Mystic Whaler readies for the season
New London — The tall ship Mystic Whaler has become a staple of the local summer tourism season, for the past 11 years tied up seasonally at City Pier rather than its berth at Mystic Seaport, where it overwinters.
But to owner and captain John Eginton, the New London location makes sense to accommodate tourists cruising aboard the 83-foot-long reproduction of a late 19th century cargo schooner.
"In New London, we're sailing a lot more," Eginton said. "The city is very welcoming."
It takes less time to reach Long Island Sound from the mouth of the Thames River, he explained, than it did from the Seaport, which required negotiating two bridges along the Mystic River.
Relaxing aboard the Mystic Whaler last month at the Seaport as he and a small crew prepared for the season ahead, Eginton said his ship should be in New London in the early part of this month after weeks of repairs that included the installation of a new deck composed of Douglas fir.
"We're approaching crunch time now," he said.
By mid-April, Mystic Whaler will be in the Hudson Bay area of New York state to carry its first passengers of the season, returning Father's Day weekend to make its local debut. The ship takes vacationers on short lunch and lobster-dinner cruises as well as two- to five-day overnight trips to Block Island, Shelter Island, Sag Harbor and other destinations.
The ship can accommodate 30 overnight and as many as 52 for day trips. It sails with a captain plus a crew of five or six.
"Every cruise we serve at least one meal," he said. "People tell us the quality of the food exceeds expectations. They expect a box lunch."
Instead, a chef prepares food aboard the ship using a diesel-powered stove and grill. And accommodations, though spartan, include six heads and showers.
Mystic Whaler, one week older than the Super Bowl, has been plying the tourism trade for 50 years. It was built as a passenger vessel, which means some liberties were taken in historical accuracy, but it still has the feel of a tall ship with its handsome mahogany and varnish below decks belying the fact it sat for five years in the 1980s out of the water in a decaying state.
It was Eginton, former captain of the Mystic Clipper, who saved the ship, getting it into usable shape in only two months.
"This is my whole life," he said.
It also has become part of the fabric of southeastern Connecticut. Used for weddings, corporate retreats and environmental education in addition to its staple historical and lighthouse cruises, Mystic Whaler has been known to host jazz bands, harpists and chantey singers to bring entertainment value to the sailing journeys.
Weekends fill up fast, but Eginton said weekday cruises often have openings. Cruises run from $74 for a short trip to $170 a night for longer trips.
Eginton said the majority of vacationers on shorter trips are from Connecticut, while the longer excursions attract more out-of-staters, many from New Jersey and New York.
"It's a middle-class vacation," Eginton said. "We try to stay focused on what we're good at. We tend not to compete with anybody."
Lighthouse cruises, for instance, are up to three-day sojourns, as opposed to Cross Sound Ferry's popular two-hour trips in Long Island Sound aboard the Sea Jet. And Eginton's trips allow visitors to disembark to walk inside several of the lighthouses.
Eginton said there is no set itinerary. Mystic Whaler sails according to prevailing winds and weather conditions, with engines used sparingly, mostly to guide the ship out of port.
Mystic Whaler cruises in all kinds of weather, so trips are rarely canceled.
"There's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing," Eginton joked.
This year, Eginton is expecting to keep cruising through mid-October, planning foliage trips on the Hudson River. In past years, Mystic Whaler had left New London in September.
Vacation-goers are mostly attracted to the idea of riding in a tall ship, Eginton said, along with enjoying snippets of Colonial, Revolutionary War and Battle of 1812 history. Some get a chance to steer the ship or set some of the 3,000 square feet of sails.
"We're selling relaxation," Eginton said.
WHAT: Mystic Whaler Cruises
WHERE: City Pier, 35 Water St., New London
OWNER/CAPTAIN: John Eginton
YEARS IN BUSINESS: 50
PHONE: 860-447-1249; (800) 697-8420
EMAIL: info@mysticwhaler.com
WEBSITE: www.mysticwhalercruises.com
Comment threads are monitored for 48 hours after publication and then closed.
