If you're looking for signs that spring has sprung, here's another one. The historic Chester-Hadlyme Ferry resumed service on April 1. This is the ferry's 244th year shuttling people, cars and bicycles back and forth across the Connecticut River and the Hadlyme Public Hall Association organized a "First Sailing" community party to welcome back the crew.
The Hadlyme Public Hall Association has been instrumental in keeping this vessel afloat. Two years ago, it spearheaded a campaign to save the ferry service when state budget cuts threatened to shut it down.
Over the winter, the Connecticut Department of Transportation fitted the more than 60-year-old Selden III ferry with two new John Deere 205-HP engines. The DOT has operated the ferry since 1917. A number of DOT officials from Hartford attended the inaugural launch party to celebrate the installation of the engines.
The ferry service runs daily through November.
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