THE ISLES OF Shoals

A Classic New England Day Tripper

BY DICK KERN

Straddling the border between Maine and New Hampshire a little more than six miles off the coast, this group of nine small islands has been home to fishermen, lobstermen and other hearty types for more than 400 years.

In the mid-1800s, resort hotels were built on the three largest islands: Star, Appledore and Smuttynose, which was named by fishermen who thought the clog of seaweed at one end made it look like the “smutty nose” of a huge sea animal. These vast Victorian-style retreats attracted vacationers looking for clean, salt air and rugged coastline views.

Only one, the Oceanic on Star Island on the New Hampshire side, is still standing, operating as a meeting and conference retreat for family and youth groups. In recent years, the hotel has also allowed what it calls “personal retreats” where guests not participating in a conference can stay on the island for up to a week.

Day-trippers can take the ferry from Rye or Portsmouth on the mainland for a summer “walkabout” on Star Island (along with Appledore, Star is the only publicity-accessible island). For visiting boaters, Gosport Harbor is deep and protected, and moorings are available. Dinghies can tie up at the town dock.

Nearby Gosport Grill serves lunch and dinner, and although the dining room at the Oceanic Hotel is for guests only, a small snack bar is open to the public. Additional dining options can be found in Kittery, ME, and Portsmouth, NH, on the mainland. Check out the local foodie scene at Cure, Massimo’s, Botanica Restaurant & Gin Bar and Bridge Street Bistro in Portsmouth, or Anneke Jans and The Black Birch in Kittery — all highly rated and well reviewed.

Other attractions on Star Island include Vaughn Cottage, which contains a small library and museum, and Gosport Chapel, built in the 1800s and still in use today. The Star Island website offers this picturesque description: “At the close of each day, [locals] 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.”