The Setting

The house sits on Mason's Island, looking west over a wildlife estuary to the Mystic River. As our guests you have the run of the island: quiet roads that are ideal for running and cycling, several access points to the water, and very little traffic. There is a guard at the gate in season; tell him you are staying at 26 Schoolhouse and he will wave you through.

The estuary

The abundance of birds and wildlife is one of the real joys of this place. There is an osprey nest just off the back of the house. It has been there as long as anyone can remember, and watching the babies grow and finally leave the nest is a season-long show. The parents are here from mid-April to mid-October, then winter in South America. You can sit in the rocker by the back bedroom window and watch them all day.

We have a resident mink under the dock. Egrets and herons work the marsh grass. There is a healthy coyote population in the estuary across the road. You will likely only ever hear them, at night, and it is quite something. Bobcats and foxes are around too, though you are unlikely to see either. Two practical notes that come with real wildlife: keep pets inside the fenced area, and check for ticks after time outside. The island runs a tick-prevention program and cases here are rare, but this is New England.

The seasons

Summer is the season everyone books, and it earns it, but the house is a year-round place. Autumn in Mystic is simply gorgeous: no traffic, no lines, and foliage to die for. Winter is incredible on the water: picturesque beauty from every window, a different display every day, and inside it is always warm, with a gas fireplace for chilly nights. Off-season means easy restaurant reservations, empty beaches, and the same sunsets.

The sunsets

The house faces west over the water, and the sunsets are the best show in Mystic: every night, from the dock, the porch, or the rooftop deck. One of the best photographs ever taken here came from a guest: the sun burning orange in the upper left, the dock answering it in the lower right, and the whole sky reflected off winter ice. Bring a camera. See the Sunsets gallery for what you are in for.

Photographs, generally

It is difficult not to want to photograph just about everything in the Mystic area. Our advice: never leave the house without a camera. Favorite spots: Noank, the Stonington fishing docks, the farm on Cove Road, Stonington Borough, Watch Hill, and Eastern Point Beach. But the sunsets at our house beat them all.

Fishing

You can fish right off the dock. Bottom fishing with frozen mackerel and a sliding sinker does the trick. The Area Guide lists the tackle shops and the party-boat options for going further out.