Oyster huts like these on Milford Point were common along Connecticut's Coast during the 19th century.

is the frequently rocky shoreline, reminiscent of Maine. Along one stretch, between Groton and Stonington, the shore is armored with ten miles of nearly uninterrupted rock. But south of Connecticut and New York, no rock edges the Atlantic coast until Mexico. The Coastal Slope is also partly responsible for the ragged outline of Connecticut's coastline. Where the hills of the Coastal Slope jut out into the water, headlands are created with coves of water in between. Like Shakespearean couplets, place names along the Coast are paired, a "convex" name followed by a "concave" name: Hammonasset Point, Clinton Harbor; Bluff Point, Mumford Cove; Indian Neck, Branford Harbor. And on and on down the line.

The indented profile of Connecticut's shoreline has been one of the Coast's greatest resources. As their names imply, these seacoast notches are superbly suited for harbors. This profusion of good natural harbors contributed to the early settlement of the Coast and is largely responsible for the important role maritime industries have played in the history of Connecticut. There are more than 30 harbors of various sizes in the 130-mile stretch between Byram Point at the New York border and Napatree Point at the Rhode Island border. Since the time of the colonists, they have supported such enterprises as fishing, lobstering, oystering, whaling, shipbuilding, international trade, ferrying, privateering, and pirating. (William Kidd, one of the most infamous pirates of all time, used Long Island Sound for his base of operations until he was hanged in 1701.) Today, we can add marinas, vacationing, tourism, year-round residences, submarine building, and a naval base to the list.

The availability of so many good locations for harbors may, somewhat ironically, be part of the reason that there isn't a more important port in Connecticut today. Currently, shipping activity is dominated by Bridgeport, New Haven, and New London, with more limited commerce passing through Stamford and Norwalk. Historically, there has been intense competition among Connecticut's coastal towns to become the state's single major port. But because there are so many suitable spots so close together, the concentration of economic activity that defines a major port has been diffused. Of course, the close proximity of Boston and New York to Connecticut's ports has not

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