Connecticut River, Connecticut · Long Island Sound · 41°21.2′N 72°23.4′W · VHF Ch 09
Essex is the jewel of the lower Connecticut River — a perfectly preserved shipbuilding village of clapboard houses, the Griswold Inn, and a river lined with classic yachts a few miles up from the Sound.
Pick up a mooring at Essex Island Marina or one of the Brewer yards (Ch 09), or anchor off the channel in the river in 10–14 ft of mud, setting for the steady current. It's well protected by the river's banks, though a strong southerly funnels up the reach. The village — the Gris, the marine museum, provisions and restaurants — is right at the water.
A civilized, atmospheric stop and, with Hamburg Cove just upriver, the heart of one of the loveliest cruising rivers on the East Coast.
Hazards & cautions. The Connecticut River runs a steady current past Essex — anchor clear of the channel and set for the current, not the wind. The mooring fields and Essex Island fill the deeper water; anchoring room is off to the sides. Shoals line the channel.
Coast Pilot notes the steady current of the Connecticut River at Essex and the extensive marina and mooring facilities along the reach.
No cruiser reports yet. If you've anchored here, be the first — your note helps the next boat in.
Augusto ratings and editorial are our own synthesis of public-domain sources and cruiser reports. Always verify against current charts and local knowledge before you rely on them.