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Morning Weather Report

Today

Sunny, with a high near 80. Northwest wind around 8 mph.

Tonight

Mostly clear, with a low around 59. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Tomorrow

Sunny, with a high near 84. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.

Tomorrow Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 63. South wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening.

High Tides

11:47 AM / 11:54 PM

Low Tides

5:46 AM / 5:50 PM

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Compo Beach Fireworks: How to Navigate the Traffic 

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Westport Police Department Press Release:

The annual PAL fireworks display is set for Thursday June 30, 2022, with a rain date of Friday July 1, 2022. This is the largest annual Westport event featuring heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic affecting all roads south of Greens Farms Road between Compo Road South and Hillspoint Road.  It is recommended that spectators plan to arrive early as traffic delays are inevitable.  Daytime Compo Beach visitors are reminded the beach closes at 4:00 PM.  Only those vehicles with fireworks passes will be allowed to remain within the beach.  We ask those with fireworks passes to be standing by their vehicles at that time so Parks and Recreation staff can collect their pass. The beach should reopen to ticket holders by 5:00 PM, however this determination will be made by Westport Parks and Recreation staff.

Pedestrians attending the fireworks are reminded not to walk on the roads and to use sidewalks when going to and from Compo Beach.  It is recommended that pedestrians wear bright clothing and parents please always keep an eye on small children!

For ticket holders:

  • Access to the PAL Fireworks display will be through South Compo Road only.  Hillspoint Road south of Greens Farms Road will be open to residents with residences south of that intersection. 

  • Firework attendees should display the ticket prominently on the dashboard so it can be seen clearly when traveling to the event. They will be collected upon entry into the parking area.

  • All ticket holders must be inside Compo Beach by 9:00 PM.  No vehicular beach traffic will be allowed south of the Minuteman statue after that time.

For those who do not have tickets:

  • Vehicles without a ticket will not be able to go any further towards Compo Beach than the Minuteman statue.

  • Those utilizing Uber, Lyft, or Taxi services will be directed straight past the Minuteman Statue on Compo Road South. There, visitors can walk from the area of Compo Road South and Soundview Drive to the beach. NOTE: If you choose to use this method of transportation return service will not be available until after 11pm due to 1 way traffic exiting the beach area. 


IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR POST-FIREWORKS TRAFFIC

Just prior to the conclusion of the fireworks display two-way traffic will be suspended on Compo Beach Road and South Compo Road to the intersection of Greens Farms Road. There will be two lanes of northbound traffic on these streets until the beach is cleared. Residents of this area will encounter delays in getting to their homes for approximately one hour or until traffic has cleared from the Compo Beach area and should plan accordingly. Residents who are planning on picking up family members in the beach area should also plan for delays. Motorists are reminded there will be a significant amount of vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the Compo Beach area prior to and after the event and are asked to please exercise extreme caution while traveling through this area.

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Norwalk Aquarium Offers Fireworks, other Cruises throughout the Summer 

The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk:

Enjoy special on-the-water views of the upcoming holiday fireworks display in Norwalk from aboard the research vessel of The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, just one of many memorable cruises onto Long Island Sound offered by the Aquarium this summer.

The Aquarium’s Fireworks Cruise on Sun., July 3 departs at 7:45 p.m. to give participants a unique and beautiful view of the City of Norwalk’s annual pyrotechnics, presented from the water off Calf Pasture Beach park. Plus, the cruise is a great way to avoid the crowds and post-show traffic, with a return to the Aquarium dock at 11:15 p.m.

Other Maritime Aquarium cruises this summer invite participants to discover firsthand the abundant and diverse marine life teeming just off our shores or to enjoy a relaxed evening that builds an appreciation for the Sound, an Estuary of National Significance. 

Now through Labor Day, additional opportunities to join the Aquarium on the Sound include:

Marine Life Encounter Cruises1:15 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays

These fun outings present a living, squiggling, splashing snapshot of the Sound’s complex and culturally important marine life. Because each cruise’s samplings of animals is different, each cruise is a little different but participants commonly enjoy hands-on introductions to a variety of creatures ranging from microscopic copepods to prehistoric-looking horseshoe crabs to keeper-sized flounder. Lucky participants may meet a squid, mantis shrimp or even a small shark.

“Marine Life Encounter Cruises are an exciting, hands-on family adventure that goes beyond the experience inside the Aquarium,” said Nicki Rosenfeld, a Senior Education Manager who also is one of the Aquarium’s boat captains. “Participants come away with a new or deeper appreciation for Long Island Sound’s biodiversity and beauty, and thus a new or deeper desire to do their part to protect this important natural resource.”


During the 2.5-hour cruises, Aquarium educators put participants to work in collecting and examining animals from all levels of the water column: tiny wriggly plankton gathered at the surface and viewed on a large monitor via a videomicroscope; small crabs, sponges and worms grabbed from the muddy bottom; and a variety of fish, crabs, mollusks and always a few surprises brought up in a trawl net. All animals are safely returned to the water.

•  TGIF Cruises • Saturday Sunset Cruises

6:30 p.m. July 1, 7 p.m. Saturdays and on Fridays in August

Enjoy a relaxing evening boat ride during these pleasurable cruises that celebrate the natural beauty of Long Island Sound, especially as twilight paints the evening sky and reflects on the water. During each 90-minute outing, Aquarium educators are along onboard to point out sights and wildlife, but there’s no structured program.


Maritime Aquarium cruises occur aboard R/V Spirit of the Sound™, a 64-foot catamaran that is the country’s first research vessel with quiet hybrid-electric propulsion, just one of the leadership steps the Aquarium has taken to model reducing its carbon footprint.

Participants for all cruises must be at least 42 inches tall. Guests under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. The boat has a climate-controlled cabin but participants should dress for weather out on deck.

Cruises depart from the dock at North Water and Washington streets, a short walk from the Aquarium’s main entrance. (Use 4 North Water St. on your GPS for the boat dock parking lot.)

For prices, more details and to reserve your tickets now, go to www.maritimeaquarium.org.

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