Workers at Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut faced an unusual challenge after the Northeast's record-breaking snowstorm: clearing 2 feet of snow from the Charles W. Morgan, the last remaining wooden whaling ship from the 19th century American merchant fleet. The 113-foot vessel, berthed at the museum's riverfront property, required careful handling with rubber and plastic shovels to protect its historically accurate wooden decks and caulking made from pine tar and linseed oils.

Shannon McKenzie, vice president of watercraft operations and preservation, explained the painstaking process of removing snow without damaging the ship's delicate materials. Workers had to lift snow over 4-foot rails and later apply pure rock salt to prevent fresh water from melting snow from causing wood rot. The preservation technique mirrors methods used generations ago when wooden ships were regularly washed with salt water to protect the wood.

About a dozen workers began clearing the Morgan and other historic vessels at 7 a.m., finishing by lunchtime before joining other staff to clear the museum's 37-acre grounds. Despite the labor-intensive effort, McKenzie described the day as "lovely" with enthusiastic teamwork. The museum expects to reopen to staff and limited visitors Wednesday, with the Morgan ready for weekend visitors depending on additional forecasted snow.