I think it’s safe to write about sharks after Labor Day. I try not to do this earlier on in the summer for obvious reasons. It isn’t nice doing it early on. We all like sharks but we all like the beach too. I watched Jaws for the umpteenth time the other night and just thought, “Nope.”
Susan Casey appears to not have these thoughts. She is an editor and sports writer for outdoor magazines like Outside and Sports Illustrated. She was the editor in chief of O, the Oprah Magazine. She has written extensively for Time, Esquire, and is the author of some great books.
She is brave. “Nope” probably isn’t in her vocabulary. She climbs and dives. She seeks adventure, especially in the water. She has explored the Mariana Trench among other exceedingly deep parts of the ocean.
In November of 2000, she secured an invitation to travel to the Farallones islands west of San Francisco. The Farallones are a 211-acre archipelago 27 miles west of the city and the gathering spot for the largest congregation of Great Whites in the world each September through November. It is home to the Farallones White Shark Project led by Scot Anderson and Peter Pyle .
Getting an invitation/permit wasn’t easy. Very few outsiders are allowed and initially she is only granted a US Fish and Wildlife media pass. But when they motor out in a whaler and come face to face with the sharks, she’s all in.
She will do whatever it takes to come back. “… I lost track of time, crouched in the whaler’s scooped-out bow, bouncing from one railing to the other while the massive fish cruised under us like submarines; I could have kept it up, I think, forever.”
She travels to the nearby town of Port Reyes, to check in with Scot and Peter as often as she can and develops a friendship with the two men . There are conflicts with tourism operations and government operations.
People want to cage-dive, to see the “monsters of the deep” for themselves. People want to dive for abalone [highly-prized marine snails.] Other scientists are studying the birds on the islands. It has become a very complicated political /financial web to navigate.
In 2003 she gets a weeklong pass to stay if she writes an article about the birds. She agrees. Her accounts are scientifically fascinating. Detailed but not boringly so. Her personal stories are wonderful.
It takes a strong, colorful personality to survive on a poop-covered, man-eater-surrounded, cold, wet, isolated rock for months at a time. And, oh, there’s a ghost. (Susan immediately regrets bringing an antique ouiji board for example.)
It should be an horrific, miserable, nasty experience but it’s not. It’s majestic. It’s ethereal. It’s incredible.
Or to put it another way, to quote both the book and German poet Rainer Maria Rilke, “ Every angel is terrifying.”
About the author: Jen Petty Hilger grew up in New York and London, England, but finds herself happily quiet living by the water in Old Lyme. She and her husband have six children between them and a myriad of rescued animals.
OLD SAYBROOK—On Saturday, state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) officials identified the bodies recovered on Friday, subsequent to the previous Monday’s tragic boating accident, as 25-year-old Ian Duchemin, of Oakdale, and 24-year-old Ryan Britagna, of Waterford..
Another day in America – another mass shooting. This time in a high school in Georgia. Lives snuffed out, lives ruined forever, families broken to bits.
A lot of pundits saying it is an outrage, an indictment of all the American people: “We allow this…”
No, we don’t. The vast majority of Americans want stricter gun safety measures. The politicians allow it. The NRA allows it. We The People do not! We must vote out NRA “A rated” members of Congress.
The major cause of death in Americans aged 1-19 is gun violence. What an unbelievable disgrace.
As a nurse, pediatric nurse practitioner and mental health specialist, I have taken care of victims of gun violence. I have comforted kids who have lost a beloved family member to gun violence.
June was Gun Violence Prevention Month. A big part of that is prevention by safe storage of guns. So many gun deaths are accidental. What is inflammatory or threatening about that? The killer in Georgia used his father’s unsecured weapon of mass destruction.
I stressed this in my outreach to leaders of our town. Safe storage saves lives. I encouraged the town to adopt Governor Lamont’s declaration. The answer was no.
I have no words … what a lack of courage and conviction. This is not my town.
One parent in Georgia stated to the media, “It couldn’t happen here!” Of course it could with corrupt and uncaring politicians, including at the local level.
I think it is important for District 18 parents to know – your kids will never be safe at school. Don’t be naïve and don’t quit until you get the complete dedication of your General Assembly representatives. This is supposed to be a representative government. Be strong.
Sincerely,
Betsy Groth APRN, PMHS,C retired, Old Lyme. Editor’s Note: The author is a Children’s’ Health Advocate and member of CT Against Gun Violence.
From left to right, Operating Engineers Local 478 President Nate Brown, DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, Gov. Ned Lamont, Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, Rep. Joe Courtney, and Deputy US Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg break ground on the new Connecticut River Bridge at Ferry Landing State Park in Old Lyme on Thursday, Sept. 5. Photo courtesy of CTNewsJunkie.com Photo credit: Screengrab / CT-N
OLD LYME – Yesterday Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner joined U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont (D), Senators Richard Blumenthal (D) and Chris Murphy (D), Representative Joe Courtney (D), Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, and other state and local officials to celebrate the start of construction for Amtrak’s new Connecticut River Bridge between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, Connecticut.
The existing Connecticut River Bridge, which opens for maritime traffic several times a day in peak boating season, was completed in 1907 and today serves more than 50 daily Amtrak Northeast Regional and Acela trains, CTrail Shore Line East commuter service trains and freight trains. The aging bridge’s failure to open and close consistently can result in cascading delays to rail and maritime traffic.
The modern, more resilient, moveable bridge now being constructed by Amtrak will feature a trunnion bascule span design with modern track, signal, catenary, power, communication and other supporting rail infrastructure. It will support a maximum train operating speed of 70 mph, a 55 percent increase from today’s maximum speed of 45 mph. Maritime navigation and safety will also improve due to the increased vertical clearance of the new bridge compared to the existing bridge.
This investment will ensure continued connectivity along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) – America’s busiest passenger rail corridor – while enabling plans to expand intercity passenger rail service in the region and across the nation.
This $1.3 billion project is supported by a $826.64 million Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL.) The remaining portion will be funded by Amtrak and the State of Connecticut.
“Amtrak is thrilled to join our partners to break ground on the new Connecticut River Bridge, a project decades in the making,” said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. “When completed, this modern bridge will improve the customer experience by eliminating delays, providing faster journeys and modernizing another critical infrastructure asset in Connecticut that benefits the entire Northeast Corridor.”
He continued, “Today’s milestone would not be possible without funding from the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act and continued support from the Biden-Harris Administration along with Connecticut’s champions of rail in Governor Lamont, Senator Blumenthal, Senator Murphy, Congressman Courtney, Commissioner Eucalitto and so many others.”
“Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration—and the largest investment in passenger rail since Amtrak was founded—we’re replacing the century-old Connecticut River Bridge with a safer, more reliable structure,”said U.S. Deputy Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg. “This bridge is a critical point for freight and passenger rail and maritime traffic along the Northeast, and the new bridge will deliver the faster, more reliable service Americans deserve.”
“The Northeast Corridor is the busiest rail line in the nation, and improvements here mean more jobs, continued economic growth, and improved quality of life,”said Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. “The Connecticut River Bridge is more than 100 years old, and this major modernization project will ensure that trains can operate with higher speeds and fewer disruptions well into the future. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues delivering for Connecticut and the entire region.”
“Today marks the beginning of faster rail travel for commuters and other rail passengers,” said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. “The Connecticut River Bridge is in desperate need of upgrades, and I am thrilled that work is underway to replace it. I am proud Bipartisan Infrastructure Law dollars are at work improving aging infrastructure in Connecticut, and I will continue fighting to deliver more of this critical funding to our state.”
Rendering of the new Connecticut River Amtrak Bridge. Photo courtesy of Amtrak MediaCenter.
“The Connecticut River Bridge is one of the most critical sections of northeast rail corridor, but its aging infrastructure has led to disruptions, slower travel times, and delays, creating massive headaches for the thousands of commuters who travel across it,” said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy. This project has been years in the making, and it is only happening because of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Now, thanks to President Biden and Vice President Harris, we are finally starting a project to improve reliability, reduce traffic, and make life easier for travelers and commuters in our state.”
“Ever since the determination was made in 2006 that the bridge was structurally deficient, my office has been leading federal efforts to support construction of a safer and faster rail line for passengers and freight. Importantly, even before the federal infrastructure law, which is funding the new bridge, became law, my office secured a commitment from Amtrak that the bridge would be built under a Project Labor Agreement that guarantees our local workforce will execute construction,” said U.S. Representative Joe Courtney. “This means Connecticut’s workers will benefit from the highest safety standards, good wages, and high quality job training.”
“I am thrilled to see the Connecticut River Bridge project begin this week!” said Connecticut State Senator Christine Cohen (D—District 12), Chair of the Transportation Committee. “This project is a great example of collaboration between the private sector and the federal and state governments to invest into public transportation in the Northeast Corridor. Once completed, this project will improve reliability, train speeds and connectivity in our region and I’m committed to continuing to work together with our partners to make our rails more accessible for riders across the region.”
“This bridge represents a great leap forward for our local public transportation,” said Connecticut State Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Martha Marx (D—District 20). “People can trust that their trains will arrive on time and get them where they need to go at a faster pace than ever before. Rail travel is a vital connection point in our community, as well as in New England and throughout the nation. I’m very pleased to see Amtrak making such admirable improvements to their services.”
“Rebuilding the Connecticut River Bridge is a transformational investment for the future of passenger rail service in the Northeast Corridor,” said Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “With modern engineering and design, the new bridge will accommodate growing ridership demand, faster and more reliable travel times, and stimulate the local and regional economy. Thank you to the FRA for investing in Connecticut through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. We look forward to working closely with our partners at Amtrak as this project moves forward.”
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has enabled long overdue transportation upgrades like the Connecticut River Bridge Project along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor,” said Transportation Trades Department (AFL-CIO) President Greg Regan. “We’re proud that this project will utilize union workers, providing an economic boost to surrounding communities, and will improve service on America’s busiest passenger rail line.”
“Chalk up another win for America’s rail passengers from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Rail Passengers Association President & CEO Jim Mathews. “Thanks to the BIL’s historic levels of capital funding, passengers on Amtrak and commuter rail on the busy Northeast Corridor can look forward to traveling faster, more safely, and more reliably over the Connecticut River than we do today.”
He added, “Replacing this 117-year-old bridge is just another example of how the BIL is helping to reverse decades of underinvestment in vital infrastructure, and our Association applauds Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration, and the Connecticut Department of Transportation for getting this vital project moving.”
Editor’s Note: This article is based on a press release issued Sept. 5, by the Amtrak MediaCenter.
OLD LYME—Fleur Marguerite Lawrence (née Hahne) of Old Lyme, CT passed away at Greenwich Hospital on September 3, 2024 at the age of 84. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer, which she had bravely battled over the past year. Fleur was predeceased by her husband, Gerard (Jerry) Lawrence, who passed away in January.
Fleur is survived by her four children, Christopher (Eileen) of Killingworth, Kirsten (Sander) of Greenwich, Melissa (Marc) of Barcelona, and James (Rebecca) of Charleston, S.C., as well as 13 beloved grandchildren …
Fleur was born in Stockholm on November 30, 1939 …
… As chair of the board of the Lyman Allyn Art Museum, Fleur headed up the museum’s effort to become independent from the college. Fleur also served on the board of the Old Lyme Art Academy.
… Relatives and friends are invited to attend calling hours from 5 until 7 p.m. Thursday, September 5, at the Robinson Wright & Weymer Funeral Home, 34 Main Street, Centerbrook. Funeral Services will take place at 11:00a.m. Friday, September 6, at The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, Lyme Street, Old Lyme. Burial will follow at the Duck River Cemetery in Old Lyme. In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Fleur and Jerry Lawrence Endowed Scholarship at the University of Connecticut or to the Florence Griswold Museum.
