WoodenBoat Show – Great as Usual

I love the WoodenBoat Show, held this past weekend at Mystic Seaport. It wasn’t a first for me, but the feeling is always the same.

Sure, traffic and parking can be a challenge, but once inside Museum gates, the crowds that flock to this annual event actually energize me. Everyone seems happy to be there. The festive atmosphere seems to positively impact everything and everybody.

The number, variety and beauty of the wooden boats exhibited is always an awesome sight.The proud and friendly owners genuinely enjoy sharing their boat’s nautical history with visitors.

But the WoodenBoat show encompasses more than getting up close and personal with these magnificent boats.

Here’s what makes this show stand out as one of my favorite Museum events:

It’s in the summer, when warm temperatures and sunshine add to the enjoyment; It’s all about the people;

- I met David and Arnette McCulloch, whose connection to Mystic Seaport goes back to Arnette’s days as supervisor of membership, sailing instructor and sometime skipper of the Sabino steamboat  – all during her Mystic Seaport employment. They came to the WoodenBoat show on two separate days.

 - I talked with Candy Bellavance, a member of the Museum’s security force, who described her department as “a little crazy”  but confident that parking control and safety and security issues throughout the three-day show were being handled well.

 - I gabbed with some of the tent vendors, all of whom were friendly, even when I didn’t make a purchase – but yes, I did buy some gifts. It’s hard to resist so many specialty goods all in one place at good prices. Seeing is believing and still beats Internet shopping in my book!

 - It’s overhearing visitors talking about their dream to build or own a wooden boat such as those on display. I think many of us have dreams – or memories – of boats that hold a special place in our hearts and minds.

 - It’s watching adults and children, with the help of Mystic Seaport volunteers, learning to make a lanyard – a special WoodenBoat show craft this year.

 - It’s seeing children proudly showing off their own wooden boat creations, a special memory of their day at Mystic Seaport’s WoodenBoat show.

  – It’s the amazement seen on visitors’ faces as they approach the towering Charles W. Morgan whaling ship, now in dry dock and undergoing a three-year restoration. One can almost imagine their sense of marvel and comparison to the much smaller wooden boats on display at the show.

I heard from “exit interviewers” that visitors gave an overall 100% thumbs-up for the  WoodenBoat show itself, but many added that even though they came mainly for the boats, they  thoroughly enjoyed the whole Museum.  Good news for all concerned!

Blog post written by Trudi Busey. 

Wooden Boats and So Much More!

Walking around Mystic Seaport grounds this June 25th morning, it’s obvious something big is about to happen.

Tents are already in place and a few early bird vendors are setting up in preparation for tomorrow’s opening of the 18th annual WoodenBoat Show, which runs Friday through Sunday, June 26 – 28.

The sign over one booth — “Rope Dope” — caught my eye. Frank and Liz Laskey have been returning since 1991. Frank bills this as his favorite show among all others. The couple’s wares are boat-related ropes of all kinds plus a whimsical sideline of dog leashes.

Across the aisle, Orv Haberman was arranging an impressive selection of out-of-print books and coastal sea charts, including an 1841 hand colored chart of Long Island Sound.

Next door, Jay and Dona Benford of Tiller Publishing, unboxed two recently published books: a soft-cover titled Catboats and a hard-cover non-fiction book, When Fortune Frowns. The latter is a sequel of sorts; it traces the true history of what happened after the events written in Mutiny on the Bounty.  Author William H. White will be on hand Saturday to autograph his book, as well as Paul Garnett, who did the art work.

Jan Balsamo had the next tent all to herself for now. Her company, Axis Air Group, Inc. sells a unique respirator/paint sprayer product. She is excited to once again take part in the WoodenBoat Show after a several year hiatus.

Judging from the signs above the booths, when all vendors are in place, visitors will find everything from tee-shirts and tote bags to information on boat building schools and yacht restoration. The Brennans, owners of “Frayed Knot Arts” had some interesting examples of their craft already on display, and Jeff Pearson’s antique tools tent had some early birds on the prowl.

You get the picture; besides the wonderful display of more than 100 wooden boats, there is so much more going on!

The WoodenBoat Show is Mystic Seaport’s biggest event of the summer, and based on exit interviews conducted last year, well deserving of it’s billing as “The most dynamic wooden boat show in the country” by WoodenBoat magazine.

Best of all, the weather prediction looks good for this weekend — come and enjoy!

Blog post written by Trudi Busey.

Slip into Mystic Seaport by boat this summer

Cocktails on the Mystic River? Sounds good to me!

Want to spend a summer evening on 17 acres of prime waterfront real estate, with all the comforts of home?

Come with your boat and dock in a slip at Mystic Seaport!  Put the nation’s premier maritime museum on your list of ports of call, and enjoy first-class docking facilities at an unparalleled location. Unlike any other marina or docking area, you’ll get to experience the quiet and calm beauty of an evening on our riverside grounds—yours to stroll as an after-hours special guest of the Museum when the grounds are closed to other visitors.

Docking amenities include heads, showers and laundry machine, free pump-out facilities, shore power, ice, fresh water and, for Mariner Members and above,  the Membership Building’s Mariner’s Lounge is available M-F, 9-5 with hot coffee and cold lemonade, as well as a quiet haven to read a book or or browse the Internet. Mariner members and above get discounts or free nights on dockage at the Museum’s beautiful waterfront—click here to learn more about the benefits of membership at Mystic Seaport.

See you at the docks! Call our Docks office at 860.572.5391, or go online to learn more at our Docks page.

Books, Boats and Bargains!

The Fellows of the G.W. Blunt White Library will be presenting their annual used book sale in the G.W. Blunt White Building at Mystic Seaport during the WoodenBoat Show on Saturday, June 27, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There will be more than 600, mostly nautical, books for sale. The sale is styled as a “Dutch Auction” with prices being reduced as the day goes on from $10 at 11 a.m. to $2 at 3 p.m. Talk about a deal! There will also be 125 special books starting at $15.

More than 300 nautical quarterly magazines will be sold for $3 apiece and some 500 free periodicals and other free books will be available at the Museum’s South Gate.

So stop by, stock up your personal libraries and get started on your summer reading!

For more information on Museum events, visit www.mysticseaport.org

Cool Jazz in a Cool Setting

I guess it was my older brother who hooked me on jazz.

It started during the big band era when his job as manager of the Cedar Point ballroom in Ohio gave a couple of friends and myself free admission to hear some of the great bands like Stan Kenton and Woody Herman perform. Pretty soon it was the cool sounds of musicians like Stan Getz, Charlie Parker and Dave Brubeck who blew me away.

No wonder, then, that the Summer Solstice River Jazz Fest at Mystic Seaport this past Saturday night was a concert I did not want to miss. It was super – and for more reasons than the music, awesomely performed by Don Braden and his Quartet.

Originally the concert location was Chubb’s Wharf. But when rain was predicted for the long term, Cheryl Mattson and her organizers had a brilliant idea. They moved the concert to the Museum’s shipyard.

Imagine, we were seated in the very building where the Amistad was built!  How cool is that?  It never did rain until the concert was over, but even if it had, the atmosphere inside was special.

Cool jazz, a cool (and dry) setting, the misty fog moving slowly up the river, a glass of wine, a cup of chowder, a cup of coffee available at the tent outside -  it was great!  If you missed Summer Solstice at Mystic Seaport this year, I’m sorry. Just don’t miss it next year!

Visit www.mysticseaport.org for information on other summer events.

More than a Friendly Face

With summer knocking on the door, Mystic Seaport staff members are ramping up in anticipation of the  thousands of visitors expected to visit the Museum this season. Our gate staff members, led by Sally Ackley, are primed to welcome visitors, answer questions and assist in a myriad of other issues.

One of Sally’s team members, Goran Buckhorn, tells this unique story about a visitor from Norway. Their paths crossed in the Museum’s Visitors Reception Center (VRC) several years ago.

The man was traveling alone. He was 85 years old. He had read a 1975 article about Mystic Seaport in a boating magazine and was determined to come to America, come to Connecticut and come to Mystic Seaport!

He made it, with a little help from police, who stopped and questioned him as he walked along highway I-95. After checking his passport and learning his destination, they drove him to Mystic Seaport.       

Out of concern for the elderly gentleman, Goran assisted him first in getting some food, then helped him find decent lodging nearby. When the traveler told Goran, “I think my wife thinks I’m dead…I haven’t spoken to her in several days because I don’t know how to phone Norway from here,” Goran helped him make the call.

For three days, the gentleman enjoyed Mystic Seaport, snapping many photos, especially of the L.A.Dunton.   Back in Norway, he was making a model of the fishing schooner and wanted to see the vessel in person.

Mission completed, the man was ready to head back home to Norway – but he had missed his flight out of Hartford. Wrong day! Once again, Goran managed to get him on a flight the following day.  

To Sally Ackley and her VRC staff, it’s all in a day’s work!

WoodenBoat Show: By the Numbers

Next weekend, June 26-28, Mystic Seaport will host what WoodenBoat magazine calls “The most dynamic wooden boat show in the country.” Visit us for the eighteenth annual WoodenBoat Show and step aboard classic and contemporary boats of every class — power, sail, oar and paddle. Learn tips and skills at workshops and much more.

And just a few numbers to whet your appetite…

Measured in linear feet, the quantity of wooden boats on hand at the show: 2,500

Number of wooden boats on display: more than 200

Number of wood-boat builders in attendance each year: more than 50

Number of (temporary) tattoos applied (to children): 226

Number of attendees at 2008 show: 12,900

Number of bars of pine tar soap sold by the WoodenBoat Store at the 2008 show: 31

Number of prizes awarded at the 2008 Concours d’Elegance: 27

Number of people to be honored at the 2009 WoodenBoat Show tribute dinner: 3 (William, John and Pat Atkin)

Number of online visits to the WoodenBoat Show website on the first day of the 2008 show: 5,844

Number of feet of electrical cord run for the show: 4,000

Number of square feet of tent fabric in service: 28,000

For more information, visit www.mysticseaport.org/woodenboatshow. And don’t forget, the WoodenBoat Show is free for Mystic Seaport members!

Boats, Boats and More Boats!

“Why, my young friend, it’s the only thing! Why, there’s nothing…simply nothing, quite so much worth doing, as messing about in boats. Simply messing…about in boats.”
–Kenneth Grahame, Wind in the Willows

There doesn’t seem to be a better quote to describe the wondrous feeling a person gets when they get into a small boat. Sure, some visitors of the Boathouse at Mystic Seaport may have a little fear or anxiety over hopping into what appears to be a very tippy vessel. WE can’t blame you for that, but we sure do encourage you to try it out!

June 6-7 marked a very important weekend in the small craft world. John Gardner Small Craft Workshop weekend has long been a tradition at the Museum. After a year hiatus, it returned in full force. Owners and admirers of small craft joined together for a weekend of education, fun in boats and chatter. In one location, visitors were able to find home-builds, well known boat builders and people representing other maritime museums and non-profit organizations.

Saturday, participants launched their boats, donned their name tags and began what proved to be a fantastic weekend. Presentations were given by Museum friends – old and new – including David Niels’ talk about paddle-making, Ben Fuller’s presentation about “What to bring (and not bring) on a boat” and Mark Starr’s demonstration of the electronic measuring device, EDM, which takes accurate measurements of a boat and makes a drawing on a computer. This technology is quite significant to Mystic Seaport due to its use on the Charles W. Morgan  and other restoration work being done here at the Museum.

All day Saturday, participants of the workshop were able to use Boathouse boats, as well as the vessels of other participants in order to get a feel for the unique designs available. It wasn’t surprising to find quite a few participants taking lines (measurements) off of some of the boats due to their interest in building one of their own.

Sunday morning, without a doubt, was the best part of the weekend. Beginning at 7 a.m., approximately 15 boats began a trip downriver to Mason’s Island. Both rowing and sailing, participants were able to enjoy the beautiful morning and each others’ company while using the boats exactly for what they are meant for — use in the water. 

Overall, being able to speak with many of the participants can be seen as the best part of the weekend. The passion and love for small craft was echoed throughout everyone’s actions and words.

Might we offer a suggestion? Take a chance to learn what Toad was saying to Mole in the Wind in the Willows and come down to the Boathouse at Mystic Seaport. Rent your own small traditional boat and begin to row or sail away on a new adventure.  
 

Blog post written by dedicated Museum Boathouse staff member Tia D’Alessandro.

Five Questions with…Museum Web Manager Jonathan Greene

If you don’t already know Web Manager Jonathan Greene, prepare to be blown away by his many-faceted work history at Mystic Seaport. With an Associate’s Degree in web design and animation and a BS in the digital recording arts from New England Tech, who knows what the future holds for Jonathan.

1.  How long have you been employed at Mystic Seaport?

JG:       I was hired in July 2001. I was 17-years-old and it was my first job. The Museum Store manager said she hired me because I wore a tie for the interview!  I became manager of the North Gate store before Event Network took over management; then I worked in the café where I made the fudge. Those two jobs were my favorites. I also worked in the wholesale department and handled technical needs, managed cash registers, and worked with artwork and prints. Actually, my family has a long tradition at Mystic Seaport. My great grandfather, grandfather, and mother all worked for the Museum. When you visit the schoolhouse, look for the initials “KIRK” and “MK” carved into one of the desks. “KIRK” is the nickname from my grandfather’s last name, Kirkpatrick, and MK are the initials of my grandmother. My grandfather was instructed to help make the new schoolhouse desks look old, so he carved those initials.

2.  What’s the best part of your job?

JG:    Since I have held so many different jobs at the Museum, I’ve gotten to know many people personally. I really enjoy seeing and talking with them on a regular basis; it’s like an extended family here. The best part of my current job is realizing that just one slight change made to our website might have a worldwide impact and encourage someone visiting our website to come and visit Mystic Seaport. That’s powerful stuff!

3.  What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?

JG:       Keeping up with technology. It’s kind of frustrating when you’re aware of some terrific new technology, but realize the cost is too prohibitive for the Museum to purchase. Setting up the eBay and Amazon connection has helped alert folks to what the Museum Store has to offer.  The other challenge for me has been balancing tasks as I transitioned from job to job. I still get questions related to former positions I’ve held.

4.  What’s the funniest or most notable on-the-job experience you’ve had?

JG:       Most notable is probably an experience I missed by a year. I would have loved being on staff when the Amistad was launched. Thinking back, I was excited at the prospect of meeting TV reporter, Geraldo, who had moored his boat at Mystic Seaport. Along comes this guy wearing pink tights, riding a bicycle, who wanted gate admittance so he could get aboard his boat. It was Geraldo. That sort of cured me of my youthful fascination with celebrities. I realized they’re just ordinary people like you and me.

5.  What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?

JG:      I’m a movie and movie trivia buff. I also like playing video games and enjoy photography – and you can imagine – the computer is ever present! 

Jonathan was interviewed by volunteer Trudi Busey and photographed by Andy Price.

Music on the River

It’s (nearly) summertime, and the livin’ is easy, as the old song goes.

And speaking of songs, we’ve got a fabulous lineup of Music on the River this season, and when we say Music ON the River, we mean ON it. Join us on board Sabino, our 101-year-old steam ship, for a special downriver cruise every Wednesday evening and enjoy the acoustic sounds of some of the area’s finest musicians, performing live.

We kick off the season tonight, June 10, with a preview of our 30th annual Sea Music Festival.  Geoff Kaufman—well-known folk musician “with a pinch of salt”— is on deck with his songs of the sea, songs of the earth, songs of the heart and the spirit.Whether singing sailor songs with his quartet, Forebitter, environmental songs on board the Sloop Clearwater in the Hudson River or in solo performances at coffeehouses and festivals throughout the United States and  Europe, Geoff has entertained and touched audiences near and far.

A cash bar and light snacks will be available. Tickets are $25 per person ($22 for members). Tickets may purchased online or by calling the Sabino Dock Office at 860.572.5351.

Event series sponsored by Shipyard Brewing Company.

DATE	PERFORMER	BUY TICKETS
JUNE 10	MSM – Geoff Kaufman; folk and sea music	<Buy tickets online now>
JUNE 17	Dan Stevens; acoustic blues	<Buy tickets online now>
JUNE 24	Ron Drago; folk, rock, and jazz	<Buy tickets online now>
JULY 1	James Harris; classic and modern rock	<Buy tickets online now>
JULY 8	Darin Keech; folk, blues, rock, and bluegrass	<Buy tickets online now>
JULY 15	Dan Stevens; acoustic blues	<Buy tickets online now>
JULY 22	Ron Drago; folk, rock, and jazz	<Buy tickets online now>
JULY 29	James Harris; classic and modern rock	<Buy tickets online now>
AUGUST 5	Dan Stevens; acoustic blues	<Buy tickets online now>
AUGUST 12	Dan Watson; acoustic rock	<Buy tickets online now>
AUGUST 19	James Harris; classic and modern rock	<Buy tickets online now>
AUGUST 26	Ron Drago; folk, rock, and jazz	<Buy tickets online now>