Hello from Noank, CT at the mouth of the Mystic River. We've spent the last week in Connecticut, including visiting Mystic Seaport. I guess, technically, that isn't true since we spent one night in an anchorage off Fishers Island. Fishers Island in less than a mile off the Connecticut coast, near the Connecticut-Rhode Island border, but somehow it still belongs to New York. Go figure.
Our boating friends all told us to ignore the hideous cost and take a dock at the Mystic Seaport Museum. They said being there at night after the day trippers leave, or in the morning before they come, made the $4.50/foot/night docking fees (remember, Down Time is 36 feet long) worth it. I agree. We had a delightful time.For those of you who don't know, Mystic Seaport is a living museum (like Williamsburg, VA) dedicated to preserving the nautical history of the U.S. They have many old wooden ships, pleasure craft as well as fishing boats and whalers. They have moved in a number of 19th century buildings and stocked them with appropriate furniture and other period pieces. The "town" includes a bank, grocery, and drug store. They also have a working blacksmith, a barrel-maker, a rope maker, and sail and rigging lofts. Many of the shops have craftsmen/women who actually demonstrate the skills that were needed in a boat building center in the 19th century. All in all, a very enjoyable and interesting place to spend a couple of days.
In addition to the museum, Mystic also operates a working marine preservation operation with 20 full time staff and 8 apprentices maintaining the boats. They are currently working on restoring the hull of a whaling ship that chased whales throughout most of the 19th and into 
the 20th century. When these boats were built, they were only expected to last about 20 years. This one, the Charles J. Morgan, made 37 trips over the course of 80 years, most of which were more that a year in length, a few of which lasted more than 3 years. I had no idea whalers were as big as they are. If you look at the picture you can see Jim next to the left end of the boat. That gives you some perspective on how big this thing is. The man we talked to aboard compared it to a floating three story building.
After we left the Seaport, we moved down the Mystic River to Noank. Shamus the dog and his people were motoring down the river in their little tug boat. I couldn't decide which was cuter, Shamus or the boat. We also saw a family of wild swans (top picture). I had no idea wild swans lived in New England. I hadn't seen any since we were in England on our honeymoon.
the 20th century. When these boats were built, they were only expected to last about 20 years. This one, the Charles J. Morgan, made 37 trips over the course of 80 years, most of which were more that a year in length, a few of which lasted more than 3 years. I had no idea whalers were as big as they are. If you look at the picture you can see Jim next to the left end of the boat. That gives you some perspective on how big this thing is. The man we talked to aboard compared it to a floating three story building.
After we left the Seaport, we moved down the Mystic River to Noank. Shamus the dog and his people were motoring down the river in their little tug boat. I couldn't decide which was cuter, Shamus or the boat. We also saw a family of wild swans (top picture). I had no idea wild swans lived in New England. I hadn't seen any since we were in England on our honeymoon.We're waiting for the wind to lay down a little and switch directions, then we're off to Newport, Rhode Island.
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