There’s an old whaler’s maxim that goes something like this: "Beware the jaw of a sperm whale and the flukes of a right whale."

The right whale could flip a crew clean out of a boat with a single slap of its tail. But the sperm whale? It was notorious for smashing whaleboats to splinters with its massive jaw.

A few other things you might not know about the sperm whale:

• They're often found with battle scars from fighting giant squids deep below the surface.

• They hunt at depths over 400 meters - deeper than most Navy submarines are rated to dive.

• Hunted for their spermaceti oil, it once lit the finest candles in the world and fueled the whaling boom that shaped towns like Mystic.

Speaking of whaling history, my daughter and I spent Sunday afternoon at the Mystic & Noank Library, where I stumbled across a gem: The Real Story of the Whaler by A. Hyatt Verrill, first published in 1916. There's something about those old sea stories that makes you feel like you're sitting in the back of a creaky ship cabin.

If you're around town this week, a couple quick recs:

• Grab the Apple Drink at The Port of Call — a crisp, wild mix of Menuad Vodka, almond apple shrub, matcha, and a splash of carbonation. It's dangerously good.

• If you’ve got kids in tow, don’t miss the craft area at the Mystic & Noank Library. My daughter would spend every day there if she could (and honestly, I don't blame her.)

Our home of the week is this beautiful 4 bedroom, 4 bath, 3,081sqft home located on Mason’s Island.

It can be all yours for a breezy $3,299,000 😮

Check it out on Zillow

This week’s picture of the week comes from @ursbreau. Nothing like a classic shot of the bridge to kick off the newsletter!

Follow and tag us on instagram @mysticrivercrew for a chance to be featured!

Want to share a Featured Event with a poster? Reach out and say hi.

• Captain Daniel Packer Inne, Mystic - Danny Fleet from 8pm-10pm

• Angie’s Pizza, Mystic - Jake Perry from 5pm-8pm

• Captain Daniel Packer Inne, Mystic - James Harris from 8pm-10pm

• Sneekers Cafe, Groton - Rickie Miller from 6pm to 9m

• Mystic Pizza II, North Stonington - Dan Watson from 6:30pm-9:30pm

• The Barn, Groton - Open Mic Night from 7pm-10pm

• Milestone, Mystic - Open Mic / Jam Night hosted by Greg Sherrod from 8pm-11pm

• Captain Daniel Packer Inne, Mystic - James Harris from 8pm-10pm

• Celebrate Cinco de Mayo all weekend long with food specials and festive events around town. Keep an eye out for events listed on Thursday!

• Don your best hat and catch the “Run for the Roses”! Local bars and restaurants are hosting watch parties with themed drinks.

• Mother’s Day brunches and special events are booking fast. If you haven't made plans yet, now’s the time to reserve your spot!

Word Scramble Answer: FATHOM

That’s all for this week’s issue. Please send me an email if you have any feedback or tag me on Instagram @mysticrivercrew if you’d like to be featured!

See you around town!