You can’t miss her. She’s a lady with quite a past and she is making Mystic Seaport her home until Memorial Day 2010. Her name is Amazon, appropriate considering she is 124-years-young, strong and still turning heads wherever she goes!

You guessed it; Amazon is the 102-ft. LOA screw schooner docked opposite Sabino here at the Museum, her British flag hoisted daily making her presence known to visitors and staff. Amazon has come a long way – from Malta via Gibraltar, the Canary Islands, the Cape Verde Islands, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda and Rhode Island ports. Quite a trip for an old gal!

If this lady could talk, she would give a riveting account of her many owners, where she has been and what she has done.

Amazon was built at Southampton, England, in 1885 from designs by the renowned Dixon Kemp. Her builder and first owner was Tankerville Chamberlayne, Esq., owner of a small non-commercial boat yard in Northam on the River Itchen. He personally supervised construction of Amazon, using high quality materials that have ensured her longevity to this day.  Amazon was used for summer cruising, attending sailing regattas along the south coast of England until she was sold in 1897 to a Frenchman; she returned to British ownership in 1900, where she has remained.

She was too old-fashioned for the First World War and just plain too old for the Second World War and so lost her bronze propeller and shaft to the war effort, becoming a houseboat in a west London yacht basin until British actor, Arthur Lowe, bought her in 1968.  Bought as a houseboat, the surveyor’s report on this 83-year-old was so favorable that it was decided to make her seaworthy again and Amazon was used as a floating base while touring coastal theaters. After Lowe’s death in 1982, his son used Amazon as a charter boat until she was put up for sale at the start of 1990, having migrated to northern Scotland that year.

After lying for sale in Scotland for seven years, Amazon was looking sad. The broker described her as difficult to sell because she was something of a “dinosaur” with four factors deterring potential buyers: Amazon was old, wooden, long (and therefore expensive to keep in a marina) and single screw!

None of these factors were deterrents to Ted and Melody, who could see beyond the cosmetics and the ill-informed ‘received opinion.’  Amazon was certainly no has-been. After all, the yacht was unrestored, substantially the original hull and fundamentally sound.  As if to prove this in April 1997, Amazon sailed from Scotland to a new home in Malta (the furthest she had then been) without difficulty to undergo some repairs and to blossom into the family’s cruising boat and continuing obsession.

This family is very familiar and comfortable with living afloat; son George is an intelligent and engaging 12-year-old and has taken a year off from school to travel here with his father. George’s mother and 10-year-old sister, who are in Malta, will be coming to Mystic Seaport to spend the Christmas holiday. Melody’s career in Malta is financing this voyage.

When asked about how George and he will adapt to our New England winter weather, Ted professes they will enjoy the cold and crisp air. Perhaps we’ll check back with them in February!

Although the Museum’s visitors cannot board Amazon, Ted and George are happy to share their knowledge of her history in friendly conversation with those who stop by to have a look.  Believe me, it’s a treat talking to Ted and George.

Blog written by volunteer, Trudi Busey.

As a child, did your family or a relative have an attic that called out to you to explore its contents: perhaps trunks full of old things – pictures, keepsakes, clothing and toys stored away because they held too many precious and personal memories to dispose of them? My uncle’s and aunt’s attic was a fascinating place to me as a youngster.

I don’t think we ever outgrow our curiosity about places usually off-limits to us. That’s why I’m so eager to tell you about the guided tours Mystic Seaport is offering visitors.

Explore the Museum “Attic” takes you behind the scenes at the Collections Research Center. You will be amazed at the awesome treasures Mystic Seaport has there which cannot be displayed on a regular basis due to space and other limitations. When I took the tour, I was blown away by the extent and variety of  the Museum’s collections and the history attached to them.

Tours are limited in size and are given at 12:45 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Tour guides will meet visitors outside the Benjamin F. Packard ship cabin exhibit before the group heads across the street to the Collections Research Center.

Don’t miss this opportunity. You will love it!

Blog written by Trudi Busey.

What’s your Thanksgiving holiday tradition?  Do you watch the Macy’s parade on TV?  Do you bundle up to watch a local football game? Or, if you’re in charge of preparing the Thanksgiving feast, do you even have time to relax at all?

Well!  Here’s a new tradition for you to consider.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast; take your seat in the bleachers at a football game or sit in your easy chair at home and flip the TV channel to the Macy parade. Then, sometime between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., meander over to Mystic Seaport country and celebrate the season’s bounty at the Seamen’s Inne Thanksgiving Grand Buffet. Just think how nice it would be to simply enjoy the food without worrying if the turkey is tender, the mashed potatoes lumpy or the gravy too thick or too thin!

Then, right next door is Mystic Seaport, Yes, even on Thanksgiving Day the Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and….admission is half-price!  True, not all the exhibits will be open, but you can either work up your appetite or walk off the calories you just ate by climbing the staircase up to the Charles W. Morgan whaling ship deck. If that’s too strenuous, than board the L.A. Dunton.  Visit the Buckingham-Hall House and imagine cooking a Thanksgiving feast in that kitchen!  Then, visit the Voyages exhibit where it’s easy to spend a good chunk of time, either before or after your dinner.

Mystic Seaport this time of year has a tranquil charm. The village streets are quiet and the allure of the sea is ever present. It’s a special place for all seasons.

So how about it? Ready to start a new tradition? Then make your reservations for the Thanksgiving Day Grand Buffet at Seamen’s Inne (860.572.5303) and pop over to Mystic Seaport to  enjoy the view along the Mystic River and visit the open exhibits. Don’t forget to tell the exhibit interpreters  you’re thankful for them working on this day of thanks!

We wish you all a happy Thanksgiving!

Blog posted by Trudi Busey.

It’s a sure sign that the holidays are upon us. This morning I saw Kara Franco Lally and some of her “elves” – Margaret, Amy, Irma and Allen – starting to decorate the South entrance courtyard at Mystic Seaport with sprigs of holly, juniper, pine, larch, spruce and yew. 

Kara, who is garden supervisor/horticulturist for the Museum, stated that all the greens they were using were collected on Mystic Seaport grounds. The Museum store, the Visitor Reception Center and the Seamen’s Friend Society Reading Room were on the “to do” list for decorating today. 

In total, about 16 volunteers help beautify Mystic Seaport for the holidays. Right now, in the greenhouse, they’re hard at work making pine roping, wreaths and other decorations that will be in place for visitors to enjoy this holiday season.

Although folks walking through Museum gates may not be aware of all this pre-holiday busy-ness, the proof is in the pudding.  Visiting Mystic Seaport at holiday time is a  beautiful and unique experience.

 Check out the Museum’s website at www.mysticseaport.org and see the special gifts of the season in store for you and your family.  If you’re an early shopper (and you need to be for these holiday offerings) the fun begins on November 29^th  and carries through on selected days throughout December.

The Season’s Splendor (a Victorian Village Holiday Ride), Lantern Light Tours (a New England Holiday Tradition), crafts and stories for kids, a journey to the zoo in the sky at the Planetarium – so many wonderful choices. A word to the wise – ticketed events sell out quickly.  Don’t be disappointed. Shop now!      

Blog written by Trudi Busey.

With symbols of Halloween jumping out at us at every turn, I wondered – how and where did this October 31^st day originate? Turns out, we owe it largely to Irish immigrants. They brought versions of their Celtic festival, Samhain (pronounced sah-wen), to North America. Combine that with the northern European pagan tradition and religious festivities associated with “All Hallow’ Evening” (now known as All Saints Day) and VOILA – October 31^st is what we all now know as  Halloween!     

Too much information? Sorry. But wait – here’s some really important information for anyone with children ages 10  and under. Want a really safe place to take your little goblins trick-or-treating on Halloween?  Then come to Mystic Seaport. From 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 31^st , children in costume will gather up treats at designated locations within the Mystic Seaport village. It’s a scene guaranteed to bring a smile to the faces of all, whether participants or simply onlookers.

Parents, you can vicariously relive this fun time of childhood because it’s a requirement that children be accompanied by an adult. You don’t have to come in costume yourself,  but please come with  $2 for each child you bring (to help defray candy costs). If you’re lucky, maybe your little ghosts and goblins will share some of their Halloween treats with you!

Park in the Seamen’s Inne parking lot, enter through the Museum’s library gate and follow the pumpkin path. You’ll be given a map to lead you to all those treats in waiting.

Sound fun?  You betcha!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Blog post written by Trudi Busey.

This week we meet Shannon McKenzie, assistant to the vice president of watercraft preservation and programs. Shannon’s office is located in the Museum’s Shipyard, giving her an up-close view of the activity surrounding the Charles W. Morgan. Shannon was at the Morgan haul out last November (of course!) and snapped a photo of her then four-month-old son, Sammy. She plans to take another picture of her son the day the Morgan goes back into the water, capturing just how much her little man has grown during the restoration project.

1. How long have you been employed at Mystic Seaport?
SM: I have been working here for about 3 years. My husband and I moved to Mystic four years ago from Cape Cod where we both worked at Sea Education Association. When I was sailing with that school, I took a winter off and worked as a rigger here while Amistad was being built. It was that experience that made me want to come back to work here.

2. What’s the best part of your job?
SM: The best part of my job is the people that I work with and the variety of work that I do on a daily basis. There is always something new and exciting going on in the Shipyard outside of my window. I have learned a lot and been exposed to all sorts of different techniques, tools, organizations and legends in the industry.

3. What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
SM: I get directed all sorts of inquiries from the public. People call up who want to donate trees, boats, tools… I often end up tracking down whether or not we want to accept these donations. Some are more complicated than others, and some people have a history with the items which makes them vested in what will ultimately happen to their donation.

I also get calls from people all over the country who are looking to find out some specific fact, group or individual or technique that is maritime related. It is often a challenge to help them hunt down the answers. Although, frankly, sometimes I just Google to find them the answers and I still come away sounding like a wealth of knowledge!

4. What’s the funniest or most notable on-the-job experience you’ve had?
SM: Coordinating the WoodenBoat Show is my most notable. It is such a huge event, takes so much time to plan for and requires the coordination of all of the departments at the Museum. Standing on the VRC overlook eating a popsicle on Saturday afternoon knowing that there are over 5,000 people on the grounds and a waterfront full of wooden boats is a great moment. Although, going out on the water in those little race boats right after that sure was fun, too!

5. What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
SM: Right now, my favorite thing is hanging out with my little boy who celebrates his first birthday this week. There really is nothing I would rather do, which is a good thing, since entertaining him takes up all of my free time! We have a little sailing skiff that we take him out in. It isn’t the same as the off-shore voyaging that I used to do, but I’ll take my time on the water in smaller stints now. I also enjoy gardening and did the Master Gardner program when I lived on the Cape. My brother and his family and my parents all live close by, so I spend a lot of time with them as well.

Shannon was photographed by Dennis Murphy.

Okay, so it’s really my very much alive husband I’m talking about. But he really is a ghost in Mystic Seaport’s Nautical Nightmares production, which kicks off for a 3-weekend run on Friday, October 16.

This year’s theme, “Blood of the Mutineers,”  is not geared to the faint of heart nor children under the age of 12, but if you want to experience something a bit more jolting than carving a jack-o-lantern or going to a costume party, Nautical Nightmares is your ticket for a haunting and memorable evening during this Halloween month.

The nightly small group tours begin at 6:15 p.m. and leave every 15 minutes from.Mystic Seaport’s North Gate entrance. Ticket holders will be met there and guided along darkened Museum village streets in search of clues related to the unfolding drama they’ll witness in various stops along the way.

You might want to put a flashlight in your pocket to scare away any ghosts you might encounter.  However, you can sock it to them simply by donating a pair of new or gently worn women’s or children’s socks, shoes or athletic footwear on performance nights. Donations will benefit the Women’s Center of Southeastern Connecticut. 

Nautical Nightmares has become a very popular event at Mystic Seaport since its debut eight years ago. The sooner you buy tickets, the better. The cost (which includes a $2 handling fee) is $21 for adults ($19 for members) and $20 for children ($18 for member youth). Again, Mystic Seaport does not recommend bringing children under age 12 to this event.

Purchase tickets online at www.mysticseaport.org/nauticalnightmares or by calling 860.572.5322 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. To 4 p.m.

Blog written by Trudi Busey.

…and most of the hours leading up to it. However, the Antique Vehicle Show at Mystic Seaport the last Sunday in September was still a treat for determined Museum visitors decked out in rain gear and carrying umbrellas. I know. I was one of them!

Although only a fraction of the expected 120 exhibitors were willing to subject their restored motor vehicles to Sunday’s persistent rain, those who did provided visitors with a tantalizing taste of what this annual event must be like when clear skies prevail and exhibitors are out in full force.

It was so cool seeing century-old vehicles parked along the Museum’s Village Green as though their owners were off running errands or shopping. Movies depicting that era or a painting or nostalgic Christmas card scene are just no match for actually admiring these awesome motor vehicles in person.

Restoring these beauties is obviously an expensive labor of love, but to John Parker III of North Stonington, CT,  it’s a passion well worth it. His magnificent red, brass-trimmed 1921 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Tourer led the 3 p.m. parade.

Among the vehicles parading several times around the Village Green with “ooga-ooga” horns sounding, were a snappy royal blue 1924 Studebaker Light Six Coupe, a magnificent 1927 yellow Cadillac sporting big white wall tires, several shiny black Ford Roadsters, a vintage Mystic Seaport truck, and a bright red 1912 Overland Roadster with beautiful brass rimmed lamps and headlights. Seeing Chick and Gail Chandler rounding the bend in their open orange1914 Metz Speedster, I couldn’t help thinking that their happy waves and smiles were partially showmanship but also happiness that they would soon be headed home to Charlton, MA and dry clothes!

It was unfortunate that the weather dampened this year’s Antique Vehicle Show,  but when this special event is advertised next year, do yourself a big favor. Don’t miss it! You’ll take a step back in time and probably wonder, as I do, if any of our 21^st century cars will some day make it to antique status and warrant an exhibition spot at the Mystic Village Green curb.

Blog written by Trudi Busey

They are the harbinger of autumn – those fall fairs and festivals that dot our Connecticut landscape and make the change of season tolerable. I enjoy them as much as anyone. However, if you’re like me, there is a saturation point.

If you’ve watched enough tractor, truck and horse pulls; if you’ve sufficiently sabotaged your diet with cotton candy and fried dough; if you’ve had your share of getting up close and personal with farm animals and admired enough prize-winning jams, needlework and homegrown veggies – I have a great alternative for you…

MYSTIC SEAPORT!!

You can check our website for details: www.mysticseaport.org,  but let me briefly describe what special events are in store for you at the Museum as September segues into October.

• LOCAVORISM

New word. It’s the term given to the growing movement of eating exclusively from local ingredients. Seamen’s Inne Executive Chef, Tim Quinn invites food lovers to experience a sumptuous 4-course meal on 10/16 and 11/20. (The 3-dinner series debuted on September 19^th. )The gourmet meals are prepared entirely with ingredients grown within a reasonable radius of Mystic Seaport.  Reserve your place at the table for 10/16 and 11/20.

•  30th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL MARINE ART EXHIBITION AND SALE

Bustling waterfronts, scenic beaches and marshlands and contemporary marine art will prompt oohs and ahhs from all who appreciate fine art. The comprehensive exhibit opens September 27th  for a 3-week stay in the Museum’s Maritime Gallery.

"Bugeye LEMUEL KIRWAN and Two Schooners" by Yves Parent featured at the International.

•  BY LAND AND BY SEA: ANTIQUE VEHICLE SHOW

No cash for clunkers at Mystic Seaport, but on September 27^th a parade of pre-1930’s cars, trucks and motorcycles are definitely worth a look-see – or maybe even a ride. The grand parade of the vehicles around Museum grounds happens at 3 p.m.

• BEER TASTING AND TALK

Almost Oktoberfest time! But then, beer lovers don’t need a special time to enjoy a cold one. On October 3^rd, from 5-7 p.m. at the Museum’s shipyard, adults can sample different brews from several breweries after learning some little-known facts about beer’s influence on American history from Gregg Smith, author of Beer in America: The Early Years –1587-1840.

Beginning October 16^th, Mystic Seaport gets down right spooky!  On tap – Nautical Nightmares. Tickets are on sale now and go quickly. More info at www.mysticseaport.org/nauticalnightmares.

 Blog written by Trudi Busey

Don Treworgy, May 2009, at the naming of the Treworgy Planetarium

We are saddened to share the news that our beloved Don Treworgy, Mystic Seaport staff member for 48 years, died on September 13.

Today, on this bright and clear September day, we are comforting one another by sharing our stories and recalling this exceptional friend, scholar and gentleman who would not have failed to recognize the simple joys of a glorious late summer day.

Please join us here, in the comments section of our Mystic Seaport blog, and share your stories about life with Don, who made us all richer for the time we spent with him. Honor him with your humor, your recollections, your discoveries and your memories.

If you’d like to look back at some Mystic Seaport photographs of Don over the years, click here.

And if you have photos of your own to share (and you know how important stories, people, photos, history and archiving were to Don!) please share them in our Donald Treworgy  Remembered Flickr group.

Mystic Seaport remembers Don Treworgy