click images to view larger

Schooner Argia
Educational Sails

ARGIA was launched in 1986 and is a modern replica of a 19th Century sailing schooner. Her overall length is 81 feet and she has a 19 foot beam. ARGIA and her captain are licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard. She carries life jackets, all required safety equipment, and is fully insured for up to $1,000,000 liability. The ARGIA’S sailing season is from May 1st to late October. We offer two curricula for our educational cruises: "History of the Sea" and "Marine Science."

Explore the History of the Sea

Step aboard the traditional sailing schooner Argia for a 2 1/2 hour journey into the past. Our experienced instructors will guide you through the sights and sounds and stories of our maritime past.

The adventure begins with a tour by water of the famous Mystic Seaport Museum. See the Tall Ships: the whaling ship Charles W. Morgan – a national historic landmark, the fishing schooner L. A. Dunton, the sail training ship Joseph Conrad, and many more. Peer into the museum village and the Dupont Preservation Shipyard.

Pass through Mystic’s Historic Bascule Bridge, another national historic landmark, as you watch the bridge operate and learn about its unique design and workings.

Help the crew of the Argia set sail while you discover this magnificent ship. Find out about the place that sailing ships like the Argia had in the development of the United States and other countries. Experience a little of the life of a sailor in the 18th and 19th Centuries.

Haul back a commercial trawl net, hand-over-hand, just like the fishermen of old. Actually handle the sea creatures that shaped our fishing industries. You will learn about various fishing industries and methods, Native and European, and how they affected and were affected by the development of our country and region.

Hear about the Pequot Peoples and how the Sea affected them, giving food and transportation and bringing the Europeans to these shores. Fishing, wars, migrations . . . the ocean and its estuaries brought it all to the Native Americans.

While you sail through the islands and lighthouses of the Mystic River and Long Island Sound, you will discover the natural history and beauty of our maritime world. History comes alive in sight, sound, smell, and exhilaration from the deck of a moving ship.

Hands On Marine Science

Set sail on the sailing ship Argia for a 2 1/2 hour Marine Sciences expedition. Our experienced instructors guide you through a discovery of oceanography, coastal ecology, and our marine environment, using a variety of nets and scientific instruments.

Haul back a commercial trawl net, hand-over-hand, just like the fishermen of old. Handle the organisms you catch, as our Marine Scientist explains their characteristics and importance in ecology and to humans.

Collect plankton with a special net. See the tiny organisms through discovery scopes and learn about their importance to the food chain of the ocean. Find out what environmental and human factors affect plankton and the far reaching affects these can have.

Help the crew of the Argia set sail the traditional way, with muscle-power. Once the ship is under sail power, discuss the food web of Fisher’s Island and Long Island Sounds and the Mystic River, pollution in the estuary, fish and shellfish industries, and the geology of Long Island Sound.

Use scientific instruments to obtain seawater and observe light penetration. Physics and chemistry come alive as you test the water for dissolved oxygen content, temperature, density, clarity, and salinity. Learn about wedges and gradients of different salinity and temperature in the sea and what they mean.

Sail past one of the few remaining salt marshes in Connecticut. Observe the birds native to a salt marsh and discuss the ecological interactions, formation, and growth of the marsh.

This special educational experience, taught in an interactive and engaging manner, brings the marine sciences to life.

Our Staff

Our staff consists of a captain, first mate, deckhand, and two experienced marine educators who act as our primary instructors. Classes are taught in an easy and engaging manner, with students encouraged to participate. Our staff is trained to interact well with groups of all ages to provide a safe and enjoyable learning environment.

Class Size

We suggest a class size of 35 to 40 students, with limited numbers of adult chaperones so that the focus may remain on the students.

Reservations and Cost

Both the Marine Science Course and the History of the Sea Course cost the standard charter rate plus $165.

Special Rate: We offer a special rate of $445 to schools and camps on weekdays from the beginning of our season until mid-June and after Labor Day until the end of our season. A $100 deposit is required to reserve the cruise and the balance is due upon boarding.