The best! Not only did we catch tons of fish (seabass, porgies and a few sharks we released), Bill…read moreand Jimmy made it a memorable experience. I've done a few charters before--you know the kind, where you feel like the captain and mate are phoning it in or secretly laughing. This was not the case with The Starship! Bill and Jimmy made you feel like you were good friends going out for a fishing trip. Bill seemed to know exactly where the fish were, while Jimmy made sure you caught them. I can't help but smile when I think about our trip.

We arrived at Raged Rock Marina and the charter was ready waiting for us. The captain, Bill, and…read moreguide, James, we're both very welcoming and helpful the entire time. The bot had a nice indoor area with a few seating options as well as a bathroom. They gave us a quick safety rundown and we were off. While Bill was driving the boat to our first spot James gave us a rundown and said we would start of bottom fishing for sea bass and then make our way to some striper fishing. We made it to our first spot and dropped our lines. Some of us had never been deep sea fishing so James helped us to make sure we were doing it correctly. It started off slow but towards the end of the trip we had to hide in the boat cabin to bait the hooks! All kidding aside, each time we pulled up our line and we're missing bait, James would practically run to add more bait to the line so we got in all the fishing we could. James helped land all of our catches and even filleted everything for us on the way back to shore. Bill was very knowledgeable about exactly where to go and where the fish were hiding. The whole trip was so much fun. Bill and James helped make it a great trip, offering to take pictures for us, letting us ride up at the top of the boat and answering any questions we had. I can't wait to come back and fish with them again!

The Riverquest previously operated by Captain Mark & his side kick Mindy is now operated by the…read moreConnecticut River Museum in Essex CT. But have no fear, the operation is run flawlessly by professionals that love what they do & it shows. We have been enjoying the Connecticut river journeys on the Riverquest for several years now & learn something new every trip. Any cruise is a fun outing but we give high marks to the Old Saybrook lighthouse cruise & the Swallow migration cruises offered late summer, early fall. Several cruises do have tables set up where you can bring food & libations on board for a DIY onboard picnic while you cast a keen eye for vultures, osprey, eagles, cormorants & other water fowl, nesting hunting & feeding on the river. The scenery is wonderful. The ship is comfortable. 5 well earned stars.

My wife, a friend, and I partook the sunset cruise. It was a more personalized experience because…read moreit was small. We went on a steamboat ride and it felt like a ferry ride, crowded and loud. We were only 18 people in the riverboat so each group had our own table where we brought our own food. They provided binoculars for us to see things. We saw bald eagles, swallows, egrets, swan, etc. The crew was really knowledgeable. He taught us why the mute swan is an invasive species and how they damage the ecosystem. The ride was quite smooth and the breeze at the end of the day was really soothing. We didn't see the sunset unfortunately. The neighborhood in the area is very quaint and cute. People are extremely nice when compared to NYC. They say hi all the time. There is parking nearby but you had to pay attention to the signs. I didn't so I had to look further which I didn't revert because we got to explore the neighborhood.

Are you Sure? Kayak time!…read more Loved it here!!! Glad we did some light kayaking! We prolly looked so silly but we didnt fall in. Last minute i decided to leave my phone behind and he took wonderful photos of us!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH! We even chitchatted a little about Jk falling in. And I think he truly thought he did it on purpose. But our maknae was so embarrassed of falling in. And hes known to be "Mr. i'm good at everything"! Hehehe This is this rare moment of fail we'll all remember. Keke Im watching his reaction to this exact part rn and its hilarious. Anyways ARMY come visit here and go kayaking!!! Its easy and fun!!

Owners are arrogant and unpleasant. I went there to kayak a number of times and the staff is…read morehelpful but the owners are hostile and aggressive. An additional negative is the water gets very shallow making it difficult to paddle. I'm not going back. There are plenty of other places in the area.

Bought tickets for the North Pole Express through the Essex Steam Train online. Although it was…read moreincredibly rainy throughout our visit, they did their best to accommodate for everyone. As you arrive after parking, you are able to pick up your tickets through the ticket booth. It had indicated me through the emails that the tickets would have been delivered in the mail and I would have to have them prepared, but they never arrived or delivered. You are able to pick them up at the booth. As you embark on the North Pole Express experience, your actor on your carriage/wagon will begin to story-tell, and they also sing a few Christmas songs throughout the experience. They pass a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie to each passenger. I'd personally say that this experience was more directed towards kids. This was my first experience with something like this, but if I were to ever return, it would mainly be to bring a child, since it's geared towards children. I've heard there are other North Pole Express train experiences in other cities that are more adult oriented. Although this was the case, it was still an enjoyable experience. Both Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus appeared outside and soon made their way to the carriages. The actress was incredibly interactive and kind with everyone on board.

Everything was Amazing, From the Decor to the Service and the food was very exceptional. The…read moreWaiters & Waitress staff were impeccably friendly & Polite. We have done One previously and was Just as Impressed. Folks if you've never done one of these please check it out and do one. You won't regret it. Try the Essex Train & Essex's River Boat experience. It's very relaxing and Enjoyable.

You will not find a nicer marina on the CT river! The crew is helpful, you are protected from the…read moreweather from almost all points of the compass, and are on an island in a very safe environment. A complementary ferry service is available on demand to take you into downtown Essex where you can visit the iconic Griswold Inn, the Black Seal and a number of other fine restaurants all within easy walking distance. Two marine repair facilities are within 100 feet of their docks. I just finished the Americas Great Loop and have seen a lot of marinas. I really don't know how anyone could want for more than Dauntless Essex Island Marina.

This is the second year in a row they've pulled the bait and switch on us. They over promise and…read moreunder deliver. They totally screwed us with dockage. We were 3 boats suppose to be together on the river side. They threw us in the back of the marina where there's no view and no wind. You literally have to cross over mud piles to get to the pool. They put one boat in front of a launch and promised to move us all to the front of the marina then only moved the one boat only because they needed the launch. Lied. we look at mound of dirt and machinery . It's filled with bugs everywhere and the crew straight up lies to your face. The marina has huge chunks of wood floating everywhere. The restaurant is barely a restaurant and the hours they are actually open are ridiculous. I will never come back again. Ever!!!

A place to go…read moresomewhere else Smith Neck boat launch area is frequently called the Great Island boat launch. It has a huge parking area and a pretty decent ramp but it can get pretty shallow in very low tides. Very large boats can be a bit of a problem but it's a great place for canoes and kayaks. Once off the ramp you have many options. You can go north up the huge Connecticut River or south down into Long Island Sound. Or if you have a canoe or yak you can explore the area around Great Island. You can't actually go on the island because it is so marshy with little solid land. Just as well because a huge number of large birds nest there. Better just to look and not disturb. It's a very easy area to get lost in a yak. Lots of small rivers and inlets and some very tall grass and reeds, so at times you can't see where you are going. No problem, you'll end up somewhere. The Black Hall River, the Duck River, the Back River and the Lieutenant River are all accessible from the ramp. However, if you decide to go up some of these you better make sure you have enough tide to get back out or you might end up carrying your boat back. Also a good idea to bring strong bug repellent if you decide to go into any of these small inlets. The flies can be fierce and want your blood. A extremely nice place to launch your boat, especially if you have a small one. I've been here a zillions times and never had my truck broken in to. Even though it can get a bit crowded during the summer everyone has always been pleasant and people here seem to enjoy helping and socialize with other boaters. Smith Neck is definitely one of the nicest and most pleasant launch sites on the Connecticut coast.

I have launched my kayak off of here often. Once you get to the where black hall meets the sound…read morethere is a very secluded beach only accessible by kayak or very small boat. Directly behind it is a bird sanctuary. It is perfect. The sanctuary is fenced off so you wont be disrupting any habitats but some of the birds (depending on time of year) will get very "curious" of you and check you out. I have never had a real problem with it, though. The fishing is great up the Black Hall river as well and as a previous commenter mentioned just be sure to check tides because you could get stuck.

Small but perfect boat for a 2 person charter. Captain Jack was very friendly and informative…read moreabout the local area and where to fish. He made sure we found some great fishing spots and baited our lines for us. He had cold beverages available and a commode. He also kept a sharp eye out when the weather showed a storm front moving in and got us to shore before the weather turned nasty. A perfect anniversary trip. We will be back.

From the owner: Small boat small price big fun!read more

My pontoon boat needed a good tuneup and they did a great job! Would recommend them too anyone…read more Only have one mechanic so you might have to wait a few days

My husband and I had planned a two hour cruise in Mystic on the Argia on the day we were…read morecelebrating with our family visiting from California. We were looking for an activity that would be fun for a multigenerational group of 23 people with toddlers, seniors, and everyone in between. We had been in communication with Oliver for months in advance. About two weeks before the big day, we saw that the forecast called for showers throughout Memorial Day weekend, particularly the Sunday of our planned cruise. We monitored the weather and decided to make a decision closer to the day. Throughout the entire process of planning, Oliver was responsive, reliable, accommodating, and kind. On the morning of the trip, Oliver gave us multiple options and worked with us to make sure that we could cancel and get a full refund due to the inclement weather. He provided us with agency up to the last hour of decision making. On a day that could have been really stressful, Oliver alleviated some of that stress. That is exceptional customer service, and that is the reason we will be coming back to the Argia for another special occasion. Highly recommend working with Oliver and his team if you get the chance!

My husband and I did the Sunset Cruise. It was an extremely wonderful experience. The boat Crew…read morewere very friendly, funny, and gave some fun facts during the journey. Added bonus, you see Mother Nature's beautiful sunset. Highly recommend.

While they do good work, prepared yourself for sticker shock and for an attitude if you have any…read morequestions. I had work done and found the manager to be combative when I had questions about which propeller was appropriate for the application. I ended up going with his recommendation but he was very offended when I wanted to get a second opinion. Later, when I asked to be aboard my own boat for sea trials I was told that they did not allow it. Had the manager allowed me to be on the boat and had been able to ask questions, I would have much better understood the functioning of my new propeller. Sadly, I had to talk to other owners and the manufacturer as a sorted though questions. Later, when I approached the manager about hauling the boat for a few weeks, he made it very clear that he wasn't interested in doing business with me, even going as far as saying "I just don't like you." Not a great look.

Very nice and quiet area. Loved the block party for their dock holders. Need a boat dock. Come hereread more