Sailing Tall Tales
My parents recently visited me for the week from Upstate New York. One of my dad’s favorite activities is being out on the water, so he arranged us to go on a sailing adventure. I get super nervous when it comes to being on a form of transportation (ferry, boats, trains, etc) with many strangers and when I’m not operating it. Luckily, the sailing adventure my dad arranged for us was on a private sailing vessel and the best part? My family and I were the only passengers on the sailboat!
We headed to New London, CT to the boat marina located right next to Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock. The private vessel named Tall Tales was docked in the marina, which is where we met Captain Stu Reininger. Captain Stu is an interesting person with many stories from his life experiences! Throughout the cruise, he shared tidbits of his professional sailing career and educated us on how to sail. His passion for sailing has been documented in several books that he wrote (see more details on his website). I plan to get my hands on a copy of ‘A Reef in Time’ to read about his adventures.
Tall Tales took us down the Thames River which neighbors the City of New London and Groton. It was a beautiful day for a cruise so we enjoyed the picturesque views. We passed by General Dynamics Electric Boat, UConn Avery Point, Fort Griswold, Fort Trumbull, Ocean Beach and USCG base. At one point, we were able to see four lighthouses at same time (Ledge Light, Avery Point, New London and Race Rock). That was an amazing sight to see!
We were able to move around on the sailboat. I started out by standing on the stern (back) then sat up front on the bow. Sitting on the bow was relaxing as I sat there inhaling the smell of fresh ocean water and summer air. The water wasn’t rough that day so it was a smooth sail!
Book your cruise with Tall Tales via their website here or call 917-405-5044. There’s a minimum of two passengers up to a maximum of 6. Captain Stu can take you for a lunch cruise which is one hour long with lunch from Captain Scott’s for $20 per person -or- a 2-3 hours long cruise in morning/afternoon/evening for $40 per person. Contact Captain Stu for further questions or inquires!
Headed towards Thames River.
Captain Stu setting up the sails.
Red buoy with General Dynamics in the background.
New London Lighthouse.
I spy the Ledge Light up ahead!
Self portrait.
Another sailboat on Thames River.
The sail.
Ropes, ropes and more ropes!
Closer to the Ledge Light.
A relaxing moment on the water.
Posing on the sailboat with City of New London in the background.
US Coast Guard Eagle ship and City of New London.
The City of New London is a pretty sight from the water (I see the fire boat FireFighter too!).