Watch Hill, RI and Mystic, CT

August 23-26, 2024

Lynn here today….

Watch Hill is lovely with 17 miles of sandy beaches, a beautiful hotel named Ocean House. This hotel had fallen into disrepair and was razed on 2004, rebuilt in the same style, and reopened in 2010. We had lunch on the verandah!

AND…then there’s one of Taylor Swift’s amazing properties, closer to the point with a 270 degree view of the ocean and beaches and well protected – security all over the front entrance. We got a good picture from the water, but it is well hidden from the town.

We moved on to Mystic Seaport Museum for two days and I have to say this was one of my favorite parts of the trip. The museum owns the last wooden whaling ship in the world, the Charles W. Morgan, which they have restored and it still sails. Touring the boat and watching them set and furl the sails, as well as the explanation of the whaling process was fascinating. Indulge us as we share these photos.

Every morning they set the sails, weather permitting, and every afternoon they furl them. Four museum employees climb the rigging to furl the square sails on the yards. (They are wearing safety harnesses which the Coast Guard only required starting in 2014!)

The ship would remain under sail at all times unless the weather was so severe they had to derig. The process we watched would take place in 50 mph winds and rough seas without harnesses.

The ship would be manned with about 35 men – women were only allowed as wife or daughter of the captain – but very few women would stay on for the 4 to 5 year trip to sea. Other than the captain and first mates, the others slept in a small area below deck in the front of the ship, next to the blubber room, which had to smell just terrible!

The galley (kitchen)

If you care to know more, here’s an article about life on board. https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/2014/04/20/life-aboard-charles-w-morgan/37026404007/

The next few photos explain the whaling process as the whaling boat is lifted off the side of the ship into the water with two crew members, then four more climb down the pulleys, and the boat rows out to where a whale has been seen from the crows nest at the top of the mast. They will harpoon the whale, eventually killing it and bringing it back to the ship where the blubber will be melted into oil and put in a barrel. The ship won’t return to port until all barrels are full.

Setting off from the ship in the whaling boat.

Harpooning the whale with 1,000 feet of line – at this point the boat goes for a “Nantucket sleigh ride” being pulled by the whale.

The crew returning to the ship climbing up the pulleys.

The museum is like Williamsburg of the sea. The town was founded by a family of shipbuilders and has been preserved (or recreated ) to be very authentic. The staff do an excellent job of explaining the shipbuilding reconstruction work, the cooperage and iron work, and there’s a planetarium teaching navigation by the stars. The clock shop also has a display of sextants and chronographs and the first grandfather clock ( ask Rod to sing a few verses for you).

Tonight we move into a marina in the town of Mystic – and yes, Mystic Pizza is on our dinner plans.

TTFN