• Sheffield Island is home to a historic lighthouse.the lighthouse image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
  
  Sheffield Island is one of the Norwalk Islands, a scenic archipelago in Long Island Sound, about a mile off the coast of Norwalk, Connecticut. Sheffield is home to the Sheffield Island Light, a historic lighthouse that featured a powerful Fresnel lens to warn ships off the rocky shoals near Norwalk Harbor. The lighthouse was deactivated in 1902 and fell into disrepair. It was restored in 1989 by the Norwalk Seaport Association, one of the few places that offer cruises to Sheffield Island.
  
  

Sheffield Island Lighthouse Tour Cruise

• The Norwalk Seaport Association offers a lighthouse cruise tour to Sheffield Island. The 45-minute trip features a ferry ride along the Norwalk coast, with views of marinas, yacht clubs and natural scenery. At the island, visitors tour the Sheffield lighthouse and explore nature walks on the island. The lighthouse tower offers stunning views of the area, and on a clear day, visitors can see the Manhattan skyline. Tours depart twice daily on weekdays and three times a day on weekends. Visitors board at the seaport association's ferry dock. Reservations are strongly recommended.
  
  Norwalk Seaport Association
  132 Water St.
  South Norwalk, CT 06854
  203-838-9444
  seaport.org/
  
  

Sheffield Island Clambake Cruise

• On Thursday evenings from June through September, the Norwalk Seaport Association offers a "Clambake Cruise" to Sheffield Island. The evening begins with a 45-minute cruise to the island, where you can tour the lighthouse or explore the nature trails. Dinner is served under a tented pavilion next to the lighthouse at sundown, and you'll have dramatic views of the sunset. Menu options include lobster, chicken or beef. The ferry departs from the seaport association's dock at 6 p.m. Reservations are required.
  
  Norwalk Seaport Association
  132 Water St.
  South Norwalk, CT 06854
  203-838-9444
  seaport.org/
  
  

Maritime Aquarium Marine Life Tour

• The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk offers weekly, science-oriented wildlife cruises around Sheffield Island as well as the neighboring Norwalk Islands. Participants spend two and a half hours aboard the museum's Oceanic research vessel and see the wildlife and biodiversity of the many habitats on Long Island Sound. An on-board video microscope allows passengers to get closer looks at marine life, such as crabs, lobsters and fish.
  
  Maritime Aquarium
  10 North Water St.
  Norwalk, CT 06854
  203-852-0700, ext. 2206
  maritimeaquarium.org/cruises.html
  
  

Bird-Watching Tours

• The Norwalk Seaport Association offers early-morning bird-watching cruises in the late summer. The cruise takes visitors around Sheffield Island and the surrounding islands. The region is a migratory path for osprey, egrets, herons and other species. Visitors can also see Cockenoe Island, which has several bird rookeries. The endangered roseate tern, black duck, and other wading birds and waterfowl also live among the islands. Cruises depart from the seaport association's dock in late July and August. Check with the association for an up-to-date schedule.
  
  Norwalk Seaport Association
  132 Water St.
  South Norwalk, CT 06854
  203-838-9444
  seaport.org/
  
  

Lighthouses of the Sound Cruise

• The Seaport Express offers a tour of several lighthouses along western Long Island Sound. The tour includes the Sheffield lighthouse as well as lighthouses at Green's Ledge, Peck's Ledge, Great Captain Island and Stamford Harbor. Cruises depart from the Rowayton Market on Five Mile River, south of Norwalk Harbor. Check with the operating company, Sound Navigation, for details about trip routes and the schedule, which changes regularly.
  
  Sound Navigation
  151 Rowayton Ave.
  Norwalk, CT 06854
  203-219-3688
  soundnavigation.com