of hurt. 3) The island has environmentally friendly bathrooms but they really aren't bad at all. 4) Ask questions. All the crew members were very nice and eager to help in any way. 5) Although the crew doesn't solicit gratuities at all like most tour operators do, feel free to show them your approval with a few bucks. Enjoy!

Once we boarded the ferry I was put at ease by the professional crew! Once underway I was impressed with the description of what we were seeing - made the trip seem much shorter

A pleasant ferry ride and very educational. I enjoyed it, and they pointed out various islands and famous seaside clubs. Recommended hours: mid-afternoon. Spend 2-3 hours.

Take a small boat ride out to the island and walk the grounds as you visit the lighthouse . Leaves right the the parking lot of the aquarium in Sono . Pack a snack to eat while you are there or wait till you get back to the dock and eat lunch at your choice of restaurant's . You won't regret the ride .

Sheffield Island is located in Long Island Sound and, as we discovered on the ferry ride, is one of a number of Norwalk Islands, most of which are private.The captain was friendly, and the crew was also nice and gave an informative tour about the islands.The ride was pleasant and scenic.

This ferry is the only way most people can get to Sheffield Island, which is owned by the U.S. FIsh and Wildlife Service. Since our tax dollars go to preserving this beautiful island, the lighthouse, and the wildlife that lives there, don't you think that the cost of the ferry should be reasonable? It cost you $22.00 for an adult round-trip ticket. If we took our family, it would run us $110.00 just to get there. And there is nothing there except for the lighthouse and a nature trail. We can go to Block Island on a ferry, (which has 2 lighthouses, many nature trails and beautiful scenic views, plus beaches, restaurants, and shops) for $125.00. There are many families that would love to visit Sheffield Island, but do not because of the price of the ticket. Is the Norwalk Seaport Association, who runs the ferry service, trying to keep out middle and lower income families?

Recommend this for everyone who visits Norwalk. It's a gentle cruise out and back to the Lighthouse. Perfect for a sunset journey, plenty of information for those who want it and very obliging crew.

The family found nothing to do on the island. That part was disappointing. Trouble with parking. That may or may not have changed. KIds had never been on a ferry so that was a highlight for as long as it lasted. I recall it being pricy. -- what isn't now a days?

I took the ferry with my family on a Sunday in August, and I really enjoyed it! The trip out and back from the island is so scenic, and the tour guide filled us in on lots of information about the local waterfront. Sheffield island itself is very pretty, with great views and a very nice lighthouse that you can tour. I highly recommend the trip for a couples day trip or a family outing.