FI S H

A little over a year ago I stumbled across The Last Trap Family, a 2019 short film documenting a small commercial fishing business operating out of Sakonnet Point, Rhode Island. The visuals and interviews were beautiful, raw, and authentic, offering a candid account of the history, challenges, and deep, personal gratification of operating a trap fishing business. In this case, the LAST trap fishing operation in New England. I later discovered the star of the film, Corey Wheeler Forrest, had continued to document her life on the water through beautiful photographs on her Instagram account (@fishandforrest). I was moved to reach out.

Fast forward one year . . . at a recent lunch Corey, her daughter Isley, and I discussed Fish & Forrest, Corey’s first-ever show, and her growing reputation as a photographer. She remarked, “I never thought in a million years this would happen, and I’ve never had to think about my photos in these terms. I’m usually just capturing a moment in the middle of work!”

When asked how and why she does it, she explained, “I didn’t initially take pictures with the idea they would end up on social media, there are just so many cool things to see out there you can’t NOT take a picture. Having a smartphone in my pocket is great.”

Isley sat quietly during lunch, taking it all in, and when asked what she thought about her mother’s first exhibit and growing celebrity, she didn’t hesitate to respond: “She’s cool. Not many people fish the way that she does.”

[ Through the lens of a commercial Fishermom ]

Kevin O’Leary, Vice President of Business Development and Marketing

Fish & Forrest: Through the Lens of a Commercial Fishermom is on view in the Meeting House through June 18 and made possible, in part, by the generous support of Filson and Xtratuf.

The 1885 schooner Coronet has been described as the last of its kind, a description that makes it right at home at Mystic Seaport Museum. Launched in Newport, Rhode Island, in December of last year, the vessel was towed to Mystic for completion of the hull, rigging, interior, and systems. Coronet had been undergoing restoration of the hull at the International Yacht Restoration School in Newport since 2006.

As Coronet was housed inside a building with a marina surrounding the pier, arrangements had to be made to remove the building, move the marina, ensure the vessel was watertight, and procure the largest operating floating crane on the east coast to maneuver into Newport Harbor and lift the vessel into the water. The Mystic Seaport Museum watercraft and shipyard staff, working with IYRS, naval architects, rigging experts, and lifting experts were able to develop a plan that launched the vessel safely and economically. From the first conversation about completing Coronet to launching the hull was just shy of 14 months. That may seem like a long time, but given the level of logistics required, this was quite an undertaking. With the rigging and spreader bars for thelift weighing in at sixty-eight thousand pounds, just the setup was quite an experience for the Museum team, akin to assembling a giant erector set with nearly every component needing to be lifted with a forklift.

Once all was ready and the 1000-ton floating crane was in place, it came down to the proper calculation of the center of gravity. When lowered into the water would Coronet float on an even keel without leaking? With a sigh of relief and a feeling of accomplishment for the team, Coronet lifted effortlessly and floated gently in Newport Harbor. After a few days of preparation for ballasting, Coronet was towed to Mystic by the tug Jaguar.

With Coronet safely moored at the Henry B. du Pont Preservation Shipyard the next stages have begun. Designing propulsion, interior systems, deck, and rigging is currently ongoing. Once those plans have been finalized, installation of engineering systems and interior will begin . . . and a classic will take shape in Mystic.

Chris Gasiorek, Senior Vice President of Operations and Watercraft