Old Saybrook Archives – J. G. Coleman Photography

Keeper Woods' Lament (Old Saybrook Breakwater Lighthouse, Old Saybrook, Connecticut) — “Keeper Woods’ Lament”
Old Saybrook Breakwater Light off Lynde Point in Long Island Sound, Old Saybrook, Connecticut
© 2015 J. G. Coleman

Remember how cold it was last winter? Or did you already block that memory out? Well, my latest releases were produced during the waning weeks of winter this year along the wind-swept coastline of Old Saybrook and feature the Saybrook Breakwater Lighthouse perched on the far end of a serpentine, granite jetty beneath a twilight sky streaked with foreboding clouds.

Known sometimes as the Saybrook Outer Light to distinguish it from the Lynde Point Lighthouse on the mainland nearby, the Saybrook Breakwater Light was built in 1886 roughly 1/3-mile offshore at the terminus of a long, granite breakwater. The massive stone jetty had been created to prevent the formation of dangerous, shallow sand bars at the mouth of the Connecticut River which had plagued shipping traffic for years.

Twilight Upon the Granite Path (Old Saybrook Breakwater Lighthouse, Old Saybrook, Connecticut) — “Twilight Upon the Granite Path”
Old Saybrook Breakwater Light off Lynde Point in Long Island Sound, Old Saybrook, Connecticut
© 2015 J. G. Coleman

I titled one of my new works (at top), “Keeper Woods’ Lament”, based upon the story of Joseph Woods, who was tending the lighthouse in 1917 when he submitted a grievance to officials regarding the rigors of his job. “I am on duty twenty-four hours out of twenty-four hours and the only relief I get is when my wife begs of me to rest while she stands watch.” All he asked was that an assistant be posted at the lighthouse so that he might have time to relax on occasion. His request was denied.

Purchase a Fine Art Print or Inquire About Licensing

Click here to visit my landing page for “Keeper Woods’ Lament” or “Twilight Upon the Granite Path” to buy a beautiful fine art print or inquire about licensing these images.

Want to See More?

Be sure to check out all of my work from the Old Saybrook Breakwater Lighthouse.

Lynde Point Seascape (Lynde Point Lighthouse, Old Saybrook, Connecticut) — “Lynde Point Seascape”
Lynde Point Lighthouse on Long Island Sound, Old Saybrook, Connecticut
© 2015 J. G. Coleman

In my new piece “Lynde Point Seascape” (above), the Lynde Point Lighthouse stands sentinel on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Connecticut River, its column of neatly stacked windows peering towards the sea from a 65-foot brownstone tower. Foreboding clouds loom overhead, while large slabs of wave-thrown ice batter the nearby seashore.

This is just one of my newly-released works featuring the stately Lynde Point Lighthouse in the context of a frigid New England winter. Built in 1838 to replace an older, dilapidated wooden tower, the present beacon at Lynde Point has remained an active aid to maritime navigation for more than a century and half, even as the land surrounding it transitioned from farms and pastures to lightly-wooded suburbs and sizable beachfront cottages.

A Beacon in the Night (Lynde Point Lighthouse, Old Saybrook, Connecticut) — “A Beacon in the Night”
Lynde Point Lighthouse on Long Island Sound, Old Saybrook, Connecticut
© 2015 J. G. Coleman

But just as captivating as the lighthouse during my visit were the chunks of ice drifting on the waves and settling upon the seashore. From jewel-like bits to massive slabs more than 10 feet across, these bergs drifted down the Connecticut River from the state’s interior, only to quickly wash up on the seashores at either side of the river’s mouth.

Saybrook Winter (Lynde Point Lighthouse at Old Saybrook, Connecticut) — “Saybrook Winter”
Lynde Point on Long Island Sound, Old Saybrook, Connecticut
© 2015 J. G. Coleman

Days tossing about in the ocean water left some of the ice slabs beautifully polished, their burrs and edges having melted away to reveal a smooth, glassy finish which glistened even in the faint light filtering down through the heavy morning clouds.

Saybrook Vista (Lynde Point Lighthouse on Old Saybrook, Connecticut) — “Saybrook Vista”
Lynde Point Lighthouse on Long Island Sound, Old Saybrook, Connecticut
© 2015 J. G. Coleman

As you can see in my panoramic piece, “Saybrook Vista”, the conditions on this particular morning didn’t exactly offer stunning sunrise colors or dramatic side-lighting. Instead, I was offered some moody, exquisitely-textured cloud cover and only the faint, cool-toned light that was able to filter through. Sure… it’s not the sort of glorious morning that makes you want to lay out a beach towel and stay the afternoon. Then again, would we really expect that sort of idyllic day in late Winter? This is true New England in all of its elemental glory; these are the somber, overcast skies and cold, wind-swept beaches that were part of everyday life for Connecticut mariners of old.

Purchase a Fine Art Print or Inquire About Licensing

Click here to visit my landing page for “Lynde Point Seascape” to buy a beautiful fine art print or inquire about licensing this image.

Want to See More?

Be sure to check out all of my work from Lynde Point and the Lynde Point Lighthouse.