MYSTIC, Conn. (June 13, 2014) — The Charles W. Morgan is now scheduled to depart for Newport, RI, from New London, CT, this Sunday, June 15. The ship will cast off at 6:30 a.m.
The ship was originally scheduled to leave on Saturday, June 14. The delay is due to conditions expected off of Point Judith, RI, on Saturday.
“The cold front that is passing through will most likely leave the sea state in the area quite agitated, more so than we feel is appropriate for the Morgan. By delaying a day, we give the waters time to calm down,” said Dana Hewson, the vice president for watercraft preservation and programs at Mystic Seaport.
The decision to postpone the sail was made in consultation with meteorologists at the National Weather Service.
In a change from previous plans, there is a possibility that the Morgan will pass through Watch Hill Passage between Watch Hill, RI and Fishers Island, NY, on her way to Block Island Sound, and not through The Race as previously announced. The decision of which passage to take will be made by the captain on Sunday morning.
For the latest updates and to track the Morgan‘s position live, please visit the 38th Voyage page on the Museum’s website.
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 Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. 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 6-17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/
National Historic Landmark Vessel Completes Sea Trial
Mystic, Conn. (June 7, 2014) — The 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan sailed for the first time in almost a century on Saturday, June 7, on the first day of sea trials for her 38th Voyage. The ship cast off from City Pier in New London at 9:30 a.m. and proceeded out onto Long Island Sound, where she spent the day conducting sail training drills and maneuvers. She returned to New London at 3:30 p.m.
“The ship exceeded all expectations and performed wonderfully. She is faster than we thought she would be, she turns easier, and she handles really well. We could not be more pleased,” said Capt. Kip Files, the 22nd master of the Morgan. “There is no one alive today who has sailed one of these whaleships who can tell us how they perform, so we really learned a lot today. We have a great voyage ahead of us.”
The National Historic Landmark vessel has been a static exhibit at Mystic Seaport since 1941 and has not sailed since the early 1920s. Her last whaling voyage, her 37th, ended in 1921. The sea trials are to prepare her to sail to historic ports in Southern New England on a 38th Voyage.
Sea trials will continue on June 8, 11, and 12.
The ship embarks on her voyage, with a scheduled transit to Newport, RI, on Saturday, June 14. Following that stop, the ship will then visit Vineyard Haven, Mass.; New Bedford, Mass.; and Boston, where she will dock next to the USS Constitution. She will also anchor off of Provincetown, Mass. for day sails to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, where the Morgan will team up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to observe whales in their natural environment and call attention to mankind’s changing relationship with the natural world.
Downloadable Media
High resolution photos and broadcast-quality HD video of the ship’s journey will be available for download and use by news media on the Mystic Seaport press page.
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum is located one mile south of exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. For more information, visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.
Musicians from Around the Globe Gather to Celebrate Maritime Traditions
Mystic, Conn. (May 30, 2014) – Musicians from around the world will come to Mystic Seaport to celebrate the musical traditions of the Golden Age of Sail at the 35th annual Sea Music Festival, Thursday through Sunday, June 12-15. The Festival is the premier sea music event in North America.
This year’s roster includes music from Great Britain, The Netherlands, Portugal, Canada, and the Caribbean, along with singers from across the United States. The weekend’s festivities include daytime and evening concerts, special performances for children, instructional workshops, a scholar’s symposium, and a unique opportunity to witness sea music at work aboard the Museum’s historic vessels.
More than 20 individuals and groups will perform at the Festival. A highlight for 2014 will be the Barrouallie Whalers from the island of St. Vincent, who still sing the songs sung as islanders rowed whaleboats to hunt blackfish (pilot whales) 50 years ago. The Whalers are the last practitioners of a unique Eastern Caribbean musical tradition that accompanied their whaling activities.
All workshops and daytime concerts in the Festival are included in regular Mystic Seaport admission. Museum admission is good for two days upon ticket validation (visit must be made within one week of purchase date). Special tickets are required for evening concerts and can be purchased by calling 860.572.0711, or at the Museum’s main entrance. Weekend passes are also available. College students will be admitted into the Festival for the youth rate upon presentation of a current student ID.
For more information, including ticket packages, musicians’ bios, and a schedule of performances, visit mysticseaport.org/seamusicfestival
Returning this year is an evening sea music “contra dance,” a style of partnered folk dancing traditional to New England. The dance will be held Saturday evening from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Mystic German Club’s Frohsinn Hall, located directly across the street from the Museum’s main entrance on Route 27. There is an $8 admission fee for the dance.
In addition, the annual Music of the Sea Symposium, hosted in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the University of Connecticut at Avery Point, will be held on Friday and Saturday, June 13-14. The Symposium, which features presentations of themed papers by some of the country’s leading maritime music scholars, explores the interaction between sea, music, and song. The first day of the symposium will be hosted Friday, June 13, on the maritime campus of the University of Connecticut at Avery Point in Groton, Conn. Admission is free. The Symposium continues Saturday, June 14, at Mystic Seaport in the Greenmanville Church. Museum admission is required. For further details and a list of Symposium presenters and topics, visit mysticseaport.org/smfsymposium
This event is made possible by the Friends of the Sea Music Festival, who raise funds each year to generously support sea music at Mystic Seaport.
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 Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. 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 free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.
38th Voyage Traveling Exhibition to Debut with Historic Ship
MYSTIC, Conn. (May 21, 2014) — Mystic Seaport will open the traveling exhibition that will accompany the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan on her 38th Voyage for the first time in New London, Conn., on Saturday, May 24. The public will be able to experience the exhibition and board the ship, which just completed a five-year restoration and was moved to New London last week.
The Morgan is berthed at City Pier near the New London town center as she completes her fitting out for the voyage.
Visitors can learn about the Morgan, whales, and whaling and their importance to American history in the 22,000 square-foot exhibition. There is a video on the history and significance of the 173-year-old vessel plus a series of panels that explain the role the American whaling industry had in this country’s history; how the Morgan and whaleships were an early connector of different cultures; and how America’s perception of the natural world has changed since the Morgan’s whaling career. Hands-on activities include knot-tying, handling samples of wood used in the restoration, and searching the Morgan’s crew lists for familiar names or hometown connections.
A focal point is Spouter, a 46-foot-long, life-sized inflatable model of a sperm whale. Visitors can participate in a “What Bubbles Up?” activity by writing down their whale-related memory, question, or sketch and attaching it to a humpback whale sculpture.
Mystic Seaport interpreters will demonstrate the 19th-century maritime skills of a cooper, shipsmith, ropemaker, and whaleboat rower. There will also be live performances including sea chanteys, the interactive “Tale of a Whaler,” and a condensed rendition of Moby-Dick – “Moby-Dick in Minutes.” Visitors will even have the opportunity to try their hand at rowing a whaleboat during select times.
Voyage partner, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, will have an exhibit booth to explain how the National Marine Sanctuaries interpret America’s maritime past, promote ocean conservation, and engage in cutting-edge research. They will show how whales feed and what they feed on, and present videos that feature information on the National Marine Sanctuary System, whales, whale research, and whaling heritage. Kids can even create their own whale hat. In July, the Morgan will sail to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary off Provincetown, Mass., as part of her voyage. Stellwagen Bank is a popular feeding ground for whales in the summer months.
The ship and dockside exhibition will be open on May 24, 25, 31, and June 1 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. each day. There is a suggested admission of $5 per person for those ages 6 years and older. Children ages 5 years and younger are admitted for free, as are current Mystic Seaport members with their membership card
In addition to the Mystic Seaport exhibit, New London Landmarks, the Custom House Maritime Museum, the New London County Historical Society, and Flock Theatre have created a schedule of events to celebrate New London’s whaling heritage. Events include walking tours, exhibit and house tours, a parade, a “chowda fest,” and several Flock Theatre performances of the one-act play “Ile,” by Eugene O’Neill. For more information, please visit www.newlondonlandmarks.org/events.html
The Morgan will be in New London until June 14, when she departs for Newport, the next destination on a voyage across Southern New England that will include stops in Vineyard Haven, New Bedford, the Cape Cod Canal, Provincetown, and Boston.
The 38th Voyage dockside exhibition program has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. 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 free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.
Ship Leaves Mystic Seaport for the First Time Since 1941
MYSTIC, Conn. (May 17, 2014) — The Charles W. Morgan, a National Historic Landmark vessel and the last wooden whaleship in the world, departed Mystic Seaport to begin her 38th Voyage on Saturday, May 17. The ship was towed down the Mystic River and over to nearby New London, Conn., the first stop on what will be a nearly three month journey to historic ports in Southern New England.
The ship, which has not left Mystic Seaport since she arrived on November 8, 1941, led a procession of vessels down the Mystic River, including the Museum’s steamboat Sabino, its fishing vessel Roann, and five whaleboats rowed by Mystic Seaport staff and volunteers. The ship was cheered by crowds of onlookers as she made her way downriver en route to Fishers Island Sound, and several hundred people greeted her as she arrived at City Pier in New London.
“Today’s brief journey is the culmination of an incredible amount of work and effort by the Mystic Seaport community. This is a proud moment for the Museum and everyone who contributed to making this voyage a reality,” said Steve White, president of Mystic Seaport.
The day will began with a brief farewell ceremony in the Museum’s Henry B. DuPont Preservation Shipyard at 8:45 a.m., where the ship was formally entrusted to the care of her 22nd master, Capt. Kip Files, of Rockland, Maine.
The ship cast off her lines at 9:11 a.m. and arrived in New London ahead of schedule at 12:48 p.m.
“It was a smooth journey and we learned that the ship is fairly easy to tow,” Said Capt. Files. “Now we need to get her ready to go sailing.”
The crew will now get to work to complete preparations for the next phase of the voyage where she will actively sail for the first time since the 1920s. The ship will be ballasted (weighted down) to her correct sailing draft, the sails will be attached to the spars, and the crew will conduct four days of sail training scheduled for June 7-8 and June 11-12.
The ship will be open to the public in New London with an extensive dockside exhibit on May 24-25, May 31, and June 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The ship departs on the next leg of the 38th Voyage with a transit to Newport, RI, on June 14. Following that stop, the ship will then visit Vineyard Haven, Mass.; New Bedford, Mass.; and Boston, where she will dock next to the USS Constitution. She will also anchor off of Provincetown, Mass. for day sails to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, where the Morgan will team up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to observe whales in their natural environment and call attention to mankind’s changing relationship with the natural world.
Downloadable Media
High-resolution photos and broadcast-quality HD video of the ship’s journey will be available for download and use by news media after 4 p.m. on May 17. Downloads can be accessed on the Mystic Seaport press page.
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 Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. 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 6-17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/
National Historic Landmark Vessel Heads to New London, Conn to Prepare for 38th Voyage
MYSTIC, Conn. (May 14, 2014) — The Charles W. Morgan, a National Historic Landmark vessel and the last wooden whaleship in the world, will depart Mystic Seaport to begin her 38th Voyage on Saturday, May 17 at 9:15 a.m. The ship will travel to New London, the first stop on what will be a nearly three-month journey to historic ports in New England.
The ship, which has not left Mystic Seaport since she arrived on November 8, 1941, will be pushed down the Mystic River by a tugboat, and then towed across Fishers Island Sound and up the Thames River to New London, where she will berth at City Pier. She will lead a procession of vessels down the Mystic River, including the Museum’s steamboat Sabino, its fishing vessel Roann, and five whaleboats rowed by Mystic Seaport staff and volunteers.
“This is a big moment for Mystic Seaport and for the State of Connecticut, as we take this American icon, the oldest surviving commercial ship in the country, back to sea once again to carry out a new mission of education and celebration of our nation’s shared maritime heritage,” said Steve White, president of Mystic Seaport.
The day will begin with a brief farewell ceremony in the Museum’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard at 8:45 a.m. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT 2nd) and other dignitaries will offer remarks, and the ship will be formally entrusted to the care of her 22nd master, Capt. Kip Files, of Rockland, Maine.
“This is the most significant maritime event in my lifetime and I am humbled and honored to be given the responsibility of taking the Charles W. Morgan back to sea on her 38th Voyage,” said Files. ”We are all looking forward to that moment when we set her sails and let the wind push us to our destination, something not seen since the 1920s.”
The trip on Saturday is contingent on favorable weather conditions, as the ship and the tug need to safely navigate down the Mystic River and across the Sound. High wind and waves, among other factors, could require a postponement to Sunday. The decision to go or not go will be posted on the Museum’s website.
People interested in viewing the ship’s journey by boat are asked to leave plenty of room for the Morgan and the tug to maneuver in the confines of the Mystic River channel. Boaters are asked to stay back a minimum of 50 yards behind and on each side and 100 yards in front of the ship. Boaters are also asked to wait south of the railroad bridge to give the ship maximum clearance in the most constricted part of the river. A boater’s guide is available on the Museum’s website.
Once in New London, the ship and crew will work to complete preparations for the voyage. The ship will be ballasted (weighted down) to her correct sailing draft, the sails will be attached to the spars, and the crew will conduct four days of sail training scheduled for June 7-8 and June 11-12. The ship will be open to the public with an extensive dockside exhibit on May 24-25, May 31, and June 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The ship departs on the next leg of the 38th Voyage with a transit to Newport, RI on June 14. Following that stop, the ship will then visit Vineyard Haven, Mass.; New Bedford, Mass.; and Boston, where she will dock next to the USS Constitution. She will also anchor off of Provincetown, Mass. for day sails to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, where the Morgan will team up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to observe whales in their natural environment and call attention to mankind’s changing relationship with the natural world.
Downloadable Media: High resolution photos and broadcast-quality HD video of the ship’s journey will be available for download and use by news media starting at 3 p.m. on May 17. Downloads can be accessed on the Mystic Seaport press page.
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 Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. 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 6-17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/
Journalist and Adventure Enthusiast to Document Unprecedented Journey this Summer Aboard the 19th-Century Whaleship
Ryan Leighton
Mystic, Conn.(May 8, 2014) – After reviewing scores of applications and video auditions from qualified candidates, Mystic Seaport has selected journalist Ryan Leighton, of Boothbay, Maine to stowaway aboard the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest surviving merchant vessel, during her 38th Voyage this summer.
As the stowaway, Leighton will be immersed in all aspects of the 19th-century whaling ship’s 38th Voyage–living on board the ship with the crew, handling the sails and lines, steering the ship, and most important, sharing his daily experiences through a blog and social media platforms.
“Ryan proved he has the ‘sense of the adventure’ Mystic Seaport was searching for from the outset of the stowaway contest,” said Susan Funk, executive vice president of Mystic Seaport. “As a successful journalist, he has relevant experience and the necessary skills to fulfill the role of the stowaway aboard the Morgan’s most documented voyage ever. In addition to his enthusiasm, we are confident Ryan will bring his tireless work ethic, his ability to adapt to new situations, and his creativity to the 38th Voyage.”
Leighton, who graduated from the University of Maine with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and advertising and a minor in history, had been waiting for a unique and extreme opportunity such as this.
“One of the main reasons I wanted to become the stowaway is because it is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Sometimes the most satisfying feeling is not knowing what tomorrow will bring,” Leighton said. “Typically, stowaways are forced to remain hidden below deck, but with this opportunity, I will be able to insert myself into the daily routine of the ship. I want to take chances and be creative in order to make this journey as exciting as possible. My goal is to fully immerse myself, so that others are able to live vicariously through my videos and stories.”
Leighton will watch, inquire, learn, participate, and use his creative energy to share the voyage experience with the general public through blogging, videos, social media, and activities in the port cities. He will be a key player during events and exhibits at each port of call with an opportunity to explore the community and meet its people.
“To quote Nat Wilson, the Morgan’s sailmaker, ‘it is the only way to carry the ship’s future forward because the living memories are all gone,’” Leighton said. “Sailing is a big part of the New England heritage – It’s how we got here. And what better way to learn about the past then to relive it in the present?”
Leighton filed his first video as stowaway on the Museum’s YouTube channel.
While on the 38th Voyage from May to August, the Charles W. Morgan will stop at historic ports of call throughout New England including visits to New London, Conn.; Newport, R.I.; and Vineyard Haven, New Bedford, and Boston, Mass., where she’ll dock next to the USS Constitution. She will also anchor off the coast of Provincetown, Mass. for day sails to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, where the Morgan will team up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to observe whales in their natural environment. While the Morgan’s cargo was once whale bone and oil, the vessel will embark upon her final voyage bearing a message of peace and serving as a symbol of our changing relationship with the natural world.
Both Mystic Seaport and Leighton will be sharing the Morgan‘s journey onsite, online, and onboard. If you wish to partake in this exciting voyage, follow Leighton’s blog at mysticseaport.org/stowaway, on Twitter @MorganStowaway and on Facebook www.facebook.com/mysticseaport.
The stowaway program has been made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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 Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. 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 free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.
Mystic, Conn. (May 1, 2014) – For the first time since her arrival in 1941, the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan will depart Mystic Seaport and head down the Mystic River on a journey to New London on Saturday, May 17. The trip is the first stage in her return to sea on her 38th Voyage.
Following a brief ceremony in the Museum shipyard, the ship will be towed down the Mystic River and pass through the Route. 1 drawbridge in downtown Mystic en route to Fishers Island Sound and the Thames River. She will berth at City Pier in New London sometime in the early afternoon. The Morgan will lead a procession of Museum watercraft and whaleboats.
Once in New London, the crew will finish fitting out the ship for her 38th Voyage, which will begin with a sail to Newport, RI scheduled for June 14.
WHAT: Departure Journey of the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan
WHEN: 8:45 a.m. on May 17, 2014
WHERE: Mystic Seaport and the Mystic River, Mystic, CT
WHO: Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Mystic Seaport President Steve White, Mystic Seaport Executive Vice President Susan Funk, Capt. Kip Files, 22nd captain of the Charles W. Morgan
Media Notes:
The ship will cast off and begin her journey downriver promptly at 9:15 a.m.
The trip is weather-dependent. Conditions not conducive to the tow will postpone the departure to the following day. A go/no go decision is intended for 6 p.m. on May 16, although deteriorating conditions overnight could result in a postponement the following morning. The Mystic Seaport website will have an updated status report.
Due to U.S. Coast Guard regulations, passenger slots for media onboard the ship are very limited. Once on board, all media representatives must remain on the ship until her arrival in New London.
Mystic Seaport will be recording the event from five locations: on board the ship, from a chase boat, on the shore at Mystic River Park, dockside in the Museum shipyard, and at City Pier in New London.
High-resolution still photos and HD video suitable for broadcast will be available for download by 3 p.m. on the press page of the Museum website.
Marine traffic can monitor radio transmissions on Channels 13/16.
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 Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. 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 6-17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/
Modern Marine Masters to Feature Leading Contemporary Maritime Artists
Mystic, Conn. (April 24, 2014) – The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport is proud to open its 2014 season with the 35th Annual Spring Exhibition and Sale, Modern Marine Masters, on Sunday, April 27. The exhibition celebrates the timeless beauty of the sea and ships with contemporary art created by award-winning artists from around the globe.
On display will be original paintings, drawings, sculpture, scrimshaw and models from 64 of today’s leading maritime artists. Each of these contemporary masters continues the tradition of preserving and celebrating the art of the sea by transferring his or her experience into a vivid and visual expression, one that may evoke a mood, record an important moment in maritime history, or capture the timeless challenge of the sea.
On exhibit will be 79 works of art available for purchase. Featured artists include Don Demers, William Duffy, Ian Hansen, Russ Kramer, and Victor Mays.
“This invitational show represents some of the most exciting maritime art being created today and is a must-see for lovers of art that portrays the maritime experience,” said Jeanne Potter, director of the Maritime Gallery.
Modern Marine Masters will be open through June 15, 2014. The entire exhibition can be viewed online at mysticseaport.org/gallery.
The Maritime Gallery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please call the Maritime Gallery at 860.572.5388 or email gallery@https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/
About the Maritime Gallery
The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport is the nation’s foremost gallery specializing in contemporary marine art and ship models. For more than 30 years, the Gallery has been privileged to exhibit the works of leading international maritime artists. Located at historic Mystic Seaport, the Gallery overlooks the beautiful Mystic River attracting art lovers and collectors from around the world. For more information, please visit mysticseaport.org/gallery.
MYSTIC, Conn. (April 17, 2014) — The new documentary film by Connecticut filmmaker Bailey Pryor “The Charles W. Morgan” will have its premiere at the Garde Arts Center in New London Sunday, May 4 at 7 p.m.
The one-hour documentary film “The Charles W. Morgan,” directed by five-time Emmy winner Pryor, tells the extraordinary story of America’s last wooden whaleship and the incredible saga of whaling, the first global industry dominated by America. From her humble beginnings in New Bedford in the year 1841, the film follows the adventures of the Morgan on 37 voyages around the world where this “Lucky Ship” survived freeze-ups in the Arctic, attacks by hostile natives, fire aboard ship, and a host of other stories, each of which had the potential to end the vessel’s life. Yet more than 170 years later, the Charles W. Morgan lives on, and she is poised to sail again, on her 38th Voyage in June of 2014.
The film will receive its broadcast debut on CPTV on May 12 at 9 p.m., after which it will be aired on PBS affiliate stations around the country.
The screening of the film at the Garde will be followed by a panel discussion with Pryor, Executive Producer Steve Jones, Morgan Historian Matthew Stackpole, and Mystic Seaport Shipyard Director, Quentin Snediker, who oversaw the ship’s recent five-year restoration.
Tickets for the event are $25 per person and $30 at the door. VIP tickets are $100 and include a pre-film reception with the filmmakers, and preferred seating in the theater. Proceeds from the event will support the Morgan’s 38th Voyage.
Tickets can be purchased by calling the Garde Arts Center Box Office at 860.444.7373, ext. 1 or online at https://tickets.gardearts.org/
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 Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. 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 free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.
