Nantucket Island

Monday began our first full day of sightseeing
starting with a ferry ride to the Island of Nantucket.

It was a beautiful day with temperatures in the 60's. 

Take a look at the view we had on "The Eagle" Ferry cruising on a 2 hour and 15 minute slow ride from Hyannis to Nantucket Sound docking at the Steamboat Wharf.
When I say slow ride, it took that long to travel 26 miles.  It was a great way to spend a leisurely, relaxed morning experiencing the island-style life.

Hyannis  Port before we boarded the ferry.

The original M/V Eagle was a steam driven side-wheeler and one of the first ferries
 to carry freight and passengers to and from the Islands.
The vessel that bears that illustrious name today has served
as the Hyannis - Nantucket route “workhorse” since 1987. 

(from https://www.steamshipauthority.com/about/vessels)

Fast Facts About The M/V Eagle

• Carries up to 800 passengers
• Accommodates up to 52 vehicles
• Designed by Boston naval architect, John Gilbert
• Built by McDermott Shipyard in Louisiana

Lyndie and I are set for a day on the Island (Nantucket, of course).

The Steamship Authority provides the only ferry service for Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket that carries both passengers and vehicles, including commercial freight trucks.

(map from maps.yahoo.com)

History & Organization

“Lifeline to the Islands” Since 1960

In 1960, the Massachusetts legislature created the Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority to provide for “adequate transportation of persons and necessaries of life for the Islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.” This legislation empowered the Steamship Authority to acquire, maintain and operate a boat line between the mainland ports of Woods Hole (Falmouth) and Hyannis (Barnstable) on the one hand, and the Islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, on the other.

The Steamship Authority’s statutory mission is to serve as the "Lifeline to the Islands" for everyone from year-round residents, who depend on the ferries for all commerce and transportation to and from the mainland, to a significant seasonal population, to the tourists who visit for a day, 

a week or longer.

History of The Steamship Authority

Spectacular views while sailing Nantucket Sound.

Arriving in Nantucket.

Originally it was a booming whaling port where great whaling ships set out

on their hazardous journeys to return years later.

 Some fun facts about Nantucket:

• It is an island, a county, and a town.
• The name, Nantucket, is adapted from similar Algonquian names for the island, perhaps meaning "faraway land or island".
• Nantucket's nickname, "The Little Grey Lady of the Sea", refers to the island as it appears from the ocean when it is fog-bound.
• Nantucket Facts: http://nantucket.net/links/facts.php

The ocean breeze, and the clean, salty air gave us an appetite.  

We explored the shops along the port and stumbled upon a restaurant to experience

the fresh Nantucket seafood.

We lunched at  The Brotherhood of Thieves.

Just look at the fabulous dishes.

The Special of the Day, Cod Sandwich

The Name 

The name of this bar & ordinary, The Brotherhood of Thieves, is taken from the title of an 1844 pamphlet written on Nantucket by Stephen S. Foster. The pamphlet vigorously attacked those who continued to support the institution of slavery, even as the tide of abolition rose. Diversity and strong opinion have always found a tolerant home on this island: during the Revolutionary War, Patriots, Tories, and Quaker pacifists co-existed here and pleaded, unsuccessfully, for neutrality.

A unique spirit developed on Nantucket, one based on uncompromising independence and strength of character.  It’s a potent distillation of the early American genius defined, as much as anyone, by Benjamin Franklin-Folger, Nantucket’s first genealogist, and Maria Mitchell, a groundbreaker for women in American science and astronomy. Today, on Nantucket, the ideas of rugged individualism, personal liberty, and the fostering of eccentricity still exist and continue to thrive.  The name of this restaurant, The Brotherhood of Thieves, honors these Nantucket traditions and ideals.

(taken from http://www.brotherhoodofthieves.com/about/history/)

Fish Burrito

I ordered the Lobster Cobb Salad,

consisting of Lobster salad, baby greens, hard-boiled egg, cucumber, 

grape tomato, avocado, and a vinaigrette.

The seafood is unforgettably delicious.

After lunch, we stopped at the Nantucket Vineyard.

Then, more sight seeing and browsing the shops.

Whaling Museum

Whaling Capital of the World

By the late 1820s, Nantucket was the busiest whaling port in the world. The entire island’s economy was tied to the whaling industry, and the wharves and bustling harbor were scenes of never-ending activity. Hundreds of people worked in ropewalks, candle factories, chandleries, boat building shops, sail lofts and warehouses. Others were employed in the food stores, grog shops, boarding houses, newspapers, banks and counting houses that supported the whaling business.

(from http://www.visit-historic-nantucket.com/history.html)

This is a peek inside the Whaling Museum.  

This is the 1849 Fresnel Lens used in Sankaty Head Lighthouse.

We spent the day shopping and browsing the boutiques 

and wandering down the beautiful streets of the island.

No day trip is complete without sampling the confectioneries.

We tried and purchased chocolate covered cranberries 

and Nantucket Salt Water Taffy here at Sweet Inspirations.

Delicious!

Taking a break from shopping and enjoying the beauty of the island.

Leaving Nantucket after visiting one of the most unique, historic, and stunning places anywhere.

A view of the Brant Point Light in Nantucket Harbor.

For those arriving to Nantucket by ferry, it is the iconic Brant Point Lighthouse that welcomes you. Built in 1746, it is the country’s second oldest lighthouse and one of three Nantucket lighthouses. Standing only 26 feet tall, it is one of the shortest lighthouses in the country. The current structure is actually the 10th lighthouse that has stood in its place. Previous lighthouses have rotted or been torn down by some of the island’s historic Nor’easters. The existing lighthouse has lasted over 110 years.

(from http://www.nantucket-bucket.com/brant-point-lighthouse/)

Leaving Nantucket and heading back to Hyannis.

Beautiful...Happy 3rd Anniversary!