Mystic Seaport in Connecticut was a fascinating place to climb numerous boats and learn more about ship building and sea faring, bringing to life all the history and literature books we’ve read about sailing on the seas.
As we climbed through massive whaling boats, helped hoist the rigging, and other various unique manners of life in a seaport village and at sea, books like the GA Henty series, Hero of the High Seas: Captain John Paul Jones and the American Revolution, Carry on Mr. Bowditch, Stowaway, The Voyage of Patience Godspeed, Billy Budd, Heart of Darkness, and even Jonah in the whale kept popping into our minds.
COLONIAL REVIVAL: PRESERVING HISTORIC SHIPYARD
Mystic Seaport is an amazing living history museum, located on the Mystic River that soon feeds into Long Island Sound and then to the Atlantic Ocean.
In the 1600s, this area along the Mystic River was heavily employed in ship building, with more than 600 vessels constructed up to 1919.
However, as steam power peaked in the 19th century, sailing became less important.
With the advent of iron clads in the Civil War, wooden ships became obsolete, slowly being recycled into firewood.
On December 25, 1929, three gentlemen organized what came to be called Mystic Seaport, to preserve maritime culture.
Despite the Great Depression…donations of log books, photography, ships plans and other maritime artifacts poured into the one-building museum.
In 1941, Mystic Seaport acquired the Charles W. Morgan, the country’s last wooden whaleship…Historic buildings from across New England were also moved in…and the authentic coastal village area of Mystic Seaport Museum was born.
Over the next 50 years, the Museum experienced explosive growth, amassing the world’s largest collections of maritime photography (more than 1 million images) and boats (more than 525), as well as collecting two million other maritime artifacts.
And the 1970s saw the creation of the Henry B. du Pont Preservation Shipyard, additional exhibition buildings, and several new accredited educational programs. –Mystic Seaport
NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER
Our first stop was lunch in their cute little eatery.
Being chilly in the early September autumnal breezes, New England Clam Chowder beguiled us.
Often sampled at many places, it’s okay.
Hopefully at this location built around shipbuilding, around the corner from the Atlantic, knows how to make great seafood dishes.
Wow! Mystic Seaport’s eatery loads this potato soup with huge chunks of clams…with the most silky, creamy base, and the most tender clams I’ve ever tasted.
That’s the way to start sea life near the Atlantic on our Great Waterways tour!
We had it for lunch again the next day…because a single ticket allows 2 days admission, because it happily takes that long to enjoy all the great fun!)
CHARLES W MORGAN
Beckoned by ships everywhere, we walked first to the boatyard, where we found the massive Charles W. Morgan, built in 1841.
Since it is the only surviving whaleship from the 19th century, it is being restored.
Nevertheless, we freely explored around it and climbed inside to see the innerds!
Wow! Herman Melville’s Moby Dick and Billy Bud came to life in this whaling ship.
INSIDE A WHALE OF A BOAT
The next ship we discovered was pretty much disintegrated.
At this point of an artifact’s progressive demise, conservators struggle over the agonizing decision of the best use of a relic…does it become a preservation piece or a restoration piece?
With the final decision to run with the theme of, if walls could talk, the ship remains in its damaged stated for teaching purposes.
Thus, we learned a lot!
Sturdy walkways allowed us to easily and safely explore the ship’s insides so we could experience how wood is laid to build the ship.
Walking among the hull of the ship and looking through the bony ribbings made us feel as though we were walking inside of a whale…like Jonah and the whale.
RECREATED NANTUCKET LIGHTHOUSE
We toured this cute duplicate of the Brant Point Lighthouse, the second oldest lighthouse in America, built in Nantucket in 1746 (where the original can still be visited).
Only 26 feet above water, its red beacon is seen up to 10 miles, eclipsing every four seconds.
Inside is a museum that tells the lighthouse story in America.
SAILING LESSONS
Also available at Mystic Seaport are sailing lessons, learned on these colorful catboats.
JOSEPH CONRAD
For grander adventures in learning how to sail, enthusiasts learn dockside on this grand vessel, built in 1882, and originally named Georg Stage, after the owner’s son.
After 52 years of service to train boys for the Danish merchant service, the ship was left for firewood.
Rescued in 1934, it was renamed Joseph Conrad, which was the name of the sailor who authored Heart of Darkness.
The main character in the story, the sailor, is based on Conrad himself.
Since it is a training vessel for special guest interaction programs, we are not allowed below deck, although we freely toured the top deck.
ROPEWALK
This l-o-n-g building is only 1/4 its original size, for the twining of 300 yards of rope needed for sailing.
Inside the building we saw a movie demonstrating the ropemaking technique in these long, narrow structures.
L.A. DUNTON
Then we went aboard the L.A. Dunton, built in 1921.
BECOMING SAILORS WITH OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
We also learned how to hoist a boom for a sail while singing a sea chanty to keep time.
After seeing how cod is salted, we arrived at an outdoor hands-on building where we pulled a 75-pound load with different configurations of pulleys, and then tied up rigging.
The beautifully sunny day came to an end.
INDOOR CANAL ACTIVITIES
Returning the next morning to cloudy skies and chilly autumnal breezes, we toured the inside of the Canal Museum, a hands-on activity center.
This great extension of our Erie Canal tour on the Mowhawk River and our Champlain Canal tour on the Hudson River, both in nearby New York, actively engaged my kids.
PULLEYS AND LEVERS
The first station was to apply the concepts of physics in using pulleys and levers to make different types of cranes since they lifted heavy loads onto 19th century packet boats.
SUSPENSION BRIDGES
Tearing themselves away from pulleys and levers, my kids built a suspension bridge.
CANAL BUILDING
Challenged to build the cheapest canal possible, my son’s highly analytic mind kicked into gear as we puzzled through numerous possibilities.
There was an assortment of locks, bridges, tunnels, etc, depending on the route we chose.
We locked some in place and went to the tally board where my daughter called out to my son the types of pieces used and how many.
After assemblage of the planned canal, my son calculated the cost of our canal project: $3 million.
Although that sounded about right, the machine urged us to seek a cheaper plan, which my kids enthusiastically were up for!
While strategizing, a docent revealed the secret to my kids.
Well, that ruined all the fun.
So, my kids lost interest because of Mr. Negativity.
Moving on to the other activities, the kids were like: Psst, Mom, if the docent returns distract him so we can figure this stuff out ourselves. We came here to have fun.
ARCHED AQUEDUCT
Quickly conquering the arched aqueduct exhibit’s challenge to build an arched bridge over a canal was super easy for my kids.
OWNING A CANAL
Finally, another thinking game: Psst, Mom, don’t let that docent anywhere near us.
The mission: As owner of a canal, the kids chose their persona, number workers, wages, choice of supplies, and routes.
Finally, evaluate if the choices made over the course of 4 weeks (in a few simulated minutes on the computer) turned a profit.
My kids made a huge profit!
ROPEMAKING WITH A SAILOR
After success with the canal, we ventured outdoors where it had warmed up.
In the afternoon sun we learned how to make rope.
OYSTER HOUSE
Then we went to the Oyster House for a demonstration about oysters.
DOGWATCH
One of the final programs Dogwatch, reenacts a typical end to a sailor’s day.
Invited to participate with the sailors, we relaxed with free time (30 minutes before the museum closed) singing sea chanties.
While some sailors played small instruments and kept rhythm with whale bones, another carved whale bone into scrimshaw.
Meanwhile I learned the art of net making…or hammock making, depending on the preferred use of the product.
