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.

This is one of those things where its more about the experience, than value or fun per say. This…read moreis one of those old-time coal fired trains, that takes you on a slow methodical journey through the woods. You won't see much, if anything, but again this more about the experience of an old-time vintage train. If you've ever seen Indian Jones and the Crystal Skull apparently the train scene in the beginning of the movie is this exact train, so I guess you could ask for an autograph if you take the ride :) If you select a first-class ticket, you get your own swivel seat, so you can always face the direction you're going, and you are able to order alcoholic beverages. If you're in regular class, you get a bench seat and may have to share it with someone. Does that make first class worth the extra money? I'll leave that for you to decide but I liked having my own seat. The cruise has some nice views and is a very tranquil ride. Overall, it was a fun day.

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!!!

Beautiful marina and little island escape. The people at EIM are helpful, accommodating, and kind…read more Essex island is like a hidden gem .. gorgeous and relaxing to visit.

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

I want to express my gratitude for the wonderful experience we had during our Mother's Day cruise…read more As visitors from the Hudson Valley, we were unfamiliar with the area and found Mystic quite crowded. We initially struggled to find parking, which was a significant concern as my wife has disabilities. We were worried we would miss our departure, but the gentleman in your office was exceptionally helpful and kind. He assured us that he had coordinated with the captain to hold the boat, and he even ran out of the office to personally guide us to the dock. The captain and crew on the schooner were professional, friendly, and very knowledgeable about the sights around Mystic Harbor. I was a beautiful sunny day and, despite the wind picking up, it was a very relaxing, smooth and enjoyable sail. Thank you for your outstanding professionalism and for making sure we didn't miss the boat. We had a great time and highly recommend your cruises.

We took a sunset cruise on the Argia, which is the last commercial sailing ship left in Mystic,…read morewhen we were visiting Mystic with a couple of friends on the Fourth of July. The boat has different seating options - wooden benches and cushion seats without backrests. We reserved two of the cushioned areas and showed up ready to check in on time (they ask you to show up about 30 minutes before boarding to check in). You board at the dock just next to the bridge in Mystic, so it couldn't be more convenient if you're exploring Mystic for a day or a weekend. The Argia allows you to bring alcohol (wine and beer) on board (although they ask that you not bring large coolers - there's no room for them), so we brought a couple of bottles of wine bought from the great wine shop down the street. The sail is partly narrated. Our sail was two hours long, and the staff narrated for some of the sailing time - pointing out historic and interesting sites along the sail (islands with an interesting history, homes with interesting architecture, etc.). Between the gorgeous scenery, some narration of fun and interesting facts about Mystic and its harbor, the great wine we'd brought aboard, and great company - it was the perfect way to spend a couple of hours in Mystic. What a beautiful way to enjoy Mystic and its harbor!

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

Kurt is the coolest player in the game. Good guy, solid…read morefamily man, always gotten honest opinions, options and work out of him. Godspeed.

Absolutely the WORST place we have ever used. Total frauds. When they say "get it in writing",…read moreseriously, GET IT IN WRITING!!! Don't let Mark and Karl give you the warm fuzzy feeling that they will stand behind their products as they certainly won't. We purchased a used trailer from them and was told by Mark that it was a VERY reliable trailer. We therefore made the 2 1/2 hour trip from NJ to CT to purchase it and 4 weeks later, when our boat came out of storage and the marina put our boat on it, the whole front axle snapped in half from rust rot that Diamond had covered up. My husband, who is disabled, was not able to crawl under the trailer to inspect it when he arrived. I spoke with Mark extensively on the phone and my husband asked him about the trailer prior to the purchase and he assured us both it is free from defects and is a very sound trailer. What a load of bull. I guess they LOVE taking advantage of handicap people. When my husband signed the bill of sale, the owner Karl said verbally, "we stand behind everything we sell...if you have a problem with anything, I will take care of it". We called Mark and Karl immediately and not only did they try to charge us $600 for transportation back to them as the trailer wasn't safe to drive but only offered $3000 of the $3,700 sale price AND they said they would only apply it in credit toward a new trailer which would cost $4500. Meanwhile, I was accumulating extra storage fees from the marina which wound up costing me $447 . What a nightmare. So we would have been out almost $2K if they would have "helped us out and stood behind their name" as they put it. Yeah, thanks but no thanks. Since we needed to purchase another trailer immediately to avoid more storage fees, we got one locally for $500 less than what he was quoting us for a brand new Venture trailer. A TOTAL nightmare dealing with this company and they didn't even have the decency to offer to reimburse us for any of this!!! I would NEVER EVER recommend this place.