Children and adults fill schooner Argia as tourism returns to Connecticut

MYSTIC – This dock is busy – really busy – all over again when The schooner Argia is back in business with even more trips than in previous years.

“There is a feeling of ‘thank God’,” says Captain Amy Blumberg.

Last summer, due to the pandemic, Mystic’s floating landmark added more cruises to include tours with less capacity that are now back to normal.

And the additional tours through this beautiful area? You are left.

“We continued this year because it now seems that there is a lot of demand for the outdoors [activities]“, Says Blumberg, who has been operating the ship with nimble hands since the early 1990s. She says the Argia saw a blockbuster spring.

“Mystic is all about the maritime, it has a maritime city, a maritime history,” she says. “You have to be able to do what you want to learn.”

That’s what this experience is about. Visitors, especially the little ones, help hoist the sails.

Striking against the blue sky.

“Well, I was trying to pull the rope down to make it go up,” says Pearl Clayton of Michigan.

The Argia is a replica of a 19th century schooner – she is 28 meters long from bow to stern and can carry 49 passengers into Fishers Island Sound.

“I like to see the other boats,” says Clayton. “I was also wondering how much they cost.”

And sightseeing is a big part of this cruise. We marvel at the impressive homes on Fisher’s Island and other diverse locations that are both natural and unique.

“This is South Dumpling Island, a cormorant sanctuary,” explains one crew member. “North Dumpling Island is owned by a man named Dean Kamen.”

The inventor of the Segway scooter has a quirky home with a duck boat and a replica of Stonehenge.

“I’m just happy to be with my daughter, some mother-daughter time,” says Alison Maretic, who believes it was time to enjoy an outdoor experience together.

“It’s so different, it feels different, it feels good to breathe,” says her daughter Angelina.

“Being outside is a great way to get used to people again,” says Blumberg.

While the wind is hard to find, modern conveniences allow plenty of exploration.

“Unlike when ships like this one traded on the coast, we have a motor that we can still cover some ground with to see different parts of the sound,” says Blumberg.

Passengers return to shore satisfied while the crew happily prepare to satisfy more restless tourists hungry for fun.

“I hope that it will continue to be higher than usual in summer, but I’ll just be happy with the return to normal,” laughs Blumberg.