Month: July 2012

Mystic Seaport named Mystic resident Bill Salancy the recipient of the William C. Noyes Volunteer of the Year Award for 2012 and conferred special recognition on employee Scott Noseworthy for his contribution to the institution’s operation.

The honors were awarded at a ceremony Wednesday evening at the annual Celebration of Volunteers dinner on the Museum grounds.

Salancy is a retired senior mechanical designer. He began volunteering in 2006 and to date has donated more than 4,200 hours of his time assisting the staff on exhibit construction and maintenance, watercraft preservation, the annual Mystic Irish parade, and many other projects.

The Noyes Award was established in 1998 in memory of Stonington resident William C. Noyes, who volunteered more than 6,000 hours to the Museum between 1983 and 1997. Noyes was known for his dedication, his friendliness, and his willingness to do whatever was needed. The Noyes Award is presented annually to the volunteer who most personifies his example and the “true spirit” of a Mystic Seaport volunteer.

The Museum also honored employee Scott Noseworthy with a special recognition for his outstanding efforts supervising and coordinating volunteer groups working on projects in the Museum’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard. Noseworthy, the Shipyard’s sawyer, has expertise in many fields that he applies to leading teams on diverse assignments caring for the Museum’s watercraft collection.  An expert in engine technology and history, he is the driving force behind the Museum’s annual Antique Marine Engine Exposition, which is the largest gathering of historic marine engines in the United States. This year’s Exposition will be held August 18-19.

Noseworthy is a resident of Griswold.

Mystic Seaport has more than 1,100 volunteers who donate their time and experience to support the Museum. Last year, they logged more than 85,000 hours of work.

About Mystic Seaport

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan. The Museum is located one mile south of I-95 in Mystic, CT and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

Event to Feature Huckins Motor Yachts, Antique Boat Parade

A collection of mint condition Huckins motor yachts will highlight the 37th Annual Antique & Classic Boat Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport Saturday and Sunday, July 28-29.

The event showcases original-condition and restored vessels built before 1970 including cruisers, sailboats, runabouts, and launches. Visitors are invited to see the displayed vessels Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. An award competition will recognize excellence in restoration, authenticity, and workmanship.

The 2012 Rendezvous will pay tribute to the Huckins Yacht Corporation, an 84-year-old yacht building company based in Jacksonville, Florida. Huckins is recognized as one of the oldest, continuously family-owned boat builders in the United States. Frank Huckins was the nautical mastermind behind several firsts in the marine industry, including the first true fast-planing yacht on his trademarked Quadraconic hull form. Examples of the Huckins yachts will range from 40 to 61 feet long.

In addition to the antique boats, the Austin-Healey Club of America will display vehicles on the Village Green from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Examples of the entire Austin-Healey line – 100s, 3000s, and Sprites – will be on hand for visitors to view and talk with the owners.

Saturday evening will also be the setting for the Museum’s Rum Runners’ Rendezvous. This year will be a surfing-themed night of food, drink, and dancing.

Music will be provided by the Driftwoods. The event runs from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $60 per person and include dinner and drinks. Tickets can be purchased by calling 860.572.5376 or at https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

Sunday at 12:30 p.m. the classic vessels will take part in a three-mile parade down the historic Mystic River. Each boat will be announced on the shore at Mystic River Park as it passes through the iconic bascule bridge on its way down river to Fishers Island Sound. Townspeople and tourists will line the parade route to see the boats and their crews in what has become a highlight of the Mystic summer season.

For more information, please go to mysticseaport.org/acbr. 

About Mystic Seaport

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan. The Museum is located one mile south of I-95 in Mystic, CT and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

The fun doesn’t stop after the sun sets at Mystic Seaport this summer. For 2012, the Museum is offering a selection of evening programs and performances for families looking for activities at the end of a busy summer day.

Barefoot Truth Concert

Close out Independence Day this year with a concert on the Mystic Seaport Village Green by the local rock band Barefoot Truth. Mixing the sounds of folk, rock, jazz, and reggae, this up-and-coming band has crafted a distinct sound that should appeal to the whole family. Bring a blanket or chair. Picnicking is welcome and the Galley Restaurant will be open late to provide dinner. Beer and wine will be available for purchase.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 4. Tickets are $15 ($10 for Mystic Seaport members). Ages 12 and under are free.

Plays on the Green

Soak up summer’s twilight hours on the Green and enjoy a theatrical performance from the Mystic Seaport TaleMakers, the Museum’s talented group of professional performers. Bring a blanket, chairs, and a picnic and be entertained by a classic tale. All performances last approximately one hour and are appropriate for all ages.

July 6 and 7: “The Magic Fishbone,” by Charles Dickens. This is the story of Princess Alicia, who is given a magic fishbone by her fairy godmother and then uses the fishbone to improve the fortune of her parents, the King and Queen, and her 18 brothers and sisters.

July 20 and 21: “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” by Mark Twain. Hear the legendary story of braggart Jim Smiley, who makes his fortune betting on anything and everything, including his remarkable jumping frog.

August 10 and 11: “The Reluctant Dragon,” by Kenneth Grahame. This is the story of a young boy, a brave knight, and a peaceful dragon.

Shows begin at 7 p.m. Tickets for each performance are $12 per person ($10 for Mystic Seaport members) and are available for purchase at the gate or online. Children ages 4 and under will be admitted for free.

Summer Music Sundays

Mystic Seaport is extending the summer weekend experience and will offer free after-hours Museum admission to all Sunday evening visitors from July 8 through August 26.

Stroll through the Museum’s historic grounds and 19th-century village, walk along the picturesque waterfront, and listen to live music performed by local musicians from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. This year will feature Bruce Foulke, Geoff Kaufman, and Bob Levalley.

Outdoor dining will be available at Schaefer’s Spouter Tavern, located in the heart of the Museum’s village and overlooking the Mystic River. A full tavern menu and beverages will be available for purchase.

Please note all exhibits will be closed after 5 p.m.

Planetarium Shows

The Treworgy Planetarium is pleased to announce a new summer program series for 2012. Programs begin with updates on current events in the evening sky followed by an extended presentation of the topic for that evening.  Afterward, if weather permits, the indoor program will be followed by an outdoor observation session using the Planetarium’s telescopes.

July 6, 2012 – ”The Zodiac”
July 20, 2012 – “The Milankovitch Cycle and the Earth’s Climate”
August 3, 2012 – “The Moon and Tides”
August 17, 2012 – “Extrasolar Planets”

All programs begin at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $7.50 per person, $6 for Mystic Seaport members, and $3 for children ages 15 and under. Tickets are purchased at the Planetarium on the evening of the program.

Visitors are asked to use the Museum’s administrative entrance at 75 Greenmanville Ave. For more information, please contact Jeff Dunn, supervisor of the Treworgy Planetarium at 860.572.0711 extension 5150 or Jeff.dunn@https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

“HMS Pinafore”

For two nights only, Friday and Saturday, August 24-25, the troupe Opera Comique will perform Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic “HMS Pinafore” onboard the Museum’s full-rigged ship, the Joseph Conrad.

“HMS Pinafore” was the fourth collaboration of librettist W. S. Gilbert (1836-1911) and composer Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900). The opera tells the tale of Josephine, the daughter of Captain Corcoran of the Royal Navy, who is due to be betrothed to the First Lord of the Admiralty. Josephine, however, is in love with Ralph Rackstraw, an Able Seaman under her father’s command. This opera, with a surprise ending, opened in 1878 and ran for 571 performances. It was Gilbert and Sullivan’s first international smash hit, poking fun of the class system and social order.

Shows begin promptly at 7 p.m. Tickets are $45 per person and can be purchased online. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Charles W. Morgan restoration.

About Mystic Seaport

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, it is the home of four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan, the oldest American commercial vessel still in existence. The Museum is located one mile south of exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children 5 and under are admitted for free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.