The photos were taken at Wooden Boat Show in June 2026 at Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut. If you see yourself, your boat, your pet, etc — please reach out to me for a free digital copy of the photo without the watermark. Use the Contact Me form on the home page here. Prints are also available for purchase.
Thursday June 25
Friday June 26
Saturday June 27
Sunday June 28
USS South Dakota returned to Groton, CT on June 25, 2026 from a deployment.
During off-season, Eastern Point Beach would be my go-to spot but since there was an admission fee to get in — I had to find somewhere else to go. First, I went to UConn Avery Point where I spotted USS South Dakota sitting in the water waiting for the tug’s arrival to assist.
Then I went down Shore Ave past Eastern Point Beach to see it pass by.
Always get excited when I see the tug boat!
I drove to another location where the submarine veterans greeted USS South Dakota home with their usual tradition of cannon firing. The families were here sporting clothes with USS South Dakota on them and some held up posters, even an enlarged face cut out. It never gets old to watch these homecomings!
Thank you to all of the sailors and their families for the sacrifice.
USS Texas returned to Groton, CT on Friday May 1, 2026 from a deployment. It was a beautiful spring day with blue sky and clouds to make a dramatic back drop.
There was a LOT of activity on Thames River while waiting for USS Texas. I saw a fishing vessels, many birds, Enviro-Lab (Project Oceanology’s “floating” classroom) and USCG Eagle. The Eagle departure was unexpected for me so it was a nice surprise!
The tug boat is always a sign of submarine coming — still excites me to see it!
The tug helped USCG Eagle to leave the dock near Fort Trumbull in New London, CT so I think USS Texas waited out in the water for the tug boat to be available to assist them. The Eagle departed for their summer tour down south and will make its way back up to New London in August.
There were no families of the sailors waiting for the submarine at Eastern Point Beach so it was quiet. They all waited at the Sub Base. It gave me plenty more angles that I normally wouldn’t been able to capture because of the people standing there. Some people who were enjoying the spring day at the beach were excited to spot the submarine.
USS Texas made it way past the New London Ledge Lighthouse down to the sub base. The last photo is at a different location further down the river — you can see that they put the wreath on. It is a homecoming tradition, the colors of the wreath varies. Also sometimes you would see a specific flag to the submarine’s name.
At the other location, there was a group of few women waiting for their loved ones. I loved the patriotic outfits that they were sporting. They held up a sign to welcome home their sailor.
It truly never gets old to watch the homecomings and I’m so appreciative of the sailors and their families to make the sacrifices for us. Thank you USS Texas!
Mayflower II departed Mystic, CT back to their home port of Plymouth, MA on Friday May 1, 2026. She had been at the Mystic Seaport Shipyard since December for her regular winter maintenance. See the photos: Mayflower II returns to Mystic for the winter.
It was a grey overcast day — perfect typical New England backdrop for the colorful Mayflower II to make her way back home.
I loved the Seaport skyline in the background from this angle.
The tugboats might not get as much love as Mayflower II does — but they definitely work hard to help transport this historical vessel back home safely.
She made it through the drawbridge unscathed (if you know, you know!).
There were a lot of people who came out to watch her departure. A rower on the water sure had a unique viewpoint!
I loved how the grey skies made the colors of all boats really pop out!
At the time of this post, Mayflower II is already back home in Plymouth, MA and is opened to the public for tours. I need to make the drive up to Plymouth to tour the Mayflower. I’ve captured her many times now but never have stepped on her! That’ll have to change soon! She’ll be back to Mystic again in the future and I’ll look forward to watching her again!
The historical retired fireboat, The Firefighter has been docked at Mystic Seaport Museum for few years now. They usually depart during the busy season to various summer destinations. At end of April, it departed from Mystic to their first stop in Greenport, NY. They will be traveling to Boston and New London before returning to Mystic in the fall. Keep updated with their schedule on their Facebook page, America’s Fireboat - FIRE FIGHTER.
I’m in awe that the historical vessel has the ability to be on the move. It doesn’t come easy as The Fire Fighter relies completely on donations. A full tank of gas for them in April 2026 would cost approximately $17 thousand! You can donate through their website or purchase their merchandise.
It was my first time being at the Seaport to watch The Fire Fighter leave. I’ve watched it from various points — Downtown Mystic and Noank. I thought I’d go to the Seaport for more angles to capture like with the Mystic Seaport Lighthouse.
I still had time (just barely!) to run to Downtown Mystic to capture it go through the drawbridge. It’s fun to see other people’s reactions to watching The Fire Fighter move. It always stops everyone in their tracks. They gaze with wonder. People pull out their phones to take photos or videos. The collective excitement for any boat that travels through Mystic is always contagious — and that’s why I love living here.
The Fire Fighter will be missed this summer. If you are in any of towns they visit — it’s highly recommended that you tour the vessel. The guides are always knowledgeable about the history and stories.
More photo stories of The Fire Fighter:
Walking the Decks of the Fire Fighter
Fire Fighter returns to Mystic (October 2024)
One day in April, I decided to tour The Fire Fighter fire boat docked at Mystic Seaport Museum. It wasn’t my first time but it never gets old to tour this amazing historical vessel. I’ve visited and photographed The Fire Fighter for years — from when she moved from Greenport, NY to New London then Mystic Seaport Museum.
I captured The Fire Fighter on the move in Noank, CT in September 2025.
The fire boat is currently docked at Mystic Seaport Museum until May 1, 2026. They are opened on the weekends for timed tours. It’s worth the tour as every guide I've had was very knowledgeable about the boat. The stories and history is fascinating. If you plan to tour — it is best to keep updated with their Facebook page, America’s Fireboat - FIRE FIGHTER for their hours and location. After May 1, they will be traveling to few destinations during the summer and return back to Mystic in the fall.
The plaque found inside of the fire boat.
I can’t describe the feeling I have when I walk around on The Fire Fighter. Walking the very same decks where history happened.
The bell used to be mounted on the front of The Fire Fighter but has been moved inside.
The bottom level of The Fire Fighter — the engine room. Everything that makes her run!
The cross on the pilot house door is a piece from World Trade Center. The Fire Fighter helped with recovery efforts during September 11th. It has the ability to pump 20,000+ gallons a minute, which made her the most powerful fireboat in the world. The Fire Fighter was the longest serving fireboat for New York, decommissioned in 2010. Only if the walls could talk, right?!
I loved the view of Charles W. Morgan ship from the bunker room. The journal log is a history artifact — very neat to see. At the end of the tour, you’ll see the Ship’s Store where you can purchase t-shirts, sweatshirts, and objects. All proceeds go back to the fund to maintain The Fire Fighter and keep her going.
I’ve admired The Fire Fighter from first day that I saw her. I have a personal connection with firefighting so my appreciation probably runs high because of that. Still, it’s amazing to see a piece of history in my daily life of living in Mystic.
See more photos of The Fire Fighter:
After fifteen years of calling Mystic home, getting a membership at Mystic Seaport was a no-brainer. It's one of those places I never tire of — whether I'm wandering the historic grounds, watching the ships, or just soaking in the views along the water. Over the past few years I've photographed countless scenes here, and somehow every visit still manages to surprise me with something new to capture. The 2026 season opener (it is opened year-round but full grounds opened on the first day of spring) was no exception. It was the dramatic sky that made me grab my camera and go. A windy welcome back but so worth the visit!
Plan your visit with my local guide to Mystic Seaport Museum.
This sailboat weathervane welcomes me every time I walk into the Seaport.
One of my favorite things about the Seaport is that you can actually see Downtown Mystic from the grounds. It’s great to admire the views without the summer traffic that clogs the drawbridge and beyond. With the dramatic sky, the buildings of downtown practically jumped out against the clouds. It made for some of the most striking views.
And there was the Mayflower II. She's been docked at the Seaport this past winter for some touch-up work before heading back to Massachusetts later this spring — and it’s always a treat to see her. She's such a colorful, striking vessel, and against that dramatic sky she looked absolutely incredible.
I also made a point to pop into the shipyard to see if any work was going on. There's something truly admirable about the people here — the dedication it takes to preserve and restore the historical vessels that pass through the Seaport is remarkable. Unfortunately it seemed like I'd caught the lunch hour, because the yard was quiet.
The moment I opened the door, that smell — fresh cut wood — hit me instantly and transported me somewhere I hadn't been in a long time. Growing up, my grandfather had a wood shop. I'd wander in to visit him, and that warm, familiar scent was always there. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed it until that very moment. That alone made the visit worth it.
I couldn't choose just one photo of Sabino so here’s two! She won't be cruising until around Memorial Day, and right now she's stripped down, benches gone, everything pulled away for her off-season work. It was a little strange to see her so bare, but also a reminder of just how much effort goes into keeping these vessels looking their best year after year. As a photographer, I greatly appreciate that! It’s easy to photograph when those vessels look amazing as they do.
I spotted the row boats belonging to Stonington Crew, and it was bittersweet. For the past few years they've been rowing out of the Seaport while their boathouse has been under construction — and now that construction is nearly complete. It's wonderful news for them, but there's something quietly sentimental about knowing this chapter at the Seaport is drawing to a close. Wishing Stonington Crew all the best as they move into the new boathouse.
Dinghy galore. I rounded a corner and there they were, everywhere I looked. Many of them were mid-repaint, fresh color being laid on in preparation for the season ahead. Navigating through them was its own little adventure, carefully stepping and dodging to avoid brushing up against wet paint. Dinghies are one of my absolute favorite subjects to photograph — the shapes, the colors, the way they sit so simply and yet say so much.
The Dyer Dhows sat quietly near the sailing school, patiently waiting for the season to begin. Before long, those bright and colorful sails will be back out on the Mystic River, dotting the water with life and movement. I'm already looking forward to capturing it.
Mystic Seaport never runs out of stories to tell. Every corner holds something worth pausing for — that's the magic of this place. The seaport has been part of my life for fifteen years and somehow it still finds new ways to inspire me. I can't wait to see what the rest of the 2026 season brings!
More stories from Mystic Seaport:
Just before spring arrived, Mystic gave us a preview — a day swallowed almost entirely by fog. It settled in thick and stayed. Driving along the river and around every bend, there were a few scenes worth stopping for.
At Mystic River Park, I caught the bridge disappearing into the fog — very dreamlike! What made the shot even better was a lone figure on the bridge photographing the same fog I was. Besides the two of us, the park was completely empty. The temperature cooperated perfectly too.
By evening, the fog had finally burned off and blue skies peeked through the clouds. Foggy days are a great reminder for me to slow down and sit with the stillness, especially living in a town that rarely stops moving!
Every year I look forward to the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in Mystic, Connecticut. I always enjoy photographing the moments. It started to drizzle halfway through the parade but it didn’t deter people from having fun. This was captured during the 2026 Mystic Irish Parade. Please make request here for a free copy of photo(s) of yourself, your loved one or your pets and I will email you one without the watermark!
Much appreciation to the law enforcement that keeps Mystic safe! I was impressed that even police departments from out of the area came to support our local departments.
You can’t have a parade without the firetrucks! I love the classic trucks from Yantic, Groton Long Point and Westerly. Of course, it was good to see the Westerly Santa again!
Plenty of cute dogs were in the parade and some as spectators!
I snapped some fun shots of parade participants and the crowd:
Organizations from Mystic area participated in the parade. Many thanks to the Mystic Irish Parade Board who worked hard to make this fun event happen every year for all of us. Mystic Aquarium, Mystic Noank Library, Mystic Garden Club. Mystic Seaport float promoted their upcoming Lego exhibit.
St. Patrick’s Day can only mean one thing — time for the bagpipes! Many groups come from all over to Mystic to play some tunes. Mystic Highland Pipe Band, Mystic Pipes & Drums, Middletown PBA Pipes and Drums, Mattatuck Drum Band, New London Firefighters Pipes & Drums, Newport AOH Pipes & Drums, Police Pipes and Drums of Waterbury, CT, Rhode Island Highlanders, Rhode Island Professional Firefighters Pipes and Drums and Stony Creek Drum Corps.
More moments with our parade participants:
We even had some witches!
Fitting that the final photo brings us back to the boat from the very beginning. The fun crew were willing to pose for a photo!
It was a rainy homecoming for USS South Dakota who returned to the sub base in Groton, Connecticut after a deployment. That didn’t stop some people from gathering at Eastern Point Beach to welcome them home.
After Eastern Point Beach, I drove to a different spot to see the submarine up close. As usual, the sub vets were there with the cannon and flags to salute the sailors. I was able to capture a veteran pulling the cannon which made a cool action photo.
Thank you to the sailors of USS South Dakota and the families. If anyone would like the photos — please message me for a photo without watermark for no cost.
Winter storm Fern came through Mystic, Connecticut last weekend. Dumped between 1-2 foot of snow on the shoreline! We hadn’t seen this amount in a while so I’m excited to have a snowy winter so far!
I caught the beginning of the snow fall — flurries coming down fast. I love how there’s so many beautiful scenes to capture on the river especially the ice covered rocks.
A day after the snow storm, I headed to Downtown Mystic to capture the snow. There were a lot of people out shoveling and cleaning up. Schools were closed for two days to give the town more time to clean up the roads.
I also drove down Gravel Street along Mystic River to see if there were worthy captures. There are always beautiful scenes! I spotted a funny looking bird (I’m not into wildlife so I have no idea names and all). The river never completely froze but it was icy along the shoreline.
After Downtown Mystic — I headed over to Esker Point Beach in Groton. I was thrilled to see that the beach had been untouched but after trekking through a foot of ICY snow, it was much more of a workout than expected! I enjoyed capturing the icy covered rocks.
Hope you enjoyed the snowy scenes from Southeastern Connecticut!
December is always a festive time in Mystic, Connecticut. I enjoy capturing all the trees and lights. The month started out strong with a few beautiful sunsets like these:
I adore the dock trees! It’s such a fun tradition that I look forward to photographing every year. There’s plenty of them along Mystic River.
Mystic River Park tree seemed to be the largest tree we’ve had in a few years! It was a gorgeous tree and I’ve enjoyed seeing it at night time many times through out the month.
Stonington always deck the hulls so beautifully — can’t miss the annual lobster trap tree. I love looking at all the artwork on the buoys!
December is the only time that I actually go photographing in the dark. Each year I make sure that I go to Downtown when it’s all lighted up and capture the beauty!
Dock trees are cute but so are the… boat trees!
Noank is a great spot too — Haring’s Christmas tree is in an excellent location for photographing! It’s right by the water and I always try to capture at least one with Morgan Point Lighthouse in the background. I also hop over to Groton Long Point to see this annual dock tree and was jolly to see this inflatable Santa too!
I closed out the holidays season with seeing this beautiful tree at Fort Rachel Marina on Christmas Day. It was my first year being in Connecticut on Christmas Day — and I enjoyed a FISHmas meal from a local seafood market!
There’s nothing like the holidays on the shoreline!
The photos were captured in Mystic, Stonington, Noank and Groton Long Point in December 2025. Most photos are available for purchase (Stonington Lobster Trap Tree images are not available as it is copyrighted). Please make request here.
As a Mystic local, I have a membership at Mystic Seaport Museum. I love to go there weekly to stroll around the grounds. The holidays season is one of my favorite time of the year to photograph the Seaport all decorated with wreaths and greenery.
I was thrilled to get some snowfall in December (in last couple years we didn’t get snow until January!). The Seaport was the first spot I went to capture the magic of the snow with the holidays decor! It’s magical how snow and holiday greenery can transform the Seaport!
I also finally attended the annual Lantern Light Village event this month! It is a self-guided immersive experience through the village. There were theatrical performances inspired by Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. My favorite part about it was seeing the Seaport at night time and the horse carriage ride. There were bonfires around the grounds and Santa was there too. This event usually happens on the weekends during December.
The photos were captured at Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut during December 2025. All photos are available for purchase. Please make request here.
Living in Mystic, Connecticut means I get to see all the cool ships come by! Mayflower II is no stranger to Mystic Seaport Museum shipyard. She has come before for routine maintenance during the winter. These photos were captured on December 6, 2025.
USS Newport News returned home to Groton, Connecticut on November 7, 2025. This was my first homecoming to photograph with the fall foliage background. I was thrilled about that! Every time I watch the submarine come up the Thames River — it gives me so much pride for those who are serving for our country. I’ll forever be grateful for those sailors.
The photos were taken at Blessing of the Fleet in July 2025 at the town dock in Stonington, Connecticut. If you see yourself, your boat, your pet, etc — please reach out to me for a free digital copy of the photo without the watermark. Use the CONTACT ME form on the home page here. Prints are also available for purchase.
The photos were taken at Wooden Boat Show in June 2025 at Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut. If you see yourself, your boat, your pet, etc — please reach out to me for a free digital copy of the photo without the watermark. Use the CONTACT ME form on the home page here. Prints are also available for purchase.
A collection of all the spring photos I’ve photographed in Mystic and Noank, Connecticut between March-May 2025. All photos are available for purchase. Please make request here.
During Memorial Day Weekend, I got up for a sunrise walk through Downtown Mystic, Connecticut. The flags were up and shining in the morning glow. I look forward to this every year (as well Flag Day and Fourth of July). The earlier you go, it’s likely to capture scenes without too many people or cars! There’s also something serene about those early morning walks.
Downtown Mystic got lively for the annual Memorial Day parade later on. We saw several antique cars, Boy Scouts troops, firetrucks and law enforcement, military vehicles and many more. It was a beautiful day to remember those who made the sacrifices for our country.
Getting up early and attending a parade definitely got me wiped like K9 Chase photographed here! Note: Don't worry, K9 Chase was able to go back to work while I went home and crashed on my couch!
The photos were captured in Mystic, Connecticut during May 2025. All photos are available for purchase. Please make request here.
On May 11, 2025, I captured a few shots of the flower moon over this sailboat moored in Noank Shipyard in Noank, Connecticut. The night prior I had dinner at Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough (they’re opened for the season!). I saw the moon rise above the sailboat but didn’t have my camera gear with me. I knew I had to return the following night.
I was thrilled to capture these beautiful shots. I only wish there were more sailboats or other boats out there for me to use! Lucky for this owner, I was able to get a lot of shots (if this is yours, send me a message and I’ll give you them for free!). I love capturing full moon by the water.
