Mystic Seaport - Connecticut

Labor Day weekend in Connecticut!
Our trip included a day at Mystic Seaport,
situated along the Mystic River and covering about 19 acres.
They call it "The Museum of America and the Sea."
Great exhibits, a seaport village from the 1800's and tall ships to explore!

In contrast to the tools and technology of today,
I was continually impressed with the ingenuity and fortitude of the people of this era.
Take a look at my photos from this memorable experience ~

The wooden whaling ship Charles W. Morgan was built in 1841.

She is the last of her kind; there were once over 2,700 whaling vessels in the American fleet.

Now restored, she calls the Mystic Seaport home, and is the centerpiece of the museum.

We went aboard and watched as deckhands climbed the yards to raise the sails.

We saw the sleeping bunks below, with deck prisms to illuminate them from above.

It was a thrill to see the 2 huge try-pots, once used to to render oil from whale blubber!

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiates 4:12

A wonderful weekend celebrating our Wedding Anniversary!
>>Thank you, Lord, for the gift of our marriage and the love we share.
We pray you'll always be our Third Cord.<<

At the Cooperage, we learned about the trade of barrel making.
For instance, the bundle of wood on the right is called a shook.
The slats of wood are the staves of a barrel, actually 2 barrels,
that had been pre-made and then disassembled.
Bundled like this for the journey, they saved half the space on board.
A cooper was always part of the crew on a whaling ship.
He assembled each barrel, making sure it was water-tight, and
once it was filled with precious whale oil, he fitted the lid to seal it.

What do you think of this enormous 7,000 lb. bower anchor?
It was found off the coast of Rhode Island and is believed to be
from a British warship that blockaded Newport during the Revolutionary War!

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." Hebrews 6:19

These figureheads decorated the fronts of ships in the 19th century. 

Such beauty in the hand-carved wood, with a fascinating story behind each one!

This charming shop gave a glimpse into what home-life was like back then.

Of course, ships needed lots of rope, so a cordage business was a must.
This building is only 1/4 the size of its original 1,000 feet,
a length necessary to spin and twist the natural fibers into straight, long ropes.
A video, one among several at Mystic Seaport, helped us to visualize the process.

Want to find out more?

Here are links to the Mystic Seaport

website & Facebook page.

Other posts on our Connecticut weekend:
Abbott's Lobster in the Rough
Strolling through Stonington
S & P Oyster Company