New Hampshireβs Star Island, the only one of the nine Isles of Shoals openly accessible to visitors, is famous for its stunning scenery, history, commitment to sustainability, and one of the best porches in New England.
By Aimee Tucker
Jun 02 2022
Grab a rocker and enjoy the view.
Photo Credit : Aimee TuckerβAt the close of each day, Shoalers gather at the foot of the hill and form a procession, carrying candle lanterns as the villagers of long ago carried their whale-oil lamps up the same winding path. Inside the chapel, the candle lanterns are hung on brackets from the walls, providing the only source of light.βOutside of Gosport Church I looked to my right and saw the roof of a little stone cottage and some sort of tower, so we headed that way to check them out. The cottage was Vaughn Cottage. ItΒ serves as a small library, museum, and archives for the island. We didnβt go inside, but itβs open to the public during the summer months if youβre interested. The monument proved to be Tucke Monument, a large granite obelisk built to honor Shoals minister Rev. John Tucke. You get to the monument by passing through a wooden turnstile, and follow a path bordered high with flowering hedges until you reach the base. After seeing the monument, we took a loop around the back of the Oceanic, past the bustle of machinery (a lot of it solar-powered) that keeps the island running, then headed inside to check out the lobby and grab some refreshmentsΒ at the snack bar before making our way back to the boat that would return us to the mainland. The gleaming lobby had a parlor-meets-classroom look, with daily schedules on display and the permeating aroma of home-cooked food, ocean air, sunscreen, and the faint whiff of grade-school chalkboard. Since the emphasis for visitors is on the conference seminars, outdoor activities, and an unplugged peace-of-mind, the rooms and amenities at the Oceanic are simple. The only public television is in the front lobby, power is produced by threeΒ large generators, and showering is only available every other day to conserve water (which comes from rain runoff). Star is magnificently self-sufficient, but not without a lot of organization and hard work from its staff. Special kudos is given to the Pelicans, a Yankee pick for βone of the top ten summer jobs in New England.β The Pelicans are a crew of 100 or so young adults (mostly college students) that spend the summer on the island and do everything from housekeeping, maintenance, gardening, and cooking. Itβs a job, but itβs also an opportunity to be part of a unique and close-knit community, and form lifelong friendships. Former Pelicans even have their own website, Pelicans are Pelicans, to keep in touch and plan reunions. Beyond the lobby was the snack bar and dining room. While lunch reservations for meals are required at the Oceanic, the snack bar is perfect for a quick ice cream cone, hot dog, or raspberry lime rickey. Family-style meals in the dining room are included for conference attendees and personal retreaters, with Pelicans doing the cooking, serving, and cleaning. Thankfully, no reservations were needed for the hotelβs front porch, so I settled into a rocker with my book and enjoyed a few chapters (plus the view of a determinedΒ seagull eating peanuts out of a neglected drinking glass further down the porch) before it was time to head back to the boat β the clean, crisp ocean air working on me like a tonic. Sooner than I would have liked, it was time to head back to the mainland. Until next time, Star Island. As you sail away, keep an eye out for the islandβs very own dinosaurβ¦ Iβve found myself thinking about the simplistic beauty of the Star Island often in the weeks since, its pull going to work on me, urging me back for a longer stay, offering what so few collectively can β community, solitude, nature, mediation, nourishment, peaceβ¦and yes, the chance to see seagulls eating peanuts from the view of a comfy rocking chair. Who could resist? Getting to Star Island is easy, thanks to ferry services in either Portsmouth through the Isles of Shoals Steamship CompanyΒ orΒ Uncle Oscarβs in Rye. Have you ever visited Star Island? This post was first published in 2012 and has been updated.Β
As Digital Editor of New England.com, Aimee writes, manages, and promotes content for NewEngland.com and its social media channels. Before this role, she served as assistant, then associate, editor for Yankee Magazine and YankeeMagazine.com, where she was nominated for a City and Regional Magazine Association award for Best Blog. A lifelong New Englander, Aimee loves history, the New Hampshire seacoast, and a good Massachusetts South Shore bar pizza.
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