“Do I Have to Stay?”…”Do I Have to Leave?”

Nintendo, Xbox, iPods, Wii. Do children ever take a break from technology long enough to explore the great outdoors anymore?

Children who visit Mystic Seaport do. The Museum’s summer camp programs offer exciting adventures for 10 to 15-year-olds — all without the use of a television screen or blinking cursor.

Outside — yes. On the water — yes.  In the water — maybe (just kidding). Don’t panic, parents. This is a safe and fun environment with seasoned, experienced sailors and educators in charge.  Some, like Camp Director Hallie Payne, were once Mystic Seaport campers themselves and have returned as adults to ensure their fond memories become another generation’s fond memories, too.

During the six-day program, campers learn the fundamentals of sailing, seamanship and all things related to becoming comfortable and knowledgeable about boat handling.  A fleet of Dyer Dhows provide the classroom for these young sailors.

Learning to sail on the historic Mystic River.

And coolest of all, campers get to sleep aboard the historic training ship, the Joseph Conrad. Outfitted with bunks, showers, flush toilets, heat and electricity, the vessel is now permanently moored along Mystic Seaport’s waterfront. 

After campers spend time aboard the Conrad, they quickly learn that it really is possible to get along without cell phones, texting, computers and television and still have fun! (The aforementioned aren’t permitted.)

Climbing the rigging of the Joseph Conrad.

Sailing instructor Allie Ruel sees the transformation that takes place in the campers from their first day to their last day of camp. At first, it’s “Do I have to stay?” and by the end of the camp it’s “Do I have to leave?” Now, what better testimonial is there than that?

Available spots for the upcoming 2009 Joseph Conrad Overnight Summer Sailing Camp are filling up fast. Learn more online, or to register for any program, call Central Reservations at 860.572.5322.

If the Dress Fits…

Baby strollers, jewelry, cameras, cell phones and “clothes galore.”  These are the usual items that can be found in the Lost & Found at Mystic Seaport said Museum security guard of seven years, Jim.
.

Well, something a tad more elegant joined the abandoned group this past Valentine’s Day weekend. Something ivory, intricately beaded and bearing a fluttery, chiffon train.

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen. Love is in the air at Mystic Seaport…

Looking awfully lonely in our Communications office.

 

Exquisite brooch at the neckline.

A faithful Mystic Seaport security guard found the lovely wedding dress discarded in the Museum’s South parking lot early Sunday morning, February 15.  Safely stored inside of a plastic garment bag, the gown is in excellent condition with its size tag still intact. 

Both of the brides that celebrated their Valentine’s Day nuptials at Seamen’s Inne have not claimed the beauty. So alas, the questions arise… Was Julia Roberts back in Connecticut, this time filming a sequel to Runaway Bride? Did a blushing bride use our parking lot to change into her honeymoon wear? Is someone organizing some kind of extreme scavenger hunt? We want to know!

If the dress is yours, or if you have any idea of whose it might be, please email us at news@mysticseaport.org. Correctly identify the size of the dress and we’ll get it safely back into your hands.

And in the meantime, we promise not to take it along on any maiden voyages.

Searching for a sign

Spring, I know you’re out there.

The calendar may say February 24 and the thermometer may read a bone-chilling 26 degrees this morning.

But spring, you can’t hide forever. I caught a glimpse of you this morning, and I know it won’t be long before you’re really here, showing off your stuff.

Signs of spring, you ask? Sounds crazy, I know. This time of year in New England, the skiers and snowboarders and sledders are reveling in the deep snows of late winter while the rest of us wonder how many more days before we can put the snow shovel away for good.

I examine the lilacs outside my front door and the glorious magnolia tree outside my office each morning for signs of swelling buds. Today I brushed aside the layer of leaves in the daffodil border to confirm my suspicions—tiny green shoots emerging! (I covered them right back up.)

But as I walked to my office in Thomas Greenman House, I witnessed my very favorite sign that spring is truly on its way—the bright yellow blooms of the Witch Hazel outside the Planetarium.

Gotcha, spring. I know you can’t stay away much longer.

Anna Sawin is the editor of Mystic Seaport magazine.

Permission to Come Aboard? Granted!

 

“It’s like climbing a mountain.” That was three-year-old Martha’s analogy when asked her opinion of the 48-step staircase that allows visitors to once again board the Charles W. Morgan.

The world’s last wooden whaleship was hauled and put in dry dock in November 2008 to undergo a three-year restoration. But until the Shipyard carpenters completed what many staff members have nicknamed “the tower staircase” or “the stairway to heaven,” Mystic Seaport visitors were unable to board the National Historic Landmark.

But don’t fear, the Morganis back in business now and steady streams of curious visitors have done their cardio workout with a trek up the staircase to board the vessel. Seriously, with platform breaks along the way (offering great spots to enjoy spectacular views), it’s a piece of cake.

 

Eve, a Museum visitor from Massachusetts, marveled at the sheer size of the Morgan’s entire hull, now exposed for all to see. She and fellow mom, Laura, brought their young children to Mystic Seaport during February Vacation Week and were delighted that the Morgan was accessible. “Phenomenal,” was Laura’s comment following their tour with Museum interpreter, Barry Keenan.

 

The children had their own favorite impressions during their visit. Norah was fascinated with the deck prisms. The hole in the table where one of the Morgan’s masts normally protrudes caught the attention of Shannon and her brother. Now residing inside the Shipyard, the children were able to look down upon the large masts from high above in the Gallery.

 

Now listen up sidewalk supervisors! Shipside scaffolding and other “amenities” will soon

allow visitors to observe the actual renovation work being done on the Morgan. You can actually watch history in the making!

 

There are so many cool things to observe at Mystic Seaport’s Shipyard. It’s fascinating – from the amazing shiplift that can hoist 580 long tons (one long ton = 2,240 lbs.), to the visitors’ gallery overlooking the carpenter shop, there’s so much to see and learn. It’s truly a world onto itself. Visitors of all ages will have fun exploring every nook and cranny.

 

And come June, visitors will have even more to explore when the Museum opens up Restoring an Icon in the Shipyard Gallery. The exhibit will feature objects and details regarding the restoration of one of the most precious pieces of American maritime history.

 

Don’t forget to check our website: www.mysticseaport.org for a calendar of daily Museum events, Morgan restoration updates and so much more.

Climb up the Stairway to Heaven and check out the Morgan and surrounding views.

Big Bang for Your Buck

Are you wearing last year’s duds instead of buying new?  Have hot dogs and canned soup replaced steak and gourmet foods on your grocery list?  Have you canceled this year’s vacation?  We hear you.  It’s a familiar scenario these days.

 

Well, take heart. Here’s a lift for your spirits. Vacation and fun are not out of reach. Especially for Connecticut residents, good times are practically in your own backyard at Mystic Seaport – The Museum of America and the Sea.

 

A Museum membership offers you and your family a big bang for your buck. Topping the list is unlimited free admission to Mystic Seaport during your membership year, and no matter which category of membership you purchase, it’s a tax deduction!

.

If the word “discount” has a magical ring, just listen to some of the many great discounts available to all Mystic Seaport members: shopping at the Museum Store; dining at the Seamen’s Inne Restaurant and Pub; reduced rental prices at Mystic Seaport’s boathouse (in season); special pricing on Rosenfeld prints and ships plans; and last but not least, discounts at many other museums, both in neighboring states and further afar. (Read more about Mystic Seaport membership perks.)

An autumn day outside the Membership Building.

Members also receive invitations to special member events at the Museum and have interesting group travel opportunities to destinations far and wide. Additionally, you will have the  chance to register early for select Museum programs and purchase advance tickets for popular special events such as Nautical Nightmares and Lantern Light Tours.
.
What you’ll perhaps appreciate most as a Mystic Seaport member is access to a quiet members-only lounge. It’s in the first floor of the Membership Building, a welcome respite from the crowds or inclement weather, where you can relax in comfortable arm chairs, have a hot or cold drink and peruse the members-only selection of caps, mugs, ties, scarves and burgees available for purchase.

Enjoy a hot chocolate in the Membership lounge.

Sound good? Then welcome aboard! Join our member community either on-line, by phone(860.572.5339), or by stopping by the Membership Building during your next visit. (Your admission fee can be deducted from your membership.) How’s that for a good deal? Perhaps now you can go ahead and enjoy that nice steak dinner. 

Fly to the Moon

“Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars; Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars…..”

When you visit Mystic Seaport’s Planetarium, you can at least imagine that you’re flying to the moon and playing among the stars. And you just might find out what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars after learning more about the night sky changes that accompany the seasons.   

Mystic Seaport Planetarium

While you sit back in your comfy seats in the Planetarium theater, consider how important the stars were to sailors in the 1800s.  The GPS system so many of us depend on today to navigate our journeys by land and by sea wasn’t even at crystal ball stage back then. The compass, sextant and chronometer were the main instruments sailors relied upon, but at nightfall, the stars were a crucial guide in maintaining the ship’s course. A sea captain’s grasp of celestial navigation was paramount to a safe voyage for his ship, its crew and its cargo.

 

During the Planetarium’s daily theater program, one feels almost within reach of stars and planets, the sun and the moon as they are projected overhead. Make sure to check out the Planetarium’s special program, “Winter Stars of a Voyage to Freedom,” daily at 2 p.m. during February Vacation Week (Feb. 14-22). You will have the opportunity to observe the same winter sky and stars that guided Amistad’s crew to freedom in the 19^th century.

 

The Planetarium lobby’s six-stage celestial navigation exhibit demonstrates that mathematical skills and ingenuity were as much a necessity for men at sea as was the skill of sailing itself. Given the lack of modern day equipment, it’s kind of mind-boggling, yet impressive, that ships stayed the course on their voyages, and in addition, that sailors were able to determine their ship’s speed and distance traveled.
.

While at the Planetarium, make sure to try your hand at using the sextant displayed in the exhibit. It may be a somewhat humbling experience. Discover an Orrery – a mechanical scale model of the solar system (if you already knew this, you deserve a gold star!). Suspended from the lobby ceiling are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Pretty awesome!

 

The Planetarium is one of the Museum’s shining stars, appealing to both children and adults. Come and enjoy all it has to offer.

 

Please Note: The Planetarium Theater will be closed and shows cancelled from February 24 – March 9 during upgrades to the projector. The lobby exhibit will remain open.

 

* Above lyrics from the pop standard song “Fly Me to the Moon” penned by lyricist Bart Howard.

  

Check out our website: www.mysticseaport.org  for a listing of daily events. 

Up the Elevator to Stillman’s 2nd Floor

Undoubtedly, the first image that pops into your head when you hear the word “cowboy” is a rugged man on a horse sporting a wide-brimmed hat and leather chaps, herding cattle somewhere in the West.

 

What do cowboys have to do with Mystic Seaport, you ask? Well, they have plenty to do with the exhibit found on the 2^nd floor of the Stillman Building: Endangered Species: The Commercial Fishermen of Point Judith, Rhode Island.

 

Markham Starr, accomplished photographer and shipwright, has described the Point Judith fisherman as “the ocean’s version of a true cowboy – independent, resourceful and dedicated.”  

 

In 2005, Mystic Seaport began restoration of Point Judith’s Roann, one of the last wooden commercial fishing vessels of her kind. Starr, a photographer and shipwright who worked on the Roann project in the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard, recognized a vanishing legacy and sought to capture the spirit of these men and women for whom fishing is more than just a job, but rather, a way of life. His portraits, seascapes and action shots capture the full spectrum of life in the fisheries trade, perfectly illustrating that the daily life of a commercial fisherman is tough work — there is no “easy button.” 

Photo of the Point Judith Fishermen by Markham Starr

While at the exhibit, be sure to watch the films that tell the stories of whaling, cod fishing and fish and oyster processing. It’s history in an oyster shell (excuse the pun). By the way, did you know that in the 1800s oysters were America’s first snack food from the sea? Add that to your trivia bank!

 

Speaking of trivia, what fish is nicknamed an “eating machine?” Take a look at the fearsome dude in the glass case. No wonder he camouflages himself!

 

Also, don’t forget to check out the interesting pictures relating to the natural sponge market. Today we primarily have synthetic sponges, but in 1849, Key West, FL, was a bustling market for natural sponges.

 

Don’t short-change the Stillman Building when you visit Mystic Seaport. Allow enough time to take in all three floors. We think you’ll agree – they are quite impressive!

 

Log onto www.mysticseaport.org for daily updates on Museum events.

Storytime at the Stillman Building – Bookmark This!

So many times we’ve all heard interviewers ask the interviewee, “Who or what has most influenced your life?”

 

Usually the answer is a family member, an admired colleague, or perhaps experiencing a  life-changing event.

 

Now ponder this. The sea has shaped a part of everyone’s life in ways we may never have imagined.

 

Mystic Seaport’s signature exhibit in the Stillman Building, Voyages: Stories of America and the Sea, will take you on a voyage of discovery that will connect you personally to the sea in some way, guaranteed.

 

See the actual small boat, the Analuisa, that managed to bring 20 Cubans across the Straits of Florida in 1994 to begin a new life in the U.S.

 

Did a relative emigrate to America and touch U.S. soil for the first time on Ellis Island? There are pictures and an audio with poignant comments from immigrants.

 

How did a young Clara Benson view her life aboard the trading ship her dad captained in the 1880s? Read her penned thoughts.

 

Empathize with ship Captain George Wendell, who crafted a doll bed for his daughter while at sea, only to learn she died a month before he returned home from his voyage in 1863. You’ll see the bed  and learn how the captain dealt with his grief.

 

Are you a veteran or an active duty sailor in the Navy or U.S. Coast Guard? The Museum has honored these branches of service with wonderful exhibits and videos. You’ll come away with a renewed sense of respect and gratitude for those who serve our country.

 

Who hasn’t bought something made in a country other than America? How did it get here? Videos and displays show how trade has been the impetus for innovation in getting goods across oceans and up and down rivers.

 

Imagine commuting to work via a 185-foot yacht! Financier John Pierpoint Morgan did. You’ll see his portrait and read some facts about this wealthy, philanthropic gentleman from New York.

 

Without even realizing it, the Voyages exhibit will navigate you through a history book of the sea, highlighting softer side notes that you’re sure to find fascinating. 

 

Allow lots of time for this beauty, because you know what?…..we’ve only covered the first floor!

Stay tuned for what awaits you on the Stillman Building’s 2^nd and 3^rd floors (by elevator, if you so choose.)

 

For other daily events at Mystic Seaport, log on to: www.mysticseaport.org.