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Heat Sends Crowds to Fairfield's Waters

Rachel Lahey split the difference in Fairfield’s summer debate. Rather than choose between Lake Mohegan or one of Fairfield’s beaches on Long Island Sound, temperatures hotter than 85 degrees inspired her to do both. Lahey started the day by taking her sons Finn, 5, and Ty, 3, to Penfield Beach to swim in the Sound. But by the end of the afternoon, she wound up in her preferred spot.

“The lake is much quieter, a lot more kids,” Lahey said of the town’s only freshwater swimming spot. “It just feels more relaxing.”

Tina Mikos also took her two kids to Lake Mohegan on Tuesday afternoon. And though her son Ryan and daughter Emersyn also said they enjoy the freshwater more, Mikos admits she’d prefer one of Fairfield’s five beaches along Long Island Sound.

“I tend to like the sound of the ocean waves,” Mikos said. “But [the lake] is nice, too. You sort of feel like you’re in another place when you come down here.”

Aside from the salt-free water, Lake Mohegan stands out from the shoreline in other ways. One is easier access for out-of-towners. A nonresident beach sticker costs $135 for the season, but people from outside Fairfield can buy a summer-long lake pass for just $20 each. Norwalk’s Marcy Ceruzzi picked up passes for her whole family, and her son Joseph enjoyed the fruits. “It’s just so easy,” Ceruzzi said of her 20-minute trip along the Merritt Parkway.

The lakeside park also boasts a small water park, where kids can run through the cooling sprinklers. The Bond brothers, Thomas and Matthew, said that’s why they prefer Mohegan — so much so that they decided to protect it from kids they saw spraying unsuspecting beachgoers with water guns last summer.

“We decided that we were going to get some water guns, and watch the kids that were bullying,” Thomas said, while enjoying a friendly fight with other kids — but only the armed ones.

Whether they prefer the Sound or the lake, Fairfielders can expect company at the town’s swimming spots over the next few days. Forecasts predict temperatures hitting the high 90s for Wednesday and Thursday, followed by another 80-degree day on Friday. Relief is not expected until Saturday, when light rain showers will bring 70-degree weather.

“I’m excited,” Lahey said. “I know a lot of parents aren’t, but we’re outdoor people. We like the beach or the lake. As long as you’re by the water, you’re fine.”

Which do you prefer — Lake Mohegan or Long Island Sound? Where else do you go to cool off in the summer? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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