Thimble Islands
First stop in Connecticut was at a mooring among the Thimble Islands, rock islands with some interesting homes.
A good dinghy ride away was the town of Stoney Brook, with a town dock filled with small boats. Those with homes on the islands shuttle from town to the islands on runabouts. Stoney Brook has some interesting homes, but only one retail store - an ice cream shop that closes at 4:00 pm.
After waiting out a big storm at the town dock gazebo, a bouncy dinghy ride brought the crew back to Last Dance. Though the storm passed, the winds picked up, creating a swell that rolled in between the islands, hitting Last Dance on the beam as the current held her perpendicular to the islands. It was the roughest time experienced aboard, in what was expected to be a somewhat protected anchorage.
Connecticut River
After a violently rough night, the crew aimed for the protected waters of the Connecticut River. Two lighthouses mark the entrance to the river, one at the end of the jetty.
And a second on a point of land at the mouth of the River. An old, exclusive community of homes are located on this point behind the lighthouse, including one where Katherine Hepburn lived.
Another objective for traveling the Connecticut River was to visit two other famous residents, Jean Quigley and Miss Ruby. Jean's husband Wes and their son, Three, built Miss Ruby over a period of seven years. Miss Ruby has completed the Great Loop and cruised New England.
Sadly, Wes passed away a few months prior to Last Dance's visit. His skill and craftsmanship are displayed in the beautiful, seaworthy boat with the ruby red hull.
The Quigleys' began with a lobster boat hull mold, laying the glass by hand. They created a pilot-house style superstructure that has interesting lines and functionality.
The woodwork is a work of art. The soles are alternating 3/4 inch strips of mahogany and maple.
The cabinets and drawer fronts all have artistic wood inlays . . . and there are many cabinets.
Jean took the crew on a tour of the area, including a visit to the town of Essex. One landmark there is the Griswold Inn. Continuously operated as an inn and tavern since its opening in 1776, the Inn is filled with history. The tavern includes a fine gourmet restaurant, but notes that coat and tie have never been required because they cater to yachtsmen.
The tavern walls are filled with an amazing collection of nautical art and artifacts. One of the events hosted by the Inn is an art tour of the tavern.
Yachtsmen, or maybe boat bums, depends on your point of view. Whichever, the Gris welcomed the crew and served a delicious meal in a wonderful atmosphere.
Hamburg Cove, a small, very protected harbor off the Connecticut River was selected since more storms were in the forecast. The marina that rented moorings in the harbor was about a mile dinghy ride up the creek. (Hamburg cove is filled with private and rental moorings, leaving no room for anchoring).
Launching a wooden boat is a different process. It is left in the slings at least overnight since the hull has dried allowing water to seep in between the planks. The forward port bilge pump can be seen pumping large amounts of water. As the planks wet, they swell and eventually seal the seams.
Mystic
The large, and somewhat unprotected harbor at Mystic, CT, is marked by an interesting lighthouse. The house behind was surely not the original lightkeepers house.
There were multiple reasons to visit Mystic. Friends, Lynda and Bob Krueger, who completed the Loop the same year as Last Dance, have their boat in Mystic. And, Mystic is home to the Mystic Seaport, an amazing maritime museum. LyndaBob, the affectionate nickname we have applied, are members of the museum, qualifying for discount tickets.
Since it was founded in 1929, much earlier than most U.S. museums, it had access to many artifacts before they were lost to neglect.
Mystic Seaport, known for wooden boats, is much more than a boat museum. It is a complete 19th century seaport village. Original buildings, some from Mystic, others from elsewhere in Connecticut, have been moved to the museum. There is a working blacksmith shop, a clock shop, bank, printer, drug store, and more.
Seafood processing was an important part of the economy and oysters have been a large part of the harvest.
An interesting description of oysters.
An original rope making factory is a part of the village . . .
with the machinery used to construct the rope.
The building was 1000 feet long, but only 250 feet of the building was moved to the site.
For boaters, the highlight, of course, is the reconstruction of old wooden boats. A staff member was working on a Beetle sailing skiff.
The Beetle Cat boats were named after the designer and first builder, John Beetle, building the first boat in 1921. His design has remained unchanged.
The museum builds boats, using traditional methods and tools, and restores boats, from small rowing skiffs to . . .
very large boats. The museum's major project is restoring the Charles W. Morgan, the only remaining whaling ship. A 113 foot wooden boat, with a 28 foot beam, is a huge undertaking.
This radio controlled scale model provides a view of the sail plan of the boat.
One building is filled with a display of ships' figureheads. These bow ornamentations were used on Viking ships to scare away evil spirits. Ships in the 18th and 19th centuries had figureheads to denote the name of the vessel to a largely illiterate population and to indicate the wealth and importance of the shipowner. Art and history combined.
Observed in Mystic
Mystic, with an economy once focused on sailing ships, has found some practical additions for its churches - weather vanes.
Why would you want your sportfish painted white like all the other boats?
