Nick wanted to come here to visit the Mystic Seaport and Museum, the largest maritime museum in the world. His day began with a 2.5 mile dinghy trip up the Mystic River to  the site of the museum.

His favourite of many fascinating exhibits:

1 – The Charles W Morgan

This is the only surviving wooden whaling boat, built in 1841 at a cost of $32,000. The last of an American whaling fleet that numbered more than 2,700 vessels over 150 years. During her 80 year career, she completed 37 voyages all over the globe. All were profitable with the first alone netting $54,000.

In total she collected 54,483 barrels of sperm oil (27,000 tons) and twice as valuable as oil from other whales. On long trips, the ‘Trywork’ used to render the blubber was destroyed and thrown overboard for the journey home.

She is now seaworthy again, making her 38^th voyage this summer to promote the value of historic ships, the role America played in maritime history and the importance of conserving the marine environment.

2 – The Plymouth Cordage Company (Rope Factory!)

Earl methods of rope manufacture required huge buildings for twisting the lengths of hemp or manila together, with skilled spinners walking backward to create the yarn. The ‘Ropewalk’  here was 1050 ft long in order to produce a finished length of 600ft (or 100 fathoms). Yarns were twisted into strands and 3,4 or 6 strands twisted together to make the different sized rope. (Each process puts the twist in the opposite direction to prevent unraveling).

3 – The LA Dunton

Another Indian Head Grand Bank Schooner – the height of development amongst the all-sail fishing vessels of the Northeast. They operated from Cape Cod to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, serving as mother ships for up to 10 dories – smaller fishing boats from which the trawl lines were set).