Sailing the schooner Argia

 

(L) Steve hoisting sales with Captain Amy at helm. (R) Author Lisa Saunders on the Argia after it sailed through the Mystic River Drawbridge (seen in background). Heading toward the Long Island Sound.

 

Excerpt from the book, Mystic Seafarer's Trail by Lisa Saunders about sailing the Argia:

 

When we booked another evening sail on the tall schooner Argia, I vowed things would be different—this time, we would bring elegant snacks and drinks. I packed a bottle of wine in addition to almonds and bottled water. I even thought to bring pretty, blue plastic cups in keeping with the color of the waters we were about to sail.

Well, I knew right away we underpacked when I saw a party of six adults pull out real wine glasses with their bottles of wine. Suddenly, my blue plastic cups seemed so cheesy—so inadequate on this tall, seaworthy sailboat. And when the adults broke out a tray of shrimp cocktail from their large, Mary Poppins-style picnic bag, that was too much. I tried making friendly conversation with them so they’d share their shrimp, but they didn't warm to my advances. Another family with young children also had the better of us. I couldn’t help but be envious when they lifted one cheesy pizza slice after another from their Mystic Pizza take-out boxes. They didn't share with us either. I thought of the tasty, thin crust pizza from Pizzetta—a place we frequented often to enjoy the outdoor seating and view of Mystic River. Why hadn’t I thought to take a pie from there to go?

Thankfully, the Argia provided cheese, crackers and fruit, so I ate a lot of that and loudly declared things like, “Yummy!” so the others would think I preferred the Argia’s food to theirs.

My other mistake was that I was underdressed—it got very cold that foggy evening on the Mystic River and the Sound. The Argia did, however, provide blankets. The males on the voyage were too macho to wrap one around themselves, so they shivered like real men or went below deck.

 

 

To sail the schooner Argia, visit: www.argiamystic.com

Argia Mystic Cruises: 15 Holmes Street, Mystic, Connecticut 06355
(860) 536-0416 · Directions.

Author Lisa Saunders can be booked as cruise lecturer on private charters.

My book is available at the Argia office in downtown Mystic. To read Chapter One and Two of Mystic Seafarer's Trail by clicking on the "LOOK INSIDE" feature at:

http://www.amazon.com/Mystic-Seafarers-Trail-Titanics-ebook/dp/B00A3RX85E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369570725&sr=8-1&keywords=mystic+seafarers+trail