Nantucket Today July 2024

Na ntucket

In this issue

Looking Back at One Big Beach

Fishing for Black Sea Bass

Going to Work on the Harbor Launch

A Tinned Fish Picnic

THE NANTUCKET CLUB

SOCIAL, FITNESS & FAMILY FUN BY THE WEEK OR FOR THE SEASON

Situated just steps from downtown, The Nantucket Club features all the amenities and services you would expect from a private club.

A limited number of seasonal, weekly, semi-daily and year-round memberships are offered.

TWO HEATED POOLS & A KIDDIE POOL

CABANA RENTALS

KID’S CLUB

SAUNA & HOT TUB

PERSONAL TRAINING

GROUP CLASSES

SIGNATURE AMENITIES

FIRE TRUCK RIDES

SPA & WELLNESS

NEW SPA TREATMENTS

Now offering improved spa services including a range of massages; facials and skincare treatments.

The

late Bam LaFarge, asked once about the changes he had seen this island go through since the 1970s, shrugged and said the spirit of the place is still here but you have to know where to look for it. This was 25 years ago or more, when those things we complain about today were just a fog bank sitting offshore and waiting to roll in on us.

In my own experience those moments that remind us of the spirit of this island happen by accident, they roll through our everyday lives and it is up to us to see them with the right eyes.

A case in point is a recent christening at St. Mary’s, one of those ancient rites on which community is built. After everyone left the church, they gathered at a back-yard cookout. It was an easy-going, uncatered affair. Friends old and new, the web of family, meat on the grill, beer on ice, somewhere music playing, laughter.

It was also a moment that illustrated the passing of island time and a hint of that spirit of the place. It turns out Bam Lafarge was right all those years ago. Yes, things have changed here, but there are still moments that remind us of why we are here. If you have the right eyes for them.

The definition of an iconic summertime moment is a very personal thing. But one of them has to be those little birds that run back and forth in the sand at the edge of the surf.

Ginger Andrews introduces us to sanderlings this month, a bird that reminds us that the edge of the water is much more than just a beach.

Dan Fost asks whatever happened to the One Big Beach project, which began in 2003 and aimed to lessen the friction between owners of beachfront property and access to those beaches for everyone.

The only canned fish I ever eat is tuna fish. I do not eat it directly out of the can, of course, but mix it into tuna salad. I am told that I am missing out on a delicious world of seafood in tins. Kevin Stanton explores that world and suggests how to make it into a picnic in his EAT/DRINK column.

Frank and Lillian Gilbreth arrived on Nantucket in the years after the end of World War I, looking for a quiet place where Frank could recover from his time in that war. They eventually turned the two so-called bug lights, fixed lights for navigation that had been decommissioned, into a home for their large family, called The Shoe. If you have ever driven to Cliffside Beach you have seen it, maybe without even knowing.

Mary Bergman tells their story in this month’s History Insider.

Finally, you might know Marshall Thompson from the old Even Keel restaurant on Main Street, which once was a coffee shop called the Espresso Café and now is a restaurant called or, The Whale.

But for the last handful of years he has been running the harbor launch. Not only will he deliver you to your boat, but for eight bucks you can tag along even if you do not have a boat and see the island from the water. Marshall sits down with Nantucket Today for The Questions.

Considering the cost of everything else here, a chance to nose around the harbor on the launch for less than $10 might just be the best deal you will find this summer. Maybe it will even inspire you to see the island through different eyes.

John Stanton Editor

PHOTO BY KEVIN STANTON

Public art among the poltical road signs. by John Stanton

Gilbreths and the Bug Lights. by Mary Bergman

ONE BIG BEACH? A look at the One Big Beach project 20 years later. by Dan Fost

FISHING

Black sea bass: Tasty bottom fish by Cam Gammill

Antique French Fine Arts Corp.

Arader Galleries

Callaghans of Shrewsbury

D. M. DeLaurentis Fine Antique Prints

David Brooker Fine Art

Earle D. Vandekar of Knightsbridge, Inc.

Finnegan Gallery

J. Austin, Jeweler

Lao Design, Ltd

Lawrence Jeffrey

Maison and Company

Paul Madden Antiques

Ralph M. Chait Galleries, Inc.

The Ann Parke Collection

Rehs Galleries, Inc

Roberto Freitas American Antiques

Roger D. Winter Ltd.

S J Shrubsole

Shaia Oriental Rugs of Williamsburg

Silver Art by D & R

Spiral Haus

The Parker Gallery Ltd.

Thurston Nichols American Antiques

Vock and Vintage

William Cook Antiques

Yew Tree House Antiques

Na ntucket

Published by The Inquirer and Mirror Inc. 1 Old South Road Nantucket, MA 02554 508 228-0001 nantucketmag.com

Publisher Robert Saurer rsaurer@inkym.com

Editor John Stanton jstanton@inkym.com

Production & Design Peter Halik plhalik@inkym.com

Advertising Director Mary Cowell-Sharpe msharpe@inkym.com

Advertising Sales Peter Greenhalgh pgreenhalgh@inkym.com

Alexandro Sforza asforza@inkym.com

Circulation Karen Orlando korlando@inkym.com

Contributing Writers & Photographers

Virginia Andrews Mary Bergman Dan Fost

Cam Gammill Kevin Stanton Marianne Stanton

Contact

CONTRIBUTORS

These are just some of the people who bring their talents to the pages of this magazine, and allow Nantucket Today to reflect genuine island life.

Mary Bergman is a writer and historian, originally from Provincetown on the tip of Cape Cod. Currently, she serves as the executive director of the Nantucket Preservation Trust. Mary’s preservation and writing work is dedicated to documenting the unique ways of life of people living by the sea.

Cam Gammill has been chasing bluefish since he was a little boy. He is the co-owner of Bill Fisher Tackle and co-owner of Fisher Real Estate. He also fishes with Bill Fisher Outfitters, owned by his twin brother Corey.

Virginia Andrews comes by her love of birds through her late mother, ornithologist Edith Andrews. Ginger gives bird walks and does barn owl research for the Maria Mitchell Association.

Public Art is Where You Find It

You have seen them. In the politics business they are called yard signs and they sprout like weeds in the months before every election, crying out to you to “Vote for Me.”

In the runup to the local election this May a new set of signs appeared, as if they were whimsical flowers among the weeds. These signs were more akin to public art, aimed not at collecting votes but at encouraging grins. One simply said, “This is a Sign” and another “Do Not Read.”

We had a pretty good guess about whose work this was, until he denied it was him. Maybe the whole thing works better if nobody takes credit, if we don’t know, if we can imagine that they simply appeared.

In the days after the election the signs were gone. Maybe it was just the ephemeral nature of street art.

While the signs were there, however, they allowed us to take the election less seriously. And don’t we all need that?

STORY & PHOTOS BY JOHN STANTON

3335 Abercrombie Way

7 BEDROOMS | 9 FULL AND 3 HALF BATHS | $11,500,000

Sited on three lots overlooking a village lake and the Equestrian Centre, the five buildings comprising this awardwinning family compound are lined along the property edge to enclose and focus attention on the precise landscape of the central courtyard. The plan allows for an abundance of natural light and uninterrupted views and interaction with the swimming pool, summer house and lush terraced lawn. This masterful two-story home reflects the contemporary and linear detailing, hallmarks of Jacobsen Architecture. This versatile home also includes two poolside guest cottages that benefit from a private entry. A clever play on geometry and meticulous design creates another remarkable Jacobsendesigned Windsor home.

The Gibreth’s, the Bug Lights, and “Cheaper by the Dozen”

BY MARY BERGMAN | PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

At the end of Hulbert Avenue sit two old inland lighthouses, curious relics of the bygone days when marine navigation was dependent on a series of beacons and buoys. These small structures played a big role in the lives of one of Nantucket’s - and America’s - most famous families: the Gilbreths.

Frank Gilbreth Sr. and Lillian Moller

Gilbreth were efficiency experts whose time and motion studies impacted the lives of countless workers, from bricklayers to medical doctors, and every trade and profession in between.

As America entered the industrial age, Frank and Lillian filmed workers and analyzed their movements to recommend ways work could be made more efficient. Among their many innovations, the Gilbreths were credited as being the first to recommend a surgeon always have an assistant at the ready to hand the doctor surgical tools.

After World War I, Frank Sr. sought a place to recuperate from a wartime illness. Tranquil Nantucket was just what the doctor ordered. By 1918, the Gilbreths began renting one of Dr. E.B. Coleman’s bungalows near the cliff beach.

Dr. Coleman had also purchased the decommissioned Cliff Range Lights, better known as the bug lights, from the United States government in 1912. The bug lights hadn’t been used for four years, having been replaced by metal skeleton towers on Brant Point.

Bug lights are small lighthouses with a fixed beam. These lights were originally located between the cliff edge and what’s now Cobblestone Hill. They marked the entrance to the Nantucket Harbor channel. During the day, an approaching ship captain would line up the bug lights to know he was safely inside the channel. By night, a captain did the same with the twin beams of light.

The Gilbreths purchased the smaller bug light and light keeper’s tool house from Dr. Coleman in 1921. The larger light was moved by horse to the Gilbreth property. These towers were converted into dormitories for the large family.

The toolhouse was enlarged and later replaced by a circa 1952 cottage. Both the toolhouse and cottage shared the name “The Shoe,” named so by Frank Sr. as a cheeky reference to the nursery-rhyme woman who had so many children, she didn’t know what to do.

Famous for their very large family, the Gilbreths spent summer days swimming along Nantucket’s north shore and cruising through the moors in Frank Sr.’s Pierce-Arrow.

Frank Gilbreth Jr. and his sister Ernestine Gilbreth Carey would become the chroniclers of their unique family. They co-authored two books, “Cheap-

“There isn’t a stick of furniture in it that is new, not a thing that has not been repaired or rebuilt and fixed up so that we can use it.”

- Frank Gilbreth

er by the Dozen” (1948) and “Belles on Their Toes” (1950). Both books were made into movies with big stars of their day.

In a 1991 remembrance for Historic Nantucket, Frank recalled his parents’ purchase of the bug lights, now more than a century ago.

“The surroundings in 1921 were bleak sand dunes and sharp, pointed beach grass, murderous to a boy’s city-tender bare feet. Since there were very few shrubs and no large sand dunes to block the view, we could see the water on a vista of about 180 degrees,” he said.

Even on summer vacations, Frank and Lillian’s time and motion studies never stopped. A 1923 Inquirer and Mirror article describes the quaint compound as the efficiency experts’ laboratory. The couple practiced what is now called repurposing of household objects.

“We have kept the place, built in some rooms downstairs, and added this

porch, which we use for a living room,” Frank Sr. told the newspaper. “One of the towers I use when I work here, and the other the two oldest girls have for their room. There isn’t a stick of furniture in it that is new, not a thing that has not been repaired or rebuilt and fixed up so that we can use it.”

The Gilbreths found creative ways to use their summer home to teach their children. Walls were whitewashed and painted with that summer’s lesson. In 1923, Marconi’s telegraph code was painted over the beds of the youngest children. In other rooms, the solar system and constellations were painted along the walls.

Frank Sr. died suddenly of a heart attack in 1924, leaving Lillian to raise 11 children and carry on with consulting work all on her own. She became a pioneer in the field of organizational and industrial psychology. Lillian’s unique professional and personal life both challenged and celebrated roles traditionally assigned to women.

The Cliffside area has changed since the Gilbreths first moved in. Large houses have replaced endless views of the ocean. Happily, the bug lights and The Shoe still stand today, reminding us of the family who shaped much of the way we work and spend our leisure time.

Mary Bergman is executive director of the Nantucket Preservation Trust. She writes regularly for Nantucket Today.

Nothing Compares

14 LINCOLN CIRCLE, CLIFF

6 Bedrooms | 6 Full, 3 Half Bathrooms | $23,750,000

Located in Nantucket’s prestigious Cliff neighborhood, 14 Lincoln Circle is one of the most thoughtfully and meticulously restored homes on the island - not simply renovated, but returned to its original grandeur. Gary Winn, Broker

47 HULBERT AVENUE, BRANT POINT

6 Bedrooms | 5 Full, 1 Half Bathrooms | $15,995,000

The beach is your backyard. This Brant Point waterfront property has private beach access and outstanding water views. A calm water beach is yours to enjoy swimming, boating or just gazing at the mesmerizing views. Gary Winn, Broker

The One Big Beach plan two decades later

BY DAN FOST

The story, like so many stories about William “Billy” Bulger, the longtime Massachusetts senate president, has become legend. Newspapers and law review articles tell of the time that Bulger once arrived on Nantucket and went for a dip in the ocean, only to be chased off what turned out to be a private beach.

He went back to his office on Beacon Hill and filed legislation to amend state law allowing the public to use private beaches. The law passed, but the courts intervened, telling the legislature it would have to compensate property owners for the taking of their land.

That doctrine had been firmly established in the Colonial Ordinance of 1641, which said people could use the intertidal zone for “fishing and fowling,” but otherwise the rights reverted to the property owners.

Massachusetts remains one of the few states allowing private ownership of the coastline. It is easy to spend a July day on the beach and feel as if it belongs to the people of this island, but most beaches here are privately owned.

In 2003, the town launched a program, called One Big Beach, designed as a compromise to ensure public access to the island’s beaches.

“Our mindset has always been the intertidals, the beaches, and going off to the moors and going around the ponds – we always viewed those as something everybody could do, even over and above fishing and fowling,” said Matt Fee, a member of the Select Board and one of the architects of One Big Beach.

Essentially, Fee said, Nantucket has always been a little different than the rest of the state. The Colonial Ordinance was adopted at a time when Nantucket was part of New York, and so the island developed its own traditions. The concept of pri-

vate land was meant to encourage development – especially the building of wharves and docks. Through it all, the tradition of the public having access to the beaches persisted.

The Birth of One Big Beach

Finn Murphy, who was on the Select Board at the time, said One Big Beach was “spurred by an increasing conflict between the public using waterfront properties that were in fact privately owned.”

“As the island became more popular and the properties became more valuable and the pressure on the beaches increased, there was ever-increasing interaction between the public and the owners about the use of their waterfront, and sometimes it became contentious,” Murphy said.

Someone bought a $19.5 million property next to 40th Pole Beach, according to Murphy and published reports at the time, and the new owner was dismayed to discover how popular the beach was, particularly with people who drove onto the sand.

“When the new owner went to inspect his property, he saw dozens of cars on his beachfront and apparently he wasn’t aware of the local traditions,” Murphy said. “The contretemps began there.”

The property owner posted signs, barring use

of the beach. Fee and Murphy saw the opportunity for a creative solution.

“We weren’t going to get public access from a legislative means on the one hand, and on the other hand, we did not want to see this contention between the public and private landowners get any more contentious,” Murphy said.

“So One Big Beach was designed to have waterfront property owners provide a voluntary easement to the public in line with Nantucket traditions,” he said. “In exchange for that, we would offer liability relief, beach management, beach cleaning and a certain amount of security by the police department.”

Property owners could also receive a tax break on the easement, as if making a charitable donation. The program also ultimately included another sweetener known as “the yard sale” program, in which the town would give the property owner –where they exist – a small strip of adjacent land known as a “paper street.”

Paper streets, according to Nantucket Planning Director Leslie Snell, are “roadways that are laid out, on the plan, and have been recorded at the registry or in land court, but have not been constructed and are not used for access.”

With Town Meeting’s approval, the town can dissolve the road and give it to the private property owner in exchange for a One Big Beach easement.

Happiness at 40th Pole

According to Nathan Porter, the town’s graphic information systems (GIS) coordinator, Nantucket boasts 35 One Big Beach easements. The greatest concentration are at Surfside, on the island’s south shore, but they’re also at Sconset, Madaket, Dionis and even at Hulbert Avenue between Jetties Beach and the Brant Point Lighthouse.

The property at 40th Pole Beach that started all the controversy is now part of the program as well. Every year, the owner, NFI Realty Trust, and the Select Board renew the agreement. People are free to use the beach and even drive on it, as long as the piping plovers – a protected bird species that also enjoys the beach – are not nesting. The beach was closed to cars in May.

Last year it reopened in June.

The town’s web site refers to 40th Pole as “one of the ‘essential’ beach driving locations on Nantucket, alongside Great Point and Smith’s Point.”

In the early years of the program, the town had a staff member who sought out property owners and negotiated agreements. That position no longer exists. The One Big Beach section of the town’s website is “under construction.”

Murphy, the former selectman who helped start the program, wonders if One Big Beach still has any juice.

“At the time, there was a very positive reaction to it. But like everything else on Nantucket, there’s not universal agreement on anything. There was a small faction that wanted to go the legislative route, which wouldn’t have gone anywhere,” Murphy said (see Bulger, Billy). “Another group wanted to escalate the

tensions.”

The potential for a legislative solution has not died. State Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro), whose district includes Nantucket, proposed a bill in 2021 that would add “recreation” to fishing and fowling as a permitted use on any beach. It didn’t pass.

Murphy said state laws prevent communities like Nantucket from taking progressive action. When he was on the Select Board, he wanted the town to buy waterfront property when it came up for sale, but it would have required a two-thirds vote of Town Meeting. On several occasions, it garnered more than 60 percent of the vote – and failed.

“Nantucket can’t get 67 percent of the people to name the vice president,” he said. “Massachusetts might have many liberal citizens, but the government is one of the most hidebound, old-school, trapped-in-amber pieces of anachronistic detritus that you could ever imagine.”

A tradition preserved

Fee, Murphy’s partner in starting One Big Beach, also fears it did not live up to its promise. In 2003, Town Meeting voters approved two One Big Beach line items in the town’s operating budget: $60,000 for a beach manager, whose duties included policing private beaches on which the public has access, and $105,000 to fund a project manager to research shoreline parcels with an eye toward securing public easements.

Neither position is part of the town budget today. Town officials did insist, when those positions disappeared from the budget in 2010, that securing beach access remained a priority.

“Could we do it better? Does it need to be reenergized? Yes, probably,” Fee said. “Could we do it now, with the challenges we have in hiring staff, with nowhere for people to live, drowning under tidal waves of wealth? Could we

“Nantucket can’t get 67 percent of the people to name the vice president. Massachusetts might have many liberal citizens, but the government is one of the most hidebound, oldschool, trapped-in-amber pieces of anachronistic detritus that you could ever imagine.” -Finn Murphy

energize it under those constraints? It would be difficult.”

But if another 40th Pole-style controversy erupted, Fee said, then public outcry could lead to new energy for One Big Beach. By and large, however, he said the program did a good job in reminding everyone of Nantucket’s tradition of beach access. “It worked in raising awareness,” he said.

Sometimes Fee raises the awareness himself. If a person wants to close a beach, they’re often referred to Fee, who asks them, “Where do your kids go? Where do your grandkids surf?”

As they name several beaches, Fee tells them, “two or three of those places could be closed. Most of the time, most people understand that. They say, ‘I can see that. That’s why we love the island. That’s why we come out here’.”

Bill Liddle, a principal with Great Point Properties, said people buying homes – even expensive beachfront homes – understand and respect Nantucket’s tradition.

FLORENCE PUTTERMAN

(1927 -2021)

“ENTWINED METAPHORES”

Exhibition July 1 ~ 17

Reception July 12 6 ~ 8 pm

Florence Putterman’s career spanned over 50 years. Her work is in the permanent collections of 30 museums. Florence was a frequent summer visitor to Nantucket and exhibited her oils on sanded canvases at The Main Street Gallery during the 1980’s.

Established 1989

Open Daily: 10am - 6pm

508.228.8509

gallerynantucket@gmail.com thegallerynantucket.com

4 India Street, Nantucket MA 02554

“One of the things that makes Nantucket unique and special is, today’s buyers embrace the culture of prior generations of sharing their beach, even if it’s not a public beach,” Liddle said. “There remains this general sense that the Nantucket beaches are public even though in many cases we know they’re not.”

“Down on Hulbert Avenue, you may have an owner in a $30 million home and someone on the beach in front of their house, and the homeowner is not asking them to move,” he said. “That’s pretty unique.”

Fee said the deeper solution comes down to simple courtesy.

“Some of this is the golden rule,” he said. “Treat people the way you want to be treated. Most owners, if they’re respectful, even if you’re on a corner of their beach with a couple of towels, most people wouldn’t care. It’s when it gets out of hand that there’s a problem.” ///

Dan Fost is a freelance journalist and a frequent contributor to Nantucket Today.

DONATE TO THE NANTUCKET FUND

To make a gift, visit cfnan.org, or hold your phone camera up to our flowcode:

We aim to strengthen Nantucket now and for future generations by supporting the people, systems, and services that make Nantucket thrive. The Nantucket Fund is your way to help the island you love.

To learn more & donate, visit:

CISCO BEACH RETREAT

5 DAVIS LANE, CISCO - 4 BR 3 BA 2 1/2 BATH - $6,495,000

This newly renovated four bedroom, three full bath, two half bath home complete with brand new Gunite pool surrounded by an expansive stone patio and beautiful bluestone walls. Located a few moments to the beach, bike path, and walking trails. First floorThree bedrooms include one secondary suite and two additional guest bedrooms that share a hallway bath. Large family room with half bath flows seamlessly to the heated pool, bluestone pool, outdoor shower and grilling station. The second floor is a large open floor plan that includes the kitchen, living room and dining room with westerly facing deck. The Primary suite has a shower bath, separate office and private deck with stairs that lead to the outdoor shower and pool.

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32

Charming cottage style home on an oversized lot with an expansive lawn and mature hedges creating a private enclave close to the village.

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5 OSPREY, CISCO

Situated on a quiet sandy road close to walking trails, this charming home provides access to a surf beach, Bartlett Farm and Cisco Beach.

3 BR 2 BA - $3,375,000

19

Walk into the view... Spectacular waterfront home with fabulous outdoor living and private stairs to the beach.

3 BR 3 BA - $5,195,000

KATHY GALLAHER

Broker

Maury People Sotheby’s International Realty 37 Main Street, Nantucket, MA

508.560.0078 kathy@maurypeople.com

SANKATY ROAD, SCONSET

WANOMA WAY, TOM NEVERS

If tinned fish conjures images of the tuna noodle casserole from your childhood, or something that you would find in a bomb shelter left over from the Cold War, I totally understand. Although I implore you to take another pass at this delicious and extremely versatile pantry item.

My first experience with tinned fish was at the now defunct wine bar Afterhouse, where it was served simply with toasted bread, a side of crème fraiche and lemon, on a bed of herbs as a companion to a glass of wine.

It is important to point out that when I mention tinned fish by no means am I referring to that close cousin of cat food, watery canned tuna. What I am referring to are beautiful fresh sardines, white anchovies, mackerel and more, plucked from the Atlantic Ocean, packed at peak freshness and nestled in golden olive oil.

The seafood is often accompanied by a slice of lemon, garlic or chili pepper tucked inside the tin, imparting even more flavor as it marinates.

Tinned fish have been popular in pcountries like Spain and Portugal for more than a century. Last spring, I traveled to Portugal with my wife and enjoyed them firsthand while sitting outside, basking in the sun with a white port and tonic.

We started our trip in Lisbon, where it was very common to see petite sardines and roasted red peppers balancing atop fresh bread as a snack in wine bars throughout the city. It was even more common to find wine bars with shelves packed with tins, like some bizarre aquatic library. It makes perfect sense, especially if space is at a premium. Just pop the tin, serve with accoutrements and you are off.

As we traveled north to the city of Porto, and ultimately the end of our trip, we went looking for the source so we could pack our bags full for our journey stateside. This did not prove to be a Herculean effort. They were found in shops almost everywhere. Porto is home to the Nuri brand, an offshoot of Conservas Pinhais, founded in 1920. As it was explained to me by a vendor inside the Mercado do Bolhão, Nuri is what they send overseas and Pinhais is the brand that stays in Portugal.

These days, tinned fish are having their time in the sun on this side of the Atlantic.

This year I did not travel abroad, and after depleting my

Adventures in Tinned Seafood

cache of tins from Portugal I decided to see what Nantucket had to offer.

I did a deep dive into the world of tinned seafood, tasting different brands and preparations trying to escape the cold and dreary New England weather. It turns out with a little imagination and good product, it is easier to transport yourself abroad than I thought.

Much to my surprise, Glidden’s Island Seafood has a whole rack of Portugal’s own José Gourmet brand. These tins can range from $8-$25. Sardines are on the lower end of the spectrum, while razor clams and Ventrusca, also known as tuna belly, are at higher price points. Not everything is packed in olive oil. Tiny squid can be found packed in a spicy tomato ragout and smoked mussels can typically be found in a pickling sauce, called escabeche.

I found tiny cockles in brine from Island Creek Oysters sold at Pip & Anchor, and after doing some research on the Island Creek Instagram tried my luck at making a pasta with them, which was nice since there was no need for shucking, cleaning or steaming, and the brine they were packed in was utilized in the sauce.

Recently, I was at a friend’s house, who happens to be a cook on the island. When I mentioned this story to her, she pulled a book from her collection called “Tin to Table,” by Anna Hezel. The book covers everything from tuna Niçoise and baked clam dip, to her favorite preparation, a marinated French lentil and smoked trout salad. Those who are adventurous should give the book a read.

I must admit my favorite preparation is the easiest and least creative. Sardines packed with lemon on toasted sourdough from Born & Bread with a little salted butter, thinly-sliced red onion and crumbled feta.

This summer, with a few simple ingredients and a bottle of Portuguese Vinho Verde packed in a picnic basket, you’ll think you are relaxing on the coast of the Algarve in no time.

STORY & PHOTO BY KEVIN STANTON

Kevin Stanton is a Nantucket native and a graduate of MassArt, where he studied painting. He lives on-island with his wife, Danielle, and his dog Lou.

33 Cliff Road | Beautiful distant views of the Harbor and Sound combined with easy access to town, and beaches make this one of Nantucket’s most sought-after locations. The seven-bedroom main house, three-bedroom cottage, and two-car garage are privately nestled on this oversized .62-acre lot. HDC approved plans by Chip Webster Architecture include an 18 X 32 pool allowing this property to be reimagined and expanded. | $17,850,000

Welcome to 7 Lauretta Lane, your opportunity to own a brand-new estate on one of the most tranquil and enchanting properties on Nantucket. With endless water views over Nantucket Harbor, Coatue, and Nantucket Sound, you will witness majestic sunsets that illuminate the natural beauty of the island. This luxurious, three-acre property in desirable Pocomo offers unmatched privacy and serenity, along with exclusive deeded beach access to the waterfront mere steps away. Nantucket’s premier design/build team of Hanley Development and Sophie Metz Design has collaborated to create this custom-built harborside estate, consisting of a six-bedroom main house, a two-bedroom garage/guest house, private pool, and cabana. Already under construction, the property will be available for occupancy in summer 2025. If that’s not enough, envision owning the adjacent 1.7-acre waterfront parcel at 15 Lauretta Lane with a fully renovated 2-bedroom cottage to complete the ultimate compound! Purchase both properties and begin enjoying your front row lifestyle this summer in the cottage at 15 Lauretta, while overseeing and customizing the finishing touches on the rest of the estate. | $16,495,000

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OFFICES IN SCONSET & TOWN

QUIDNET · 36C SESACHACHA ROAD · $3,795,000

Charming oceanfront cottage abutting conservation land.

SCONSET · 14 & 16 COFFIN STREET · $11,750,000

Classic east-end property on two lots with ground coverage remaining.

SCONSET · 1 & 5 OCEAN AVENUE, 6 GRAND AVENUE · $29,500,000

Iconic Sconset estate steeped in history with four dwellings.

SALES & RENTALS OFFICES IN SCONSET & TOWN

SCONSET · 10 CENTER STREET · $1,795,000

Antique gem in the heart of Sconset Village.

Expansive retreat with a two-car garage, pool, and cabana.

TOWN · 3 & 3B WYERS WAY · $4,500,000

Two adjacent lots that comprise nearly half an acre of land in Town.

SHIMMO · 42 SHIMMO POND ROAD · $28,000,000

Enchanting seven-bedroom estate with a 400-foot private dock.

Oversized lot in a great location with HDC-approved plans.

SCONSET · 12 WEST SANKATY ROAD · $2,150,000 1920s Sconset bungalow ready to be transformed.

CLIFF · 12 DERRYMORE ROAD · $3,299,000

WEST OF TOWN · 5 MAXEY POND ROAD · $6,895,000

Fishing the Bottom

The waters off Nantucket have been world-renowned for sport fishing since the 1800s, when parties would rent a catboat and skipper and spend a day fishing, to men fishing with hand-lines and drails from the beach, to the annual rite of spring that is the first bluefish or the first keeper striper to be caught.

When people think of Nantucket fishing, striped bass and bluefish usually come to mind. For offshore anglers, bluefin tuna off the Canyons are a great reason to call this island home.

Around the edges of this worldclass sport fishing are people who jig for squid, fish for mackerel or fish the bottom for black sea bass.

Black sea bass are a “bottom fish” that don’t always get the attention they deserve. These fish live closer to the bottom, can grow up to nine pounds and live up to 12 years. These fish are quite aggressive and will chase a bait to the surface in 30 feet of water.

I’ll never forget fishing with a great friend who only fly-fishes. We were fishing over by the Vineyard and targeting striped bass.

After letting his fly sink to the bottom, a fish hit that fly super hard. It was a great strong pull and my friend was shocked to see a black sea bass on his fly. He had never regarded these fish with much respect. But now he always tells the story of catching a sea bass on a fly.

The coloring of black sea bass is phenomenal. They have a translucent purple hue to their back and shimmer in the sun. These fish have broad shoulders and the bigger fish have a big knot head. They are like other bass

with a large jaw to swallow their food.

Perhaps the biggest reason to focus on catching black sea bass is for the dinner table. They are my favorite fish to eat that you catch in our waters. They have a translucent white filet, with a flakey texture and sweetness which cannot be beaten. I love using sea bass as ceviche. To me it sets up perfectly for that type of cooking, but one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten was cooked whole on the grill, stuffed with peppers and onions. The skin was crispy and sweet like a pepper and the meat was tender and flavorful. Really, there is no wrong way to prepare these fish.

Two major components contribute to the success of our fishery. First, located 30 miles out to sea, our location is very unique. We are closer to the Gulf Stream. We are closer to the deep colder-water channels and we have an incredibly diverse ecosystem as a result, which brings in loads of bait and fish in numbers that often don’t happen in other locations.

The other major component is the lack of pressure. This is due in part to our location. It’s unbelievable to have a world-class fishery and only have a handful of boats targeting schools and schools of fish.

In other more accessible locations, you would have

STORY AND PHOTOS BY CAM GAMMILL

Given the amount of habitat and the lack of pressure around Nantucket, the fishery sets up perfectly for these fish and the numbers and size of the fish prove that.

a significant amount of pressure on a fishery like ours and this would inevitably drive the bait down and the fish away.

I use the phrase “world-class fishery” because the numbers of black sea bass and size of the fish that we have in our fishery cannot be matched in many locations. These fish love bottom structure with moving current and cooler water temperatures. All of this sets up perfectly for the water in and around Nantucket. On the back side of any edge, you’ll have big numbers of these fish. They’ll also congregate on rock piles, mussel beds or anywhere there is structure to hold the fish. Given the amount of habitat and the lack of pressure around Nantucket, the fishery sets up perfectly for these fish and the numbers and size of the fish prove that.

The only downside to this fishery is that you must target them from a boat. You can certainly catch these fish from the beach, but they tend to be on the smaller side. To keep a fish, it must be 16.5 inches and there is a limit of four per day per angler.

I need to mention, I am primarily a catch-and-release angler, but I do keep fish if I intend to eat then within two days of catching them. I don’t like the idea of killing fish as a trophy, but I actually love the idea of providing for my family from our natural surroundings.

In fact, this is why I believe so many people love to target these amazing fish. We are an island built on Quaker ideals and have a strong focus on sustainability. Watching the farming community thrive on-island is amazing. Enjoying venison in the fall feels very natural. And, there is nothing better than scallops on a winter afternoon. We are lucky to be able to survive off a lot of what the island gives us and black sea bass should be in the top of that category.

Targeting these incredible fish has long been a secret shared by many of the avid fishermen on this island. Go try your hand at this incredible fishery and enjoy the bounty of your catch. ///

Cam Gammill is co-owner of Bill Fisher Tackle and writes the weekly “Fish Finder” column in The Inquirer and Mirror.

Make Nantucket Your Own

4

WINDSOR ROAD, SCONSET

- $7,295,000

Where privacy and elegance collide. This luxurious 6 bedroom, 5.5+ bathroom home property boasts high-end features and finishes throughout and is situated on over one acre of land. Step outside to your own private oasis, complete with a refreshing pool and relaxing spa. The outdoor space includes an expansive yard, covered deck, gas fireplace sitting area, and a kitchen cabana with leathered granite countertops, perfect for entertaining guests or enjoying a quiet evening at home.

4

SUNSET HILL LANE, TOWN

- $5,750,000

Newly constructed and professionally designed by Sophie Metz this property sits high on the less trafficked Sunset Hill Lane. Pop into town in moments with Something Natural, Steps Beach, and Lily Pond Park just a few of the destinations along the way. This home includes 4+ bedrooms and 4.5 baths with a finished lower level, one car garage, with front garden area and rear patio. Special features of this property include a perched living area with cathedral ceilings allowing for a birds eye view of all that town has to offer.

29

MAIN & 1 WEST SANKATY, SCONSET

- $9,800,000

Classic sophistication nestled in on Sconset’s charming Main Street with swimming pool and extra lot to utilize for future generations. This property exudes both charm and functionality with an outstanding location to soak in all that the village has to offer. With 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, darling sun porch, and attached garage this property embodies summer living at its finest.

21 OCEAN AVENUE, SCONSET - $5,950,000

Iconic Rudder Grange is a historic treasure located on one of ‘Sconsets most picturesque avenues. With deep blue sea views from nearly every window, this classic beach house exudes charm and embodies summer living. The front covered porch provides for both dining and living activities perched high above the streetscape to watch the world go by. 5 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms, enjoy a recently renovated kitchen, newly refinished original hardwood floors, and fresh interiors. Other features include adjacent garage, first floor bedroom, and rear side yard to catch the afternoon sun.

Your Guide to Dining Out

Check out these featured restaurants from the 2024 Nantucket Restaurant Guide, considered “The Bible of Where to Eat” on Nantucket by visitors and islanders alike. Published by The Inquirer and Mirror.

SANDERLINGS

Life in the swash zone

STORY BY VIRGINIA ANDREWS | PHOTOS BY TOM GRISWOLD

Whatspeaks more of the shore than our most common summer shorebird? The iconic sanderlings run with the waves, down and back, down and back, endlessly. Like small wind-up toys their legs pummel, dashing after retreating waves. They probe deep in the wet sand, scurrying back as the next wave rushes up, just at the edge, but rarely caught. In flocks of six or a dozen, or 30 at a time, they almost seem to embody the beach itself. Resting, they often stand on one leg, sometimes for so long that the bird looks like a partial amputee. Usually, though, its other leg is just tucked up, structurally the most energy-efficient resting position for many birds. They are world travelers whose migratory journey is

among the longest of any bird. True cosmopolitans, they are found on sandy beaches on every continent except Antarctica.

If you are reading this story on July 1, you might well wonder where they are. There are always a few, somewhere. Some younger birds don’t head north until their second year. But July also marks the time when birds of the year and adults return. By mid-month they will be back in force.

So, where were they? From June to early July, sanderlings build their nests on islands in the high Arctic. They pick sites near water, inland as well as on the lonely shores. Nesting places vary, from wet vegetation tucked

They are world travelers whose migratory journey is among the longest of any bird. True cosmopolitans, they are found on sandy beaches on every continent except Antarctica.

Sanderlings live in what’s called the “swash zone,” the area between dune and surf, between uprush and backwash.

in among Arctic willows or sedges to barren gravel. A grasslined scrape or natural depression is all that’s needed.

They eke out a living eating invertebrates in the wrack line, or shoots and buds of vegetation, algae and mosses, if nothing better is available. The nightless days around the summer solstice, when the sun rolls around the horizon without actually setting, are incentive to getting things done quickly, before light fades and ice returns.

This isolation may have been part of the secret of their success. When numbers of many shorebirds plummeted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries due to hunting pressure, sanderlings only modestly declined. Their breeding grounds were mostly out of reach.

It’s a good bet there are still more birds than people in the high Arctic. Never mind gulls or jaegers, there are probably more sanderlings on Ellesmere or Baffin Island than there are humans. They also nest on Greenland and Iceland.

But most of the North American breeding population is found in Nunavut. As of 2021, the Canadian government listed a total human population of just under 37,000 in an area of slightly more than 700,000 square miles, not counting sea ice. Although it is hard to get much data where there are few eyes to collect it, ornithologists estimate 140,000 sanderlings breed in the Canadian Arctic, out of a total North American population of about 300,000.

But numbers on the beaches to the south, where they spend the rest of the year, have dropped, quite sharply in some places. Their wide distribution makes world totals difficult to quantify.

The Arctic has plenty of hazards of its own – Arctic fox, skuas, jaegers, snowy owls – all are hungry and would not turn down a meal if they could get one. Human use of the thawing Arctic has veered away from 19th century subsistence economy to industrial 20th century mining and oil.

Winds and tides send pollution north, too. Shorebird researchers are also concerned about climate change, which is affecting the Arctic more strongly than temperate areas.

We still see sanderlings on Nantucket, meaning there is still food here. Sanderlings live in what’s called the “swash zone,” the area between dune and surf, between uprush and backwash. They eat mole crabs and other small creatures of the wet beach such as amphipods, crustaceans, mollusks and polychaete worms.

They also eat beetles, sand fleas and flying insects such as moths, midges and flies. They can feed day or night, depending on the tide. Like every other shorebird, they get a huge boost from horseshoe crab eggs, but this is another declining resource. All these critters depend on the even smaller meiofauna within the beach. There is much more to the ecosystem of a living beach than a heap of sand.

With their lives depending on such a narrow strip of sand in a very dynamic habitat, sanderlings are vulnerable. On the Atlantic coast, their population is estimated to have dropped about 13 percent per year between 1974 and 1982. Peak numbers on migration dropped anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 in the 1950s to about 2,000 in the 1980s.

A living, undisturbed beach is a rarity these days. Both natural and human disturbances can cause big changes in a short time. Beaches and their inhabitants have evolved and endured through millennia of natural change.

But given shoreline development, dredging, mining, erosion control structures, oil spills, vehicles and other human disturbances there has been little time to adapt. Will beach birds survive us? Will they continue to speak of roaring wave and rushing surf? They will if we choose to protect them, and let the beaches, and the birds, live.

Virginia “Ginger” Andrews writes the “Island Bird Sightings” column for The Inquirer and Mirror and is a frequent contributor to Nantucket Today.

A Guide to the Perfect Nantucket Beach Day

By Nicole Vawter

Close your eyes and picture yourself on the beach; your feet are in the warm sand, your back reclined in a lounge chair, all while you sip on a refreshing beverage in the salty air. Now open your eyes.

That image does not have to stay in your imagination, it can become a reality on this little spit of sand thirty miles out at sea. Known for its stunning beaches and cobblestone streets, the island is home to a variety of local businesses dedicated to enhancing the perfect beach day. Whether you’re in need of picnic supplies, stylish beachwear, or fun activities for kids and pets, these shops can elevate your day by the sea from pleasant to unforgettable.

Island Variety

When heading out for a beach day, one of your stops should be Island Variety. You truly can pack your entire beach bag at Island Variety as the store offers a large array of beach items. Some needed essentials include umbrellas, beach chairs, hats, cover ups, sunscreen, coolers, and plenty of toys for the kids. Island Variety not only provides the island with ‘must-haves’ for a beach day, but they serve Nantucket year-round, selling items such as kitchenware, games, and greeting cards.

Toni Struncis and Veronica Bartley first opened the business in 2000 and Struncis transitioned the ownership over to Scott and Erin Carson in 2023. The duo are so thankful for the island’s wide support during this new chapter of Island Variety’s story. Bartley, one of the brains behind the shop’s original opening, is still a daily presence because she serves as store manager.

Bartlett’s Farm

If you are crafting a picture-worthy picnic for your day by the sea, Bartlett’s Farm Kitchen has freshly prepared sandwiches and meals to take with you to the beach; the Farm Kitchen offers breakfast, sandwiches, soups, salads, various lunch items and delicious desserts. On top of all that they have a wonderful array of beach gear including beach blankets, chairs, beach toys and sunscreen. Check out their Bartlett’s merchandise for keeping warm on a windy beach day.

In addition, the Farm Market sells Bartlett’s produce including their corn and tomatoes, as well as high quality pantry staples, cooking supplies, fresh dairy, meats, cookies and organic

items. They also offer freshly brewed and locally roasted coffee, wine and beer, and artisan cheeses. And, beginning on July 19th they will have pick your own flowers and also offer pick your own veggie tours on a weekly basis.

Yummy

Another delicious business to visit when planning your beach day meal is Yummy. Yummy is a take-out café located along the Surfside bike path, and offers a wonderful selection of sandwiches, snacks, smoothies and desserts. You can take your food to go and enjoy it on the beach or relax in Yummy’s front yard on a beach chair. The café’s sandwiches and smoothies are ‘made to order’ using fresh ingredients and can be custom made to each customer’s liking; perfect for anyone who is vegan or vegetarian. If you need a midday energy boost while at the beach, you can also pop over to Yummy’s for an iced latte at their full coffee bar.

Young’s Bicycle Shop

All of the pleasure of a beach day doesn’t just happen on the beach; your transportation to and from the beach can be a part of the adventure. Young’s Bicycle Shop provides rental services for bikes, ebikes, cars and jeeps. Young’s has been serving Nantucket since 1931 and is a gem in the local community and “The Cycle-Logical Way To See Nantucket.” Founder Harvey Young first moved to the island in 1929 and had a passion for fixing just about anything. He would fix local chil-

dren’s bikes and when they couldn’t pay for the repairs, Young would rent the bikes out to island visitors until the bill was paid; this was the start of Young’s Bicycle Shop. Ninety-three years later, the shop is still owned by the Young family and remains proud be a part of the island community. “Biking is the best way to get to the beach because you don’t have to worry about parking or traffic, just load up your backpack with lunch and a towel and you are set for the day!” says owner, Jasper Young.

Young’s Bicycle Shop knows that time is extremely valuable on a beach day and aims to make your rental process as quick and efficient as possible. The knowledgeable staff will ensure you arrive at your beach of choice on the perfect bike or jeep.

Cooks Cafe, Cook’s Cycles and Affordable Rentals

If you’re looking to cross multiple things off all at once on your beach day checklist, Cooks Café, Cook’s Cycles and Affordable Rentals are a group of family owned and operated businesses that provide great food, beverages and transportation options. Cook’s Café offers healthy bowls, smoothies, wraps, gyros and shawarma as well as plenty of vegan options. Cook’s Cycles and Affordable Rentals can provide your family with jeeps, bikes, ebikes, scooters, mini convertibles and electric BMWs to help you access the beaches. When you rent a bike or car, the team has the ability to add beach chairs, umbrellas, coolers and bags of ice to your order.

Kidding Around

For a beach day that is all about the kids, Kidding Around is the perfect place to shop ahead of your family’s beach outing. Kidding Around has been providing beach toys, children’s swimwear, family games, rashguards and more since 1986. The locally family-owned toy store was founded on the idea that great toys can inspire creativity in children while also encouraging family fun. The shops owner, Erin Marshall, grew up on the island and is proud to serve the community year-round. Kidding Around has been voted the Best Children’s Clothing Store for a number of years by several local publications and has something for every family.

It’s a Shore Thing

Located in the heart of town, It’s a Shore Thing is a store that captures the essence of island life by offering a wide array of beach essentials and items, including towels, coolers, plastic cups, hats, blankets, and soothing skin lotions. Since 2007, Julia Morash and Claudia Morris have worked hand in hand to curate the store’s collection, carefully selecting ‘items from local and New England artisans.

Julia, supported by Claudia, who plays a vital role in shaping the business, were delighted to secure their Main St. location - strategically chosen to cater to both the needs of residents and island visitors. When you visit them before or after a day at the beach,

their wide variety of beautiful items will help remind you of your time spent on the island.

Marine Home Center

A crucial part of the perfect beach day are the beach chairs. Marine Home Center has a large selection of high-quality and long-lasting beach chairs that will add to the comfort of your beach read, or nap. In addition to chairs, you can shop their various state-of-the-art YETI coolers; YETI’s are coolers that have been nicknamed the “toughest cooler on two wheels.” These coolers will keep your beach snacks and beverages cool throughout the day.

Marine Home Center first opened in 1973 and will be celebrating their 80th anniversary this year. In the decades since opening, their five-acre campus has expanded with various departments offering organic soils and composts, hardware, paint, tools, home furnishings, appliances and environmentally conscious and neighbor friendly battery-operated tools for those not headed to the beach. Marine Home Center prides themselves on treating their clients and customers as partners.

Geronimo’s and Cold Noses

Beach days are not just for humans, they are for your furry friends too. Geronimo’s and Cold Noses is the ultimate destination for any pet family to visit before heading to the beach. They

carry everything from water collars and leashes, to long lasting snacks that will keep your pets occupied while you enjoy the beach. Geronimo’s and Cold Noses has served Nantucket for thirty-three years and “wants nothing more than to make sure your pet has the best of the best options,” says Martina Mladenova. The mastermind behind the shop’s unique pet-themed gems, her partner in crime is Maggie, the husky with boundless energy who will greet you with a smile from furry ear to ear. Geronimo’s and Cold Noses has a large selection of unique island-themed toys, pup life jackets, cooling vests and beds, travel water bowls, pup sunscreen and more.

Martina and Maggie are the perfect duo who share a love for making pets and their owners smile. And, at the end of your beach day you can bring your pup back for a self-serve dog wash and to indulge your pup with a frozen bone or dog-friendly ice cream. Mladenova jokes that with all of the sand that latches onto your pet’s fur, “the dog-wash is good for your dog’s health…and your sanity too!”

Nantucket Marine

Want to get off the beach and out on the water? Nantucket’s exclusive provider of Boston Whaler boats and Mercury outboard engines, Nantucket Marine strives to always have plenty of new Whalers available as well as used models for purchase.  They also

provide service and sales of Yamaha and Honda outboards as well as numerous marine parts and accessories.

They have recently added several new “high-speed toys” to their repertoire, and carry the Torqeedo Electric Outboard and the Iguana Boat, which allows you to drive up directly from the water to the sand.

When purchasing a boat from Nantucket Marine, you have industry certified mechanics that can help keep you and your boat on the water all summer long. In addition, at the end of the season you can bring your boat to Nantucket Marine to have it wrapped and stored until you’re ready for next year.

Mid Island Car Wash

A quintessential part of a beach trip that many people don’t think about, is your post-beach day car wash. Mid Island Auto

Wash takes the stress out of cleaning your car after a trip to the beach. “Summer on Nantucket means beach days,” says Volney Sinclair, the manager of Mid Island Auto Wash, “and beach days mean sandy cars!” Mid Island Auto Wash has all of the tools to take the sand off of your car by using not only vacuums but an underbody rinse which ensures sand and salt water won’t harm your car’s frame. They offer 4 signature washes as well as a variety of self-service features including high pressure soap and rinse, tire brush and a pro-shine protectant.

The car wash went through a full renovation in 2022 where they upgraded to formula finish washing products, smart soap technology and “soft cloth washing” which is more eco-friendly. In addition to using eco-friendly washing technology, their water reclamation procedures cut down on water waste, which results in a wash that uses less water than if you washed your car at home.

IN-TOWN ESTATE ON AN ACRE OF LAND

Built during the heyday of Nantucket’s prosperous whaling era, this iconic home is situated on over an acre of land in the heart of Town. The three story brick home has remarkable historic features including a panoramic mural and hand painted French wallpaper, as well as the conveniences of a tastefully modernized kitchen and baths. An 1850 carriage house and stable and a 1921 home are also part of the property. The stunning heirloom rose garden and a brick wall surround it all to create a secret estate on Pleasant Street.

$28,000,000 | Linda Bellevue & Mary D. Malavase

HISTORY IN THE HEART OF TOWN

Located in downtown Nantucket, this historic gem - circa 1812, features 10 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms and three floors with over 4,500 sf with all the expected charm of yesteryear. Among the many original details are raised panel wainscotting, four panel doors with vintage hardware, wide pine and fir flooring, multiple fireplaces, raised panel interior window shutters and multiple cast iron claw foot bathtubs. HDC approved plans are in hand for a roof walk which would lend expansive views of Nantucket Harbor and the Sound. This treasure of a property welcomed many guests and visitors to the island as The Easton House Inn. 17 North Water Street offers an opportunity to enjoy living in the heart of Nantucket Town.

$4,850,000 | Penny Dey

SWEEPING VIEWS SET FOR SUMMER

This one-of-a-kind property sits on 1.16 acres and abuts over 300 acres of conservation land. The property has panoramic views of Long Pond as well as Nantucket Sound. A deeded easement with private stairs to the beach gives access to gentle surf that is ideal for swimming, boating, paddle boarding and surf casting. Views of the moors change with the colors of the seasons; the open sky gives spectacular sunrises and sunsets. This 1970’s 4 bedroom 3 full and 2 half baths house has great potential. Listing agent is related to seller. Call for further details.

$6,995,000 | Linda Bellevue

Located on a quiet street just west town, this property offers three full floors of living space with multiple living areas, 4 bedrooms and 4.5 baths. Detached garage, nice yard and the property is offered fully furnished and ready for summer occupancy.

Ready for Summer 2024 occupancy, 3 Clara Drive is nestled in the heart of the highly desirable area of Miacomet. It is central to Miacomet Golf Club, Ladies Beach, Cisco Brewery, Bartletts Farm, 167 Raw, 45 Surfside, bicycle paths, and a WAVE bus stop - IYKYK!  The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home sits on an 18,730 sf oversized lot in CTEC zoning. Use as is or explore expansion possibilities.

$3,200,000 | Penny Dey

$2,495,000 | Meg Ruley

The bright and open five bedroom and five+ bathroom home sits on an oversized 1.2 acre lot. There is an attached two car garage and potential for expansion. The landscape features a swimming pool and spa, a gas fire pit, a spacious outdoor deck and screened in porch. Steps to the walking path to Surfside Beach, this property is nestled in the heart of Surfside and must see!

$7,695,000 | Meg Ruley

Over an acre of land offers privacy among beautiful mature trees and landscaping. Located in the Hummock Pond area, the property is adjacent to 30+ acres of Land Bank land. A charming main house, a secondary and a tertiary dwelling unit as well as two free-standing sheds complete the picture. This special property offers many possibilities for the next owner.

$3,450,000 | Penny Dey

Delight in spectacular sunsets, summer breezes and star filled night skies this summer surrounded by 2.7 expansive acres. Spread out and relax in the multiple living areas, 5 bedrooms, and a 2+ bedroom cottage. Tuck your car & bikes away in the two-car garage. Only three miles to town, easy access to north & south shore beaches, bike path and acres of abutting Land Bank trails make this property enjoyable any time of year.

$4,695,000 | Heidi Drew

Spacious home with five bedrooms and three full baths located on a quiet cul de sac in the sought after Hussey Farms area between Town and Cisco. This corner lot offers plenty of expansion potential and the ability to connect to Town sewer. Attached oversized garage provides lots of storage.

$2,250,000 | Penny Dey

Enchanting home in town surrounded by elm trees with a two-car garage and a free-standing tea house/exercise studio/workshop building. This rare deep lot of over 10,000 square feet, which is twice the size required under zoning, offers multiple possibilities.

$3,995,000 | Melinda Vallett

VACANT LAND

Newly created 10,000 plus square foot lot in a desirable location close to mid island shopping, Town and shuttle bus stop. Don’t miss the opportunity to create your yearround or summer vacation home.

$1,275,000 | Mary D. Malavase

5 ROSE BUD LANE

Centrally located, this Residential Commercial lot allows 50% ground coverage with town water and town sewer available. Great for a small business, shop, duplex or single family home.

$850,000 | Peter DuPont

WHO’S WHO IN REAL ESTATE

HEIDI DREW

BROKER/PRINCIPAL, ABR, RSPS, SRS

Heidi@NantucketRealEstate.com

M: 508-325-2121

O: 508-228-7707 x 212

LINDA BELLEVUE

BROKER, GRI, CBR

Linda@NantucketRealEstate.com

M: 508-325-2700

O: 508-228-7707 x 235

MARY D. MALAVASE

BROKER, GRI, ABR, RSPS, SRS, SFR

Mary@NantucketRealEstate.com

M: 508-221-2093

O: 508-228-7707 x 219

M: 917-806-8213

O: 508-365-2833

michael.passaro@elliman.com www.michaelpassaro.com @michael.passaro

David@jordanre.com

WHO’S WHO IN REAL ESTATE

Susan Chambers

Broker

susan@maurypeople.com

508.228.1881 ext. 100 cell: 508.560.0671 @susanchambersnantucket www.susanchambersnantucket.com

37 Main Street, Nantucket, MA 02554 maurypeople.com

Mark Norris

Sales Associate

mark@maurypeople.com

508.228.1881 ext 185 Cell: 508.566.2013

37 Main Street, Nantucket MA 02554 maurypeople.com

Sheila Carroll

Agent | Sales and Rentals

Sheila@maurypeople.com

508.228.1881 ext. 129 cell: 508.560.0488

37 Main Street, Nantucket, MA 02554 maurypeople.com

STORY AND PHOTO BY MARIANNE R. STANTON

Marshall Thompson

has spent most of his adult life in the hospitality business on Nantucket. From 1976-2002 he worked at The Club Car with Joe Pantorno, before managing his own restaurant, Even Keel, on Main Street from 2002-2012. Then he ran The Jetties, andn finally the food truck/shack at Surfside Beach.

For the last four years he’s used the people and management skills he learned in the hospitality business in a new business, as the operator of the Nantucket Harbor Launch. His office is a bench on the floating dock right on the water behind Straight Wharf Restaurant with a view of Brant Point, Coatue and all the boats coming through the harbor.

Q. How did you get into the harbor launch business?

A. “I lived on a boat in the mooring field for about 20 years during the summer, so I was a customer of this service. It was a 36-foot grand banks trawler, Restless Dragon, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, air conditioning and heat, a three-burner stove. It was really nice. I just sold it last year. It was a live-aboard and I lived there during the summer while I rented my house out.”

Q. Who ran the launch before you? How did you end up with this gig?

A. “Tim Feeney. He was an entrepreneur, and of course I knew him, because I was a customer. But as I was approaching the end of my long restaurant career, which was in 2019 with the Surfside food truck, I was looking for something else, and this came up. I always thought it would be fun to drive these boats around the harbor, and I have some history in the maritime industry.”

Q. What was your other maritime experience?

A. “I used to work on tow boats, pushing barges on the Mississippi River. I was in the National Maritime Union. I’ve cruised the Mississippi River from New Orleans up to St. Paul and up the Illinois River to Chicago, carrying bulk cargo.”

Q. How long did you do that work?

A. “I did that off and on for six years when I was in my 20s, during college at the University of Maryland. I had started working for Joe Pantorno and Michael Shannon (at The Club Car) in 1976. I started as a day-time waiter and bartender and then a nighttime bus boy. When Joe got the lease on The Ropewalk, I started managing The Club Car. I’d come here Memorial Day to Columbus Day and work in the restaurant, then ship out until Christmas, then do the spring semester at college. That’s how I paid for college.”

Q. What brought you to Nantucket in the first place?

A. “I went to a prep school called Woodbury Forest in Virginia and my best friend from prep school, his family came up here every year for the summer. One year I came up with them, and then, you know what happens. Forty-plus years later, here I am.”

Q. What is it you like about the business?

A. “It’s interesting. It’s engaging. It’s always different out there, with the weather, the people the tides.”

Q. How much traffic do you see over the course of the season?

A. “In peak season, between 500-600 people a day, a total of about 30,000 over the season.”

Q. What’s the season for the harbor launch and what services do you provide?

A. “The service operates from Memorial Day to mid-September. We have two 26-foot Crosby launches, which each hold 19 passengers plus the driver, 20 people in all. Then we have another boat, the water boat, that brings potable water to all the yachts. The boats are all Coast Guard certified and all the drivers are licensed by the Coast Guard.

Our core business is we pick up and drop off people from the visiting yachts. But we also service people on boats out in the anchorage. We have a seasonal swing like all businesses. From the time school gets out until it starts again, we operate from 7 a.m. to midnight, running two boats.

We’re the only public launch service. We deliver food to people on the boats. We work with a couple of restaurants to do that.

We also have something we call the Tag-Along, where for $8 you can just come on down and get a ride around the harbor while we are dropping off and picking people up. Anybody can ride the launch.”

Marianne Stanton is the former editor and publisher of The Inquirer and Mirror and Nantucket Today. She retired this summer after 42 years at the newspaper. She is also a member of the Nantucket Conservation Foundation’s board of trustees.

PHOTO BY TOM GRISWOLD