For Every Season There’s a Reason to Visit

The calendar says autumn has arrived, but with the recent gorgeous, warm, sunny days at Mystic Seaport, summer has definitely been duking it out with fall and coming up the winner.

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Days like this need to be savored, and that’s exactly what 2^nd and 3^rd graders from St. Joseph’s School in New London were doing late last week.  For them, it’s the beginning of a new school year, and one of their first study assignments is the history of whaling. How great that they were actually able to board the historic Charles W. Morgan to learn first-hand about whaling and life at sea for her sailors.
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Sabino’s whistle can be heard blowing on grounds, signaling a down-river cruise. She’ll be steaming along until October 11 and then will hibernate until the spring of 2011. Early fall days can be beautiful on Mystic River’s sparkling waters. Take a ride while you still can.

Sabino offers visitors cruises through Columbus Day Weekend.

Ditto for a horse and carriage ride with famed horses Duke or Little John hoofing it around Museum streets for your enjoyment.

Enjoy autumn's scenic beauty while taking a horse and carriage ride.

Yes, fall weekdays at Mystic Seaport are chock-full of indoor and outdoor activities, but just wait until the weekends roll around. Special events coming up include:

• Argia Twilight Cruise with Sea Music  – October 7, Saturday-5:30-7:30 p.m. 
• Chowderfest – October 9-11, Saturday-Monday (more than just chowder)
• Fall Beer Tasting & Talk– October 16, Saturday -5-7p.m. (new brews from local breweries)
• Nautical Nightmares – October 15-31  (tickets on sale now)

And how about living vicariously as adventurers talk about their personal experiences and challenges chasing their dreams and dealing with unique situations?  The Adventure Series at Mystic Seaport is your ticket to an exciting afternoon (1:30 p.m.) or evening (7:30 p.m.) program. The series begins the third Thursday in October and continues every third Thursday through April.

Summer may be officially over, but for me, autumn at Mystic Seaport has a special charm of its own. Come  visit and I’m certain you’ll agree.

 For more information on the above-mentioned events, visit www.mysticseaport.org.

 Blog written by Trudi Busey.

A Golden Pearl

The first woman to row alone across the Atlantic Ocean and to ski over land to the South Pole.  The president of a university. A chaplain, an attorney, a former employee of Muhammad Ali and the author of a book Oprah named in 2009 as one of her top “25 Books You Can’t Put Down.” No, surprisingly, I’m not referring to six different remarkable people. They’re all the accomplishments of one person. Yep, one person. And she will speak at Mystic Seaport this Sunday.
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Tori Murden McClure, author of A Pearl in the Storm: How I Found My Heart in the Middle of the Ocean, the 2010 “One Book, One Region” for eastern Connecticut, will speak at Latitude 41° Restaurant at Mystic Seaport Sunday, September 19, at 5 p.m.  Free and open to the public, McClure will discuss and read excerpts from her riveting memoir that details how, in 1999 at the age of 36, she traveled 2,962 miles in 81 days and became the first woman and first American to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

2010 "One Book, One Region" selection for eastern Connecticut

A true-life tale packed with nautical adventure, McClure’s story is indeed the ideal read for any nautical buff (and just in case any of you buffs are reading, some specs: McClure’s vessel, the American Pearl, was 23-feet long, four-feet high, six feet wide and about 1,800 pounds). But A Pearl in the Storm is more than just another autobiographical maritime exploration. Much more. As with all physical adventures, unexpected twists and turns of the heart come along for the ride. Moments of pain, humor, love, failure and success join together to paint a complex portrait of both a physical and personal journey. The memoir’s website summarizes A Pearl in the Storm best saying, “The book is an intricate blend of comedy, history, tragedy, and romance. This is the memoir of an explorer in the truest sense. She sets off in search of intellectual riches, and instead she finds love.”

 

Tori Murden McClure

Spalding University, the historic Kentucky institution where McClure was recently appointed president, aptly has “What do you want out of life?” scrawled across the top of its website. Join us Sunday evening as McClure shares how she personally answered this question.  You just may receive the inspiration you need to then answer it for yourself.
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For more information about the event, please visit www.mysticseaport.org. To learn more about eastern Connecticut’s “One Book, One Region,” please visit www.onebookoneregion.org.

Blog posted by Erin Richard.