Full Moon Sunset Sail Pairs Two of Mystic’s Best Views Aboard the ARGIA (sold out)

NOTE: This event has sold out.

Full Moon Sunset Sail Pairs Two of Mystic’s Best Views Aboard the ARGIA Sept. 25 and 26, timing a two-hour evening sail so passengers can watch the sun disappear in the west as the full moon rises over the water.

The special sail aboard Mystic’s familiar two-masted schooner departs Steamboat Wharf at 5:30 p.m., just as the late-September light begins changing over the Mystic River and Fishers Island Sound.

Unlike a standard sunset cruise, the timing gives passengers two celestial events to watch from the deck: the colors of sunset spreading across one side of the sky and the full moon climbing into view from the other.

Passengers are welcome to bring a picnic and a bottle of wine and settle in for the evening.

Sunset in One Direction, Moonrise in the Other

There’s a reason the timing of this sail matters.

A full moon rises near the time the sun sets because the moon is positioned on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun. That means passengers can look toward the fading western sky for sunset, then turn toward the eastern horizon for the moonrise.

Out on the water, there’s also considerably less in the way.

Buildings, trees and other obstructions that can hide a low moon from shore give way to longer views across the river and Sound. As daylight fades, the moonlight begins reflecting from the water.

ARGIA schedules only a handful of these Full Moon Sunset Sails during its May-to-mid-October sailing season. The September trips are set for Friday and Saturday evenings, with both departing at 5:30 p.m.

Sailing Mystic on a 19th-Century Rig

The setting adds another layer to the evening.

ARGIA isn’t an antique, but she was built to sail like one.

The 81-foot wooden vessel was designed by Capt. Frank Fulchiero and built in 1986. Her rig is based on the working East Coast trading vessels of the 19th century and is properly described as a two-masted gaff topsail schooner.

Her hull is Honduran mahogany over white oak frames, with Douglas fir masts, a cypress bowsprit and long-leaf yellow pine used in her Chesapeake Bay-style bottom planking.

Above deck are four sails carrying roughly 1,500 square feet of sail area.

The schooner carries up to 49 passengers, which keeps the experience considerably smaller than a sightseeing cruise aboard a large excursion vessel. Passengers can move around the wooden deck as the view changes and may even be invited to help the crew hoist and trim the sails.

From the Mystic River to the Sound

ARGIA sails from Steamboat Wharf in downtown Mystic, close to the Mystic River Bascule Bridge.

The beginning of the trip offers a familiar view from an unfamiliar angle as the schooner makes its way along the Mystic River past waterfront homes, marinas and working docks.

Farther south, the river opens toward Fishers Island Sound and the shoreline begins to fall away.

That’s where ARGIA can become less of a sightseeing boat and more of a sailing ship. When conditions cooperate, the crew raises the sails and lets the wind take over.

For a September evening trip, the transition should coincide with the changing light: bright late-afternoon sky giving way to gold, orange and pink before dusk settles over the water.

Bring Dinner — and a Bottle of Wine

The Full Moon Sunset Sail is also one of those events where bringing your own food is part of the experience rather than something you have to sneak aboard.

Guests may pack a picnic and bring beer or wine. Hard liquor isn’t permitted.

That leaves plenty of room to make the two-hour trip into dinner on the water, whether that means sandwiches and snacks or something more ambitious packed for the occasion.

And unlike ARGIA’s daytime excursions, sunset sails are limited to passengers age 10 and older.

The Friday and Saturday trips are priced differently. The Sept. 25 sail is $85 per person, while the Sept. 26 sail is $95.

By late September, Mystic’s summer crowds are beginning to thin and darkness arrives noticeably earlier. For two evenings, ARGIA is using that changing season to its advantage: leaving the village in daylight, sailing through sunset and returning with a full moon over the water.

More information is available at the Event Website link below.

To purchase tickets, click the Event Ticketing link below.

Details

Event: Full Moon Sunset Sail aboard ARGIA
Dates: Friday, Sept. 25 and Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026
Time: 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Duration: Two hours
Departure: Argia Mystic Cruises, Steamboat Wharf
Address: 12 Steamboat Wharf, Mystic, CT 06355
Friday Admission: $85 per person
Saturday Admission: $95 per person
Vessel: ARGIA, an 81-foot two-masted gaff topsail schooner
Capacity: Up to 49 passengers
Age: Children younger than 10 are not permitted on sunset sails
Food: Guests may bring a picnic basket
Alcohol: Beer and wine may be brought aboard; no hard liquor
Weather: Sailing conditions and itinerary are subject to weather and conditions on the water
What to Bring: A picnic, drinks if desired and an extra layer for cooler evening temperatures on the water

Featured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people, location, or activities shown.