The Berger Family Album

Connecticut

Touring The Village Of Mystic Seaport

Jo wrote:

What a splendid day! We we roamed the streets of the restored village talking to all of the different tradesmen in the shops. One gentleman was building a boat and he filled our heads with definitions of different sailing vessels: a schooner, a caravelle, a brig. It had a lot to do with the way the sails were rigged and the type of seas the ships were sailed upon. In one of the hands-on areas we got to use an astrolab to sharpen our navigational skills.

My favorite moment was when we gathered around inside the gazebo to listen to the songs of the sailors. These work songs, called shanties, were sung aboard ship to keep the men working together as a team while they hauled in the sails or turned the capstan. We had been learning some shanties as we traveled down the coast so this was a golden opportunity!

We Got To Walk The Decks Of The Tall Ships

Nate Takes A Turn At The Wheel