WHERE ‘ALL ARE WELCOME’
Plan a visit to Enders Island on the Mystic shoreline
In this week’s Nature column, Peter Marteka visits Enders Island in Mystic, a Catholic retreat facility where the picturesque shoreline grounds and gardens are open to the public.
The Bottom Line: An easy hike around the 11-acre Enders Island with commanding views of Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.
Difficulty Level: Easy.
Total Mileage: Less than a mile.
Directions: Take Route 1 east of Mystic and take a right on Masons Island Road and take a left on Chippechaug Trail. Take a left on East Forest Road and left on Yacht Club Road to the island. Visitor parking is located on the left after crossing the causeway. There are plenty of signs showing the way to the island. Visit www.endersisland.com for more information.
Pet Friendly? Leash and clean up after your pets.
“All are welcome” is something you rarely see along Connecticut’s private shoreline, where “no trespassing” or “private” signs are more the norm.
But not at Enders Island. The southernmost island in southeastern Connecticut, the 11-acre Enders Island is a place where “men and women from all walks of life come to experience renewal, healing and inspiration,” according to the website.
Me? I came to discover another piece of the shoreline open to the public — one of my column’s missions over the past 21 years. A place where visitors can walk along the edge of the island with tremendous views across Fishers Island Sound and out into the Atlantic Ocean. Or a visit to the lonely “Chapel By The Sea” built on the rocky ledges of the island. Or a walk through the gardens filled with dahlias soaking up the late summer sun.
“Enders Island welcomes everyone to enjoy the grounds whether or not they are participating in a program,” the website notes. “The island provides all visitors the opportunity to come and enjoy the beauty of nature in a unique environment where people of all faith backgrounds have profoundly encountered God’s presence. At Enders Island, visitors can find the peace and beauty that is frequently missed in the busyness of everyday life.”
The island and its 35-room mansion were given to a Catholic society by Alys Enders in 1954 “as a place of retreat for the priests of the diocese of Norwich,” according to an 1954 article in The Hartford Courant. Thomas Enders, a prominent Hartford surgeon, had purchased the island in 1910 from the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent De Paul.
Many of the island’s buildings are used for various programs, including private retreats, recovery programs and workshops in iconography, illumination, calligraphy and stained glass. The buildings — from a stunning stone church to the mansion topped with a rooster weather vane to the chapel — provide an impressive backdrop to the beautiful natural surroundings and views. The island resembles its western neighbor, Harkness Memorial Park, with its combination of mansion, gardens and views across the sea.
If you are visiting the island, don’t expect a long hike. Traveling around the island won’t take that long, so you will want to take it slow and savor the views, whether it’s from the top of the seawall or sitting on a bench overlooking the ocean. During my visit, I saw a man fishing from a rocky ledge, a family picnicking and a couple walking through the gardens.
“It’s so peaceful and beautiful here, isn’t it?” a woman said to me during my visit.
And that’s what a visit to Connecticut’s shoreline should be all about. A place where you can simply go and take in the beauty of the Sound and ocean. And listen to the foghorn of a distant lighthouse. Or sit on a rock while the waves roll through the seaweed and splatter across a barnacle-encrusted rock. And be at peace in your own world.
That’s a place known as Enders Island where all are welcome.