Day 309, Year 8: Museum of America and the Sea in Mystic Seaport
Date: Sunday, September 8, 2013
Weather: Mostly Sunny, Gusty Winds in the Afternoon
Location: Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Plans are great, but flexibility is the name of the game. We had planned to go to Provincetown today, but when Mark checked with Chris and Geoff this morning, Geoff had found an AIS at Defender (in Connecticut) that he really wanted to buy and he wanted to look at dinghies. The website said they were closed on Sundays, but when Mark called, the menu for store hours said they were open from 9 to 3 pm on Sundays. So off we went. Since Defender is in Waterford, Connecticut, just past Mystic Seaport, I decided to call Jane and Roger Bonner to see if we could meet them for lunch. They are friends who spend the winters in South Carolina and are member of the Sail and Power Squadron there. We tried to meet up with them in Cuttyhunk a few weeks ago, but fog caused delays and we missed each other. Today they were only going to be home until 12:30 pm, so we took off and hoped to get there in time to at least say hello. We arrived just after noon and had time for a short visit. Jane and Roger live on a quiet little street and their backyard borders a small tributary that flows into the Connecticut River. The lot next door is the cemetery of Captain John Mason’s family from the 1700 and 1800’s. Their backyard is not only picturesque, but also historic. I don’t love cemeteries, but this one is quaint and interesting. And since we were in the area, Jane offered us free guest passes to the museum in Mystic Seaport. What a kind gift. We accepted, said our goodbyes, and we were off to Defender—or so we thought. When we got there, they were closed. The hours changed on September 1 but they have not changed their phone message information. What a bummer! It is a two and a half hour drive from here. We looked at the used dinghies that are in the parking area and looked in the windows at all the other dinghies on display. Since EJ, the dinghy repairman who is working on Windbird’s dinghy is telling us that our leak could be coming from the seam and not repairable, looking at dinghies is something we found interesting as well. We were so disappointed that the place wasn’t open, but we took a deep breath, decided to go to the museum in Mystic Seaport, and then drive back to Defender tomorrow after Mark’s urologist appointment at Mass General in Boston. I know. We are crazy. This is a lot of driving, but Mark really wants to see the dinghies to compare what he can get at Defender versus what he can buy through West Marine. And Chris and Geoff are only here for one more day. So the decision was made.
The Museum of America and the Sea in Mystic Seaport is incredible. It captures village life as it was there in the 1800’s and offers many opportunities for touring ships of yesteryear and learning how they were built and maintained. The Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaling ship, has just been refurbished and was launched in late July. It made its first whaling trip in 1841. What a piece of history. It was a short but jam-packed afternoon and we are so grateful to Jane and Roger for making it possible for us to visit. They work there and get guest passes as part of their ‘pay.’ Thank you, Jane and Roger!
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| 130908 Day 309 Cape Cod, USA–Mystic Seaport |
