August 2025

Harborfront Estate

52 Monomoy Road

Commanding one of the most coveted harborfront locations on Nantucket, this extraordinary 1.25-acre estate offers truly unparalleled harborfront views and an unmatched coastal living experience. With sweeping, panoramic vistas stretching from Town across the harbor to Brant Point and Coatue, the property delivers a front-row seat to the island’s most iconic scenery. Enjoy sunsets over the water, sailboats gliding through the harbor, and fireworks lighting up the sky throughout the season. At the heart of the estate is a seven bedroom, six and a half bath main residence. It is slightly elevated allowing for breathtaking views from every floor. The main house is complemented by a spacious two-car garage with guest accommodations above. Additionally, a charming boat house sits on the water’s edge. Offering approximately 175 feet of direct waterfront and a gently sloping drive leading to a private sandy beach, this rare offering blends luxury, comfort, and natural beauty in a way few properties can. This estate could never be duplicated. There is a boathouse bordering the water that is a pre-existing, nonconforming use. It is essentially built right on the coastal bank, which today would require a 75-foot setback. The existing house is approximately 35 feet high, allowing for a full third floor—seven feet higher than what the HDC currently permits. These nonconformities have been grandfathered in and will never be permitted again. This is truly an incredibly rare opportunity and arguably the best location on Nantucket.

photo by Jane Beiles

O’Connell Construction, Builder

Introducing Nourish Nantucket

The fact that Hunger exists for 1 out of 5 year-round residents on Nantucket is hard to comprehend. The high cost of housing on Nantucket often impacts the ability to buy food and other necessities.

Nourish Nantucket was created to coordinate the various food agencies on the island into a single source

fundraising and coordination. Having 21% of island residents food insecure is a problem we can solve together with your support.

For further information on how to donate, please go to www.nourishnantucket.org or call us at 508-901-9201

Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra featuring The World’s #1 Tribute to BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN and the E Street Band, Bruce in the U.S.A.

Jennifer & Jimmy Reyes, Co-Chairs

Hosted by Tommy B.

Tickets on sale now: nantuckethospital.org/pops

INTERIORS

Make Your Next Move

150 Seaport Blvd. UGPH, Boston

$49,500,000 | 6 bed, 8 bath, 2 half bath Web# 73383587

George Sarkis: M 781.603.8702

Manuel Sarkis: M 781.801.0610

8 Conant Road, Weston

$8,999,999 | 5 bed, 5 bath, 4 half bath Web# 73370239

George Sarkis: M 781.603.8702

Megan Francese: M 413.347.2051

37 Radcliffe Road, Newton

$6,499,000 | 6 bed, 7 bath, 3 half bath Web# 73366219

George Sarkis: M 781.603.8702

Manuel Sarkis: M 781.801.0610

180 Ash Street, Weston

$38,000,000 | 6 bed, 12 bath Web# DE15885

Mark Doherty: M 617.267.3500

Maggie Gold Seelig: M 617.645.4999*

120 Cabot Street, Brookline

$8,599,000 | 6 bed, 6 bath, 3 half bath Web# 73355987

George Sarkis: M 781.603.8702

Megan Francese: M 413.347.2051

236 Grove Street, Wellesley

$5,925,000 | 6 bed, 7 bath, 2 half bath Web# 73383236

Catherine Bassick: M 617.800.7764

10 Maxey Pond Road, Nantucket

$15,995,000 | 6 bed, 6 bath, 3 half bath Web# 73355558

Nicole Tirapelli: M 312.296.8048 Michael Passaro: M 917.806.8213

370 Summer Street, Manchester

$8,200,000 | 5 bed, 4 bath, 1 half bath Web# 73360028

George Sarkis: M 781.603.8702

Megan Francese: M 413.347.2051

13 Parson Lane, Nantucket

$5,500,000 | 8 bed, 5 bath, 1 half bath Web# 73367264

Nicole Tirapelli: M 312.296.8048

Michael Passaro: M 917.806.8213

1350 N. Lake Way, Palm Beach, Florida

Pristine and rarely available Intracoastal front estate located in Palm Beach’s serene North End. Highlights include 7BR/9.3BA, 150+/- feet of Intracoastal frontage, deep-water dock with boat lift, and 17,000+ total square feet. This rare and luxurious home boasts breathtaking lake and sunset views from all principal rooms. Gorgeous Island Colonial with stunning stone and hardwood flooring, high ceilings, and great natural light. This home is perfect for both indoor and outdoor entertaining with multiple covered loggias and spacious terraces. | Exclusive Offering

YOUR NEXT HOME AWAITS AT SANDPIPER PLACE II

The Landing is the neighborhood retreat designed for residents, offering a resort style atmosphere creating community and connection. Located in the heart of the neighborhood, The Landing raises the mast with island influenced serenity and thoughtfully planned curated spaces for time with family, friends, and community enjoyment. The clubhouse is both a retreat and an extended backyard for gatherings, among residents. Designed and furnished bringing resort style amenities to a cozy neighborhood setting. 3

•Buddha Mama•Cadar•Castro Smith•CVC Stones•David Webb• •Fernando Jorge•Goshwara•Graziela•Hoorsenbuhs•IsabelleFa• •Katherine Jetter•Mason and Books•Melissa Kaye• •Meredith Young•Moritz Glik•Octavia Elizabeth•ONDYN• •Pippa Small•Robinson Pelham•Silvia Furmanovich• •Sorellina•Tacit•Victor Velyan•Walters Faith •Wyld Box•

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CONTRIBUTORS

Meet the talented group of writers and photographers who helped make this issue possible.

BY THE NUMBERS

A numerical snapshot of Nantucket this August.

N TOP TEN

All the places you need to be and see.

NECESSITIES

Put these items on your summer wish list.

NEAT STUFF

The Dobbert Companies celebrates 50 years.

NEAT STUFF

Classic Sofa brings elevated furniture to the island.

KID’N AROUND

How to keep your kiddos entertained this summer.

NBUZZ

All the news, tidbits and scuttlebutt that’s fit to print, courtesy of the Nantucket Current.

NEED TO READ

Tim Ehrenberg gives his summer reading list.

HIM SHIRT, SHORTS, AND WATCH: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

HER SCARF: SARA CAMPBELL

DRESS: MARISSA COLLECTIONS

BIKINI: SOUTHERN TIDE

JEWELRY: SUSAN LISTER LOCKE TOWELS AND THROW: ELEISH VAN BREEMS

House Party Style

NTERIORS

Housing Nantucket introduces Wiggles Way for year-round islanders.

NGREDIENTS

Fried oyster tacos at The Nautilus.

Four drinks for August.

Sommelier Frank Hersey’s tips for wine.

Fox News host Martha McCallum on Nantucket.

NDEPTH

Nantucket Cottage Hospital takes on housing.

Nantucket Rowing trains young rowers.

National bands return to The Muse.

Windswept Cranberry Bog gets a new life as a wetland. Two young island surfers compete internationally.

Photo by Brian Sager

NQUIRY

Former Continental Airlines Chairman Frank Lorenzo’s new memoir.

John Lowell takes the helm at Coast Guard Station Brant Point.

NVESTIGATE

Scientists drill for fresh water under the ocean.

Remembering legendary architect Graham Gund.

Lucile Hays, a lifetime Nantucket philanthropist.

The Maria Mitchell Association reopens its Vestal Street Observatory.

NDESIGN

Restoring a candle factory.

NVOGUE

House party

through the years.

A recap of the island’s hottest events.

NUPTIALS

Kaitlyn Hubbell and Michael Byrne tie the knot.

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Bruce A. Percelay

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Brian Bushard

ART DIRECTOR

Paulette Chevalier

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING & PARTNERSHIPS

Emme Duncan

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Kit Noble

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER

Brian Sager

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

Lola Piuggi

NANTUCKET CURRENT

Jason Graziadei, Editor in Chief

David Creed, Sports Editor

JohnCarl McGrady, News Reporter

CONTRIBUTORS

Darya Afshari Gault

Macy Belyea

Jurgita Budaite

Tim Ehrenberg

Petra Hoffmann

Abby Jones

Katherine Jones

Jen Laskey

Anne-Carter Riggs

Wendy Rouillard

Lexy Sabelhaus

Jonathan Soroff

John Stanielon

Elle Wentworth

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Charity Grace Mofsen

Tavia O’Keefe

Chris Tran

PUBLISHER N. LLC

CHAIRMAN: Bruce A. Percelay

Housing, Housing, Housing

If ever there were a topic where Nantucket has missed the boat, it’s housing. The lack of workforce units on the island and inability of most islanders to afford home ownership has been taking an increasingly heavy toll on Nantucket, and we should be rightfully concerned.

The first symptom of the housing shortage is a broad food insecurity problem that impacts 21% of year-round island residents. The high cost of putting a roof over one’s head eats so deeply into people’s budgets that having enough money left over for food has become a real issue for many. This problem is now climbing the economic ladder to include teachers, nurses and Coast Guard service personnel.

The second impact housing has had is the declining workforce, who are the backbone of the island’s economy. While statistics are hard to obtain, ask any landscaper, restauranteur, hotel owner or service provider on Nantucket and they will express their concern for their ability to find help. The end result is higher costs and a lower level of service, which directly impacts the quality of life on the island.

The third impact is that major organizations on the island are now forced to build their own housing in order to maintain their employee base. Nantucket Cottage Hospital recently announced a $50 million campaign to produce housing on its campus, which has been deemed absolutely essential to maintaining quality healthcare at the island’s most important institution. The Boys & Girls Club just completed its own housing

initiative and once again used valuable resources to solve an ancillary issue.

Putting the genie back in the bottle and creating a housing policy to solve the island’s shortage will not be easy. It is long overdue for the Land Bank to apply a portion of its property transfer fees to an affordable housing initiative and consider making surplus property available for workforce housing. The shortage of buildable land on the island has contributed to the price spiral of housing and we are now beginning to pay the price for a program that seems to have exceeded its mission.

BRUCE A. PERCELAY Publisher

While many of us long for the days when the island was smaller and more intimate, the infrastructure that has now been created will not go away nor the demand to service it. Without dramatic changes in the island’s housing policy relating to density and redirecting funds for more production, Nantucket’s housing dilemma will ultimately diminish the experience of living on this unique island.

Publisher

Anne-Carter RIGGS

Anne-Carter Riggs is a rising senior at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, studying comparative literature and social anthropology. She has been writing for student publications since high school and now writes for the sports section of her university paper, The Saint. Riggs, whose father grew up on Nantucket, has been coming to the island since she was a child and now calls it home.

Katherine JONES

Katherine Jones is a journalism student at the University of Texas at Austin, where she also studies business through the McCombs School of Business. She has written extensively for The Daily Texan, serving as a senior life & arts reporter and writing features on local artists, student performers and community voices. This summer, she joined N Magazine as an editorial intern. Jones has been visiting the Cape and Islands for the last 15 years and is grateful to call it her summer home.

Eleanor WENTWORTH

Eleanor Wentworth is a rising senior at Miami University in Ohio. Originally from Michigan, Wentworth majors in marketing and entrepreneurship within the Farmer School of Business. She discovered her love for writing through UP Magazine, Miami’s acclaimed student-run fashion and lifestyle publication. Wentworth has always felt drawn to Nantucket after hearing stories of her parents spending their college summers on the island—her mom working in retail and her dad at Young’s Bicycle Shop. This summer, she’s an editorial and marketing intern at N Magazine, a freelance graphic designer and a full-time content creator.

nantucket by the numbers

50

The number of years Lucile Hays has served on the Board of the Nantucket Boys & Girls Club—making her the longestserving member in the organization’s history.

1,600

How deep beneath the ocean floor scientists are drilling for signs of fresh water south of Nantucket.

148

The number of students who graduated from Nantucket High School this year.

22

The number of units at Housing Nantucket’s recently completed Wiggles Way workforce housing development on Fairgrounds Road.

1908

The year the Maria Mitchell Association’s Vestal Street Observatory was constructed. The observatory will reopen this summer. %

The share of islanders who believe the quality of life on Nantucket has worsened since they arrived on island, according to a recent

5 Months Days Feet

6,000

How many new dwelling units could be built on Nantucket by 2050, according to a new build-out analysis of the island.

1

The number of “stolen” Mercedes G Wagons from the downtown Stop & Shop parking lot—a case that’s been chalked up to a mistaken vehicle.

How long the town’s composter at the Madaket Road landfill has been shut down, leaving the town stockpiling solid waste.

2

The number of days per week islanders can water their lawns, according to irrigation rules imposed during a drought in July.

Events for August 10

8/1

THE GREAT CATSBY

Bartlett’s Farm

It would not be a true Nantucket summer without our furry companions. The Nantucket Island Safe Harbor for Animals’ summer fundraiser, The Great Catsby, takes over the Bartlett’s Farm tent from 6-10 p.m. on August 1—the dog days of summer—featuring adoptable puppies, dapper dogs, yummy cocktails and great tunes. nishanimals.org

8/1-14

THEATRE PEOPLE

NantucketPerformingArtsCenter

There’s a new show in town: After purchasing the former White Heron Theater, the Nantucket Performing Arts Center is off with a bang with a laugh-out-loud comedy, TheatrePeople, or TheAngelNextDoor

This rollicking play tells the story of a young novelist, two Broadway playwrights and a famous actress that all converge inside a mansion, where things aren’t what they seem. nantucketperformingarts.org

8/2

A NANTUCKET NIGHT: SUMMER OF SEAMS

Bartlett’s Farm

In honor of the Nantucket Historical Association’s latest exhibition, this year’s A Nantucket Night includes hundreds of objects from the organization’s costume and textiles collection, a true glimpse behind the “seams”

8/6

HOUSE AND GARDEN TOUR

Held in ‘Sconset this year, the Nantucket Garden Club’s annual House and Garden walking tour displays some of the most beautiful homes and gardens on Nantucket. This year’s tour, called “A Scenic ‘Sconset Stroll,” provides buses from town. nantucketgardenclub.org

8/7

NANTUCKET PRESERVATION FOUNDATION: ANNUAL AUGUST FĚTE

EleanorHamPonyField

Nantucket is home to hundreds of well-preserved historic homes, and the Nantucket Preservation Trust’s Annual August Fěte is the perfect time to learn a bit more about them. The annual fundraiser also features an auction for Nantucket art, experiences and more. nantucketpreservation.org

8/7

8/13-17 NANTUCKET RACE WEEK

Gathering sailors from all over the world for many years, Nantucket Race Week holds regattas in a variety of boats. From youth sailing to the local one-design boats, any sailor can find their place in the lineup of events. The multi-day event helps raise money for Nantucket Community Sailing, a local nonprofit. nantucketcommunitysailing.org

8/16

ARTISTS ASSOCIATION

OF

NANTUCKET: HALE JURIED EXHIBITION

AANBigGallery

A free event for art lovers, the Artists Association of Nantucket is back with a summer exhibition at its Big Gallery on Straight Wharf. This year, the exhibition has been chosen by Frank Verpoorten.

28TH ANNUAL BOSTON POPS ON NANTUCKET

Calling all Springsteen lovers, this year the Boston Pops opens with a show by Bruce in the USA, a cover band dedicated to The Boss himself, followed up by the ever-popular Boston Pops. Come with friends and family for a night of great music. All proceeds go to the Nantucket nantuckethospital.org

TIM RUSSERT SUMMER GROOVE

NantucketBoys&GirlsClub

In honor of late journalist and local philanthropist Tim Russert, the annual Tim Russert Summer Groove benefit for the Boys and Girls Club gathers community members for a night of music, auctions and guest speakers. Since 2002, Summer Groove has raised over $18 million in support of Nantucket youth. nantucketboysandgirlsclub. org

8/30

DREAMLAND CONVERSATIONS: CAL RIPKEN JR. WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN

This installment of the Dreamland Conversations series brings together two powerhouses in the world of professional sports: MLB Hall of Fame shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. and Baltimore Orioles owner and Carlyle Group Chairman David Rubenstein. This pair is sure to be a home run. nantucketdreamland.org

by Richard

Photography

Powers

SURF POLO

Made from super-soft 100% cotton that’s been garment-dyed for a broken-in look and feel, the Surf Polo holds its color wash after wash. Featuring a chest pocket, two-button placket, and a clamp logo label on the bottom hem, it’s the perfect shirt for casual days by the beach or weekend getaways.

VINEYARD VINES

@vineyardvines • vineyardvines.com

NANTUCKET BEACHES PURE PERFUME

Nantucket Beaches captures the true essence of the island’s shorelines with the airy, sun-kissed scent of Rosa Rugosa in full bloom. Like a soft ocean breeze and warm sand beneath your feet, it’s the ideal way to bring Nantucket’s beaches home in a bottle.

NANTUCKET PERFUME CO. @nantucketperfumes nantucketperfumes.com

TANZANITE BYZANTINE BRACELET

Inspired by a Byzantine votive crown made circa 650 and discovered when it was dug up in an orchard in Northern Spain between 1858-1961, this bracelet from jeweler Katherine Grover is made of tanzanite, diamonds and 22k gold. A unique and luxurious piece fit for any collector’s wrist.

KATHERINE GROVER FINE JEWELRY @katherinegroverfinejewelry katherinegroverfinejewelry.com

SUMMER WISH LIST

SLEEVELESS HOLLIE DRESS

The perfect combination of timeless and chic, this dress is made for those warm, carefree days spent sipping cocktails on vacation or strolling by the water. The effortless style, breathable comfort, and playful stripes make it a must-have for your sunny day wardrobe.

SARA CAMPBELL @saracampbellltd saracampbell.com

HOW TO SPOT A MERMAID BY JANE

YOLEN

Looking for a summer book for your young reader that will spark their imagination and curiosity? This delightful picture book is a funny and endearing field guide to the unique world of mermaids.

NANTUCKET BOOK PARTNERS

@nantucketbooks • nantucketbookpartners.com

LARGE LOOPY VASE IN COBALT BLUE

Carefully handcrafted from BPA-free resin and featuring loops reminiscent of a strip of exaggerated lace, this vase will make a playful statement in any home. Also available in green, fog, pink and yellow.

TINA FREY FOR ELEISH VAN BREEMS @eleishvanbreems evbantiques.com

BUILDING ON NANTUCKET A LEGACY

WRITTEN BY BRIAN BUSHARD PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

The Dobbert Companies Celebrates 50 Years

Take a walk downtown and there’s a good chance that most of the shops, restaurants and inns you pass are clients of The Dobbert Companies, the premier mechanical contractor on Nantucket.

For nearly 15 years, the company—led by husband and wife team Mike Dobbert and Kirby Lunger—has provided expert fire sprinkler, HVAC and plumbing services for custom residences, luxury estates and commercial properties on Nantucket. The company is wrapping up a celebration of 50 years in business, with offices on Nantucket, in Boston and the Berkshires.

What makes Dobbert stand out?

First, we are committed to Nantucket. We maintain a shop with replacement parts, fully-stocked vans, and several staff houses on island.

The Dobbert Companies has been in business for 50 years. How does a company like this persist?

It comes down to our corporate and family values. The first value is integrity—doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. If you don’t have this, you have nothing. The second is community. We truly value our longstanding relationships with the communities we serve, and the people who we work with. The third is learning and education. You can’t rest on your laurels. We pride ourselves on being on the “bleeding edge” of education in fire protection, HVAC and plumbing.

Second, we provide personal attention and discretion. Contractors often send the “A Team” to sell projects and “bait and switch” with less-experienced staff on the job. Even worse, they often win work and sub out to unqualified third parties for cheaper rates.

These issues are magnified here, because it is a difficult and expensive travel destination. Since we are familyowned and run, with a stable and growing presence on the island, what you see is what you get. We also understand the importance of privacy and discretion, especially for high-profile clients.

Third, we offer unparalleled industry expertise, with a 50-year operating history in the Northeast. Our CEO literally grew up working at this company. 100% of our field team maintains certifications and licensure in one or more of the mechanical contracting solutions categories, which is unheard of in our field.

What factors are particularly important when doing business on Nantucket?

We are in a unique position 30 miles out at sea. That means some factors that might be considered “no brainers” on the mainland

are much more complicated and costly on Nantucket, such as transportation and housing for employees and partners, shipping and receiving materials, and making sure to use stock that is readily available with replacement parts on island. The Nantucket community has done an amazing job of attempting to preserve the island’s historic buildings and to implement sustainable solutions, so we are very thoughtful about the types of materials, equipment, and spaces we recommend to our customers and partners.

How has the company become part of the Nantucket community?

Our team lives and works here. We own a shop and several staff houses, and many of our team members are lifelong Nantucketers. We feel strongly about giving back to the communities that have given us so much. Our charitable and philanthropic focus is the health and education of the communities we serve. We focus on areas that we can influence in our daily operations, such as sustainable building practices to improve the environment and increasing vocational education opportunities.

Looking forward, what are your goals for the company?

We would love to keep providing the same integrity, community and education in the mechanical contracting market for another 50 years and beyond.

The Hahn residence wine cellar, where The Dobbert Companies installed a highend HVAC system.

The kitchen and dining area at 76 Main, an inn worked on by The Dobbert Companies.

Lindsey Worster and Fred Hahn (left) at their home with Kirby Lunger and Mike Dobbert (right) of The Dobbert Companies, who installed sophisticated HVAC and plumbing systems at the property.

TAKE A SEAT

A chat with Classic Sofa owner Blake Anding

What is your connection to Nantucket, and why did you decide to bring the company to the island?

My aunt and uncle first came to Nantucket in 1977 and planted the seed that has grown for an unwavering love of this timeless island. The respect that they have for the island’s history and keeping things as they once were has made an impression on me and how I run our business. Sometimes, new isn’t always better and if it isn’t broken then why fix it? Nantucket, to me, represents a sleeping beauty that I always look forward to heading back to because I can count on certain things not changing, and in this busy world it’s nice to know that I can always rely on this island.

Bringing Classic Sofa to Nantucket came about when my aunt and uncle couldn’t get sofa cushions and a slipcover made in season. I got a phone call from them and had the cushions and slipcover made and delivered in a fortnight. I realized then how underserved the community was and how much we could help Nantucket residents. In full disclosure, I also relish the excuse to get out on the island more often.

Tell us about your approach to manufacturing. How long does the process take?

Unlike competitors that outsource work, we own and operate our own factory and have done so for close to 50 years. Our master carpenters and upholsterers pass down the trade using Old World methods of manufacturing to our apprentices so our level of quality and attention to detail is unmatched. Our Bronxbased factory produces all of our new custom designs and we have a local production facility on the island for reupholstery, as well as a reupholstery factory in our West Palm Beach location. Many of our employees have worked with the company for over 30 years, so there is a unique cohesion at Classic Sofa that allows for quality, custom manufacturing to happen with unmatched lead times of three-five weeks for new pieces and seven-10 days for reupholsteries.

How do you work with customers on a specific design?

Our design process opens the door to endless possibilities. Clients can base their project off of designs in our catalogue or they can send in a picture for inspiration that we can then reference. Our design team can combine a number of attributes in different styles to create something completely unique. Customers can feel free to bring a wood base from one design and an arm or back style from another, and we’ll combine them into a one-of-a-kind creation. From handmade legs to brass plinth bases, unique tuft patterns, dressmaker skirts, contrast trim, bullion fringe and perfect fitting slipcovers—our team is capable of creating any design.

Is there any inherent risk in buying custom furniture?

Not when working with Classic Sofa. Our design process eliminates any issues during the production process. When customers work with our design team, we take the time to review their design goals from the aesthetics of the design, to the overall dimensions of the piece and finally to the preferred seat depth, height and density level that fits each client best. After the production details of the style and dimensions have been solidified, our in-house drafting team will put together a CAD rendering for customers’ approval. Lastly, with complex designs,

we offer the option to upholster the piece in muslin and invite clients to the factory to sit on pieces before fabric is cut to ensure everything is to their liking. Most importantly, at Classic Sofa we are always on your side and we never stop working on a project until our clients are completely satisfied with the end product.

For someone who just bought their dream home on Nantucket, or someone redesigning their island home, what can Classic Sofa offer that other companies might not be able to?

The quality that comes from our factory is something that competitors simply can not replicate. We have the best craftspeople in the industry who love what they do and work seamlessly together as a cohesive team. With hundreds of years of combined experience, our manufacturing team works in tandem with our design team to ensure that everything a client wants to create can be done exactly to plan, and many times the manufacturing team will advise clients on a different way to design a project that will provide a better finished outcome. Most importantly, the Classic Sofa team represents love of design; we love who we work with, and we love what we create.

What are your goals for the company on Nantucket?

We are proud to be exhibited at Nip & Tuck It at 8 Amelia Drive with Rebecca Tolliver at the helm. Her knowledge of the upholstery industry and passion for interior design equals my own, and her innate ability to work with clients to efficiently and effectively communicate exactly what they would like to have ensures a seamless production process. Her experience and expertise in the top fabric lines also gives Nantucket clients everything we offer in the D&D Building in New York City. My goal is to become an integral part of the Nantucket community where the Classic Sofa name becomes synonymous with quality.

MAKE & CREATE AT BARNABY’S TOY AND ART

Barnaby’s Toy and Art Studio is celebrating its fifth season with more than 100 imaginative, hands-on art classes for children of all ages. Every class is led by professional artists and educators in a warm, welcoming space in the heart of downtown Nantucket at 12 Oak Street. Children can also attend Drop-in & Create sessions daily from 1-3 p.m. (no appointment needed). In addition to its in-studio offerings, Barnaby’s features a thoughtfully curated collection of art kits and toys to-go— perfect for creative fun at home or on the beach.

This season, Barnaby’s is proud to introduce Barnaby’s Cares, a charitable foundation delivering free art kits to children in hospitals, shelters and medically supported summer camps. Each art kit is designed to bring joy, comfort, and creativity to children facing lifealtering diagnoses. Visit barnabys. giving to support Barnaby’s Cares. barnabysnantucket.com, @barnabystoyandart

BACK TO SCHOOL FAVORITES AT PEACHTREE KIDS

Peachtree Kids is one of Nantucket’s favorite children’s shops. Located at the foot of historic cobblestoned Main Street, Peachtree carries timeless classics and the latest fashions for infants and children through size 14, including clothing, swimwear, shoes, accessories, toys and the iconic “Nantucket” Rollneck Sweater. Peachtree Kids supports small, women-owned and sustainable brands such as Sammy + Nat, Nanducket, Petit Peony, Joy Street Kids, Maddie & Connor, Brown Bowen, Lake Label, Duffield Lane, Timo & Violet, Bits & Bows, Henry Duvall and Little Paper Kids, as well as Nantucket brands like Piping Prints, Nikki Rene, Tiny Tuckets, Barnaby Bear and Liliput Vintage. Peachtree Kids also carries Native Shoes in three “Nantucket” designs,

available in toddler and youth sizes. It’s the perfect stop on your way to Lizza Obremski’s puppet show at the Atheneum this summer for all Nanpuppet merchandise and more. Open daily from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. at 19 Main Street. peachtreekidsnantucket. com, @peachtreekidsnantucket

HOP ABOARD WITH THE EGAN MARITIME INSTITUTE

The Egan Maritime Institute’s Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum is offering a fun-filled summer of exciting programs for families and all ages. Be sure not to miss their family-friendly drop-in activities every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday through August. Also, join Collections Manager, Tony Dumitru, for a weekly artifact “showand-tell” every Tuesday at 2 p.m. Demonstrations on breeches buoys and heavy sticks also take place on the lawn every Wednesday and Friday from 2-3:30 p.m. The Nantucket Shipwreck & Life Saving Museum on Polpis Road is dedicated to honoring Nantucket’s history of shipwrecks, lifesaving and rescuers. eganmartime. org, @eganmaritime

nha.org, @ackhistory

EXPLORE THIS SUMMER WITH THE MARIA MITCHELL ASSOCIATION

One of the island’s must-do family activities is visiting the Maria Mitchell Association’s Aquarium for some hands-on exploration and fun this summer. Now located at 32 Washington Street, children of all ages can learn about marine ecosystems, see live animal ambassadors (including Clementine, the rare orange lobster), and enjoy discovering more about Nantucket’s biodiversity. The aquarium also hosts many popular programs, from its daily Feeding Frenzy to its Marine Ecology Field Trips and Marine Story Hours throughout the week. Be sure to visit the Aquarium Gift Shop for educational toys, books, scientific and nautical gear, signature apparel, and much more. The MMA’s Loines Observatory, Hinchman House Natural Science Museum, and Historic Mitchell House are also open to the public all summer. mariamitchell.org, @maria_ mitchell_association

Local Roots. Global Connections. Nantucket Living Starts Here.

“Whether you’re buying your first island escape or selling a treasured home, let us make your next move unforgettable.”

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The Nantucket School Committee unanimously approved a “bell-tobell” student cell phone ban for Nantucket High School and Cyrus Peirce Middle School, requiring students to place their phones and other personal electronics in secure, magnetically locked bags at the start of each school day. Under the ban, students can only retrieve their phones after the final bell.

“STOLEN”

MERCEDES G WAGON MISUNDERSTANDING

The curious case of a stolen Mercedes G Wagon from the downtown Nantucket Stop & Shop parking lot in late June left islanders captivated for nearly 48 hours, with news of the theft reaching Boston news outlets. How the vehicle was taken, and its ultimate return to its owner just days later ended up being one of those “only on Nantucket” stories that was more comical than sinister.

The owners of the 1991 Mercedes G Wagon reported it stolen from the downtown Stop & Shop just after 5 p.m. on a Sunday in June. The owners told police that they had not left the keys inside the vehicle, and that no one else was authorized to use it. The family asked the Nantucket Current to share a photo of the vehicle, and the fact that it had been reported stolen. The post set off a deluge of messages along the lines of: “Who steals a car on Nantucket? Where are they going to go?” That is until island resident Alex Miccio told the Current he had driven his own 1985 Mercedes G-Wagon to the downtown lot to board a ferry, handing his keys to an elderly family friend who was arriving and getting off the boat for a visit. Miccio told the Current that the family friend mistook the 1991 G Wagon for the 1985 one, and that the keys somehow worked in the wrong car.

MAN BITTEN BY SHARK BAN CELL ON BEACH RETURNED AFTER PHONES NANTUCKET

The new restriction, which is set to take effect for the 2025-2026 school year, brings Nantucket in line with several schools across the state, including Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, that have passed similar bans as evidence mounts that teen cell phone use dramatically exacerbates mental health issues and slashes students’ attention spans. Exceptions are allowed for students with medical conditions or disabilities that require personal electronics. Students can also access their phones with approval from the school to call a parent or guardian.

A man was bitten by a shark after catching and releasing it on the beach near Hoicks Hollow over the July 4 weekend. He was later transported by a Boston MedFlight helicopter to a mainland hospital to be treated for his injuries. The Current, and suffered nonlife-threatening injuries. Massachusetts shark biologist John Chisholm, of the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, identified the shark that bit the man as a sandbar shark, a common species in the waters around Nantucket. First responders were not called to the scene, as the man was driven to the hospital by a friend. The entire incident was witnessed by numerous beachgoers and people at the nearby Sankaty Head Beach Club. Shark fishing has grown in popularity on Nantucket in recent years, and ‘Sconset is among the areas where some anglers target sandbar sharks from the beach with regularity during the summer months.

TOWN TO APPEAL

The town announced in June it will appeal the Massachusetts Land Court’s decision in the closely-watched short-term rental lawsuit brought by Silver Street resident Cathy Ward against her neighbors, Peter and Linda Grape. Judge Michael Vhay’s decision vacated the Zoning Board of Appeal’s 2024 decision that the Grapes’ short-term rentals were permissible under Nantucket’s zoning bylaw and remanded the case for further consideration. Vhay also declared “the current Nantucket Zoning Bylaw does not allow rentals shorter than 31 days of ‘primary dwellings’ in the Nantucket Residential Old Historic district, except for ‘the rental of rooms within an owner-occupied dwelling unit.’”

The new ruling means short-term rentals under 31 days in the residential old historic zoning district are prohibited unless the owner lives in the home and only rents rooms, rather than the whole house. The Town expects its appeal of Vhay’s decision to act as an automatic hold on the ruling, allowing short-term rentals to continue without incident this summer.

NANTUCKET COTTAGE HOSPITAL ELECTS BRUCE PERCELAY

SHORT-TERM RENTAL RULING AS NEW BOARD CHAIRMAN

Bruce A. Percelay, a longtime supporter of Nantucket Cottage Hospital, was recently elected by the Board of Trustees of Nantucket Cottage Hospital as its new chairman of the board. Percelay and his wife Elisabeth were deeply involved in the campaign to build the new Nantucket Cottage Hospital, and Percelay will help spearhead a new $50 million campaign to raise funds for a new employee housing complex on Vesper Lane. The campaign is expected to be completed by 2027, at which point construction will begin on the project.

According to Nantucket Cottage Hospital President Amy Lee, “We have benefited tremendously from Bruce’s leadership in the past and are excited that he will now help steer us through both a new campaign and other issues facing the hospital.” Percelay and his wife Elisabeth have two children who were born on Nantucket and have demonstrated their commitment to the hospital by leading the $120 million, threeyear campaign, which was the largest private fundraising effort for a community hospital in America.

BLOWN AWAY: GE VERNOVA SETTLES WITH TOWN OVER

TURBINE FAILURE

GE Vernova, the manufacturer of Vineyard Wind’s offshore turbine blades, reached a $10.5 million settlement with town officials in July to compensate both the town and local businesses for economic harm from a turbine failure at the offshore wind farm last year. Under the settlement, the town will establish a so-called Community Claims Fund to distribute compensation funds to businesses impacted by the blade failure, which left millions of pieces of foam and fiberglass across Nantucket’s beaches. According to town officials, the settlement represented a first-of-its-kind deal with a turbine manufacturer. Vineyard Wind, one of nearly a dozen companies with federal lease sites for offshore wind south of the island, is not a signatory on the settlement agreement. “The Town has found Vineyard Wind wanting in terms of its leadership, accountability, transparency and stewardship in the aftermath of the blade failure and determined that it would not accept Vineyard Wind as a signatory to the settlement,” the town stated. “Offshore wind may bring benefits, but it also carries risks—to ocean health, to historic landscapes, and to the economies of coastal communities like Nantucket, known worldwide as an environmental and cultural treasure,” Select Board member Brooke Mohr added.

CULPABILITY BY BRUCE HOLSINGER

In May, I had the honor of traveling to the Starbucks headquarters in Seattle to participate in a conversation for Oprah’s Book Club with author Bruce Holsinger and Oprah Winfrey herself. I have been an avid reader of Oprah’s Book Club selections since the first pick in 1996 so it was an incredible pleasure to be front row talking books with Oprah and discussing her latest pick from July, Culpability. I loved Holsinger’s 2019 novel, The Gifted School, and was thrilled to connect with him at this special event, as well. This new novel is a family drama with a twist. It focuses on our moral responsibility and the ethical consequences in the age of artificial intelligence. In this book, the CassidayShaw family’s autonomous minivan collides with an oncoming car, killing an elderly couple. Every member of the family is involved in the collision and harbors a secret about the tragic accident. One of the topics I got to specifically elaborate on in the conversation is the idea of “goodness,” that is, can humans train machines to be good in the same ways we train ourselves? Culpability is the perfect summer read and a perfect book club pick. It’s a propulsive exposé on one family with plenty of discussion topics on goodness, artificial intelligence and family dynamics—and it delivers an ending you won’t see coming. To watch my part in the conversation with Oprah and Bruce Holsinger, visit the Oprah’s Book Club YouTube channel.

WILD DARK SHORE BY CHARLOTTE MCCONAGHY

Wild Dark Shore was one of my favorite reads from earlier this year and I couldn’t resist including it here in case you missed it. McConaghy’s previous novels, Migrations and Once There Were Wolves, are also stellar reads and I guarantee you will devour them all once you pick up one. Dominic Salt and his children are caretakers and the only inhabitants of Shearwater, a tiny island near Antarctica and home to the world’s largest seed bank. Sea levels are rising; the isolation has become too much; and the family is planning to pack up the seeds for safer ground. Then, a woman washes up on shore and we discover there is much more going on than meets the eye. What sets this novel apart from other fiction is its emphasis and beautiful prose on nature. There is a chapter from the perspective of the youngest child on the island about the dandelion and it’s one of the more moving and informative chapters you will read this year. The writing in this novel is special and each sentence embeds you deeper and deeper into the plot and its characters for a reading experience you won’t soon forget.

A YEAR WITH THE SEALS BY ALIX MORRIS

It is a familiar sight on any Nantucket beach: a seal popping its head out of the water to say hello. It’s almost as if they are listening to your conversation and just might have something to contribute to it. I am fascinated by all animals and love a book that takes a deep dive into one specific animal with a journalistic approach. Sea creatures hold a special place in my bookish heart, and although I see them the most, I will admit to not knowing much about seals. A Year with the Seals brings them to life on the page for an entertaining investigation into their very existence, intelligence and relationships with each other, along with outside forces like climate change, sharks, fishermen and conservation efforts. It’s written with such warmth and with exhaustive research behind it, that you will never look at those seal heads from a Nantucket beach the same way again.

A MARRIAGE AT SEA

BY SOPHIE ELMHIRST

Even before we moved to Nantucket, I’ve been drawn to tales of the sea, particularly “lost at sea” stories. In the Heart of the Sea by Nantucket’s very own Nathaniel Philbrick turns 25 this year and is one of my favorites, but Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Cay, and Life of Pi are also high on my “best of the sea” books list. I’m also pulled towards books about relationships, especially marriage, one of the most fascinating bonds we can experience, with all the ebbs and flows that come with a long-term partnership. Any marriage has its challenges, but imagine one faced with being lost at sea. This is the very true story of Maurice and Maralyn, who quit their jobs in 1972, and set sail for an adventure on the high seas until a whale knocks into their boat and sinks it. What follows is a story of survival in a tiny rubber raft, and survival in every way one can experience it. Yes, they struggled to find water and food, they hoped for rescue, and prayed for the energy to persist, but they also fought to get along as their marriage was put to the greatest of tests. Patrick Radden Keefe, our pal from Nantucket Book Festival and one of my favorite investigative journalists writes, “Sophie Elmhirst distills the rollicking tale of this near-death adventure into something that is somehow more than the sum of its parts: a beautiful meditation on endurance, codependence, and the power of love.”

L.A. WOMEN

BY ELLA BERMAN

For fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones and the Six, make sure to pick up a copy of L.A. Women this month. Berman’s debut The Comeback was one of my favorite novels of 2020 and L.A. Women is every bit as fascinating and addictive. It’s the story of the complicated friendship between two female writers in 1960’s Los Angeles when one writes a book about the other. This reads like a well written juicy tabloid article, and it should be in everyone’s beach bag this month. Berman knows how to write a good story and how to build real-life characters whose relationships emote off the page as if you are watching their interactions with binoculars from across the street. Secondary characters are just as memorable as the whole cast, and the plot makes you feel like you just went back in time and spent the weekend with celebrities from the swinging ’60s.

TELL ME EVERYTHING BY ELIZABETH STROUT

Out in paperback this month is the latest Elizabeth Strout novel, Tell Me Everything The thing about an Elizabeth Strout novel is there is so much wisdom and emotional intelligence on every page that it doesn’t even matter what it’s about. This newest one brings some of Strout’s iconic characters together. You’ll find Olive Kitteridge and Lucy Barton meeting for the first time, but as the first line of the novel tells us, this is Bob Burgess’s story. These characters that appear over and over in her books are intensely real to me, ones that I think I will see walking down the street or at the post office later this afternoon. The tagline of every Strout book is that she makes the “ordinary feel extraordinary” and I agree whether it’s describing leaves on a tree turning colors for the next season, a local diner, or our neighbors’ homes. What this novel does so eloquently is spotlights friendship and that beautiful connection we have with our friends, family, and acquaintances and how those relationships keep us afloat. Elizabeth Strout hardly ever gives interviews, but Elin Hilderbrand and I were lucky to get her on our podcast Books, Beach, & Beyond this month. Look for our conversation dropping Wednesday, August 6 wherever you listen to podcasts.

Artwork

By Heather V McLeod

SAFE HAVEN

HOUSING NANTUCKET’S WIGGLES WAY DEVELOPMENT PROVIDES A STABLE HOME FOR THE ISLAND’S ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

Even with Nantucket’s 2025 median family income at $163,500, the island’s median home price of $3.73 million has put stable homeownership and long-term rentals out of reach for many who live and work on the island full time. Housing Nantucket, an island nonprofit real estate developer, recently completed Wiggles Way, a fully occupied 22-unit, mixed-income rental housing development on Fairgrounds Road. N Magazine

Wiggles Way is net-zero energy usage thanks to an on-site solar power pergola. 1 2 1

The 22-unit development is now fully occupied, with mixed-income rental housing for year-round islanders. 2

More than just a roof over one’s head, Housing Nantucket provides dignified accommodations for island residents. 3

Tax deductible donor support allows Housing Nantucket to expand the island’s parallel real estate market: a protected inventory of homes that remain accessible to year-round residents. These homes provide an anchor for the essential workers who keep this island running, ensuring Nantucket remains a vibrant, livable community all year long. housingnantucket.org, @housingnantucket

4

Each unit includes a modern kitchen and dining area.

5

Housing Nantucket preserves an open front yard, which it is transferring to the Land Bank for use a public park for residents, neighbors and the broader community.

6

Wiggles Way includes one- two- and three-bedroom units.

7

Each unit also features a private outdoor space, whether it’s a backyard patio or a porch.

WRITTEN BY ELLE WENTWORTH

Nautilus’ Mini Fried Oyster Tacos

When you’re on Nantucket, surrounded by raw bars, it takes guts to reimagine the oyster—but The Nautilus does just that with their crave-worthy oyster tacos. This bold, flavor-packed dish wasn’t born out of a brainstorm, but out of latenight fun behind the line.

Long before it hit the menu, chef/owner Liam Mackey and his team were playing around in the kitchen after hours, serving fried oyster tacos as surprise treats for friends dining at The Pearl. “We had amazing oysters on hand and just started messing around,” Mackey recalled. At the time, he had no intention of putting it on a menu—but the reaction was too strong to ignore. A perfect mash-up of texture and taste, the oyster taco embodies Mackey’s vision—taking what’s local and giving it a whole new life. “It just evolved out of what we had,” he said. Now, it’s one of The Nautilus’ most iconic dishes—and it’s here to stay.

Chef/owner Liam Mackey

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NAUTILUS

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups sushi rice

• ½ cup rice vinegar

• ¼ cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons salt

• Dash wasabi mayo

• 1 pound shucked oysters

• Up to 1 quart canola oil

• 2 Nori seaweed sheets

• Scallions (thinly sliced)

PICKLED VEGETABLES

• 2 carrots

• 2 daikon (raddish)

• 1 cup rice vinegar

• ½ cup sugar

• ½ cup water

• 2 tablespoons sea salt

• 1 inch ginger

• 1 jalapeño pepper

KOREAN BBQ SAUCE

• ¼ cup gochujang

• ¾ cups sugar

• ¼ cups soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 2 tablespoons cup sesame oil

• Up to ¾ cup ice cold soda water TEMPURA BATTER

• ½ cup cornstarch

• ½ cup all purpose flour

• 1 egg

MINI FRIED OYSTER TACOS

INSTRUCTIONS

3 4 5 6 7 1

8 9

Rinse sushi rice in cold water until the water runs clear (about 3–4 rinses).

Combine rinsed rice and 3 to 3½ cups of water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes.

Add sushi seasoning (rice vinegar, sugar and salt) to a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until sugar and salt dissolve completely. Remove from heat and cool completely before adding to rice.

While rice is cooling, slice carrots and daikon into matchstick-size pieces. Set aside.

Prepare pickling liquid for carrots and daikon: Mix rice vinegar, water, sugar and sea salt with a small knob of ginger (sliced) and a few slices of jalapeño pepper. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Pour pickle brine over carrots and daikon, allow to sit overnight in the refrigerator or until ready to use (keeps for up to a month).

Make Korean BBQ sauce. Combine gochujang (Korean chili soy bean paste similar to spicy miso), sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil, and whisk together in a bowl. Set aside.

Cut half of the Nori sheets in half, leaving eight sheets. Cut the remaining Nori into small strips.

Make the tempura batter: Combine cornstarch and all purpose flour. In a separate bowl, beat the egg before adding dry ingredients. Combine egg mixture with some of the soda water until loosely mixed with some clumps. Do not overmix.

Prepare oysters: Using a fryer or a heavy-bottomed pot, heat canola oil to 365°F. While oil is heating, shuck oysters into a container, discarding shells. Drop shucked oysters into tempura batter and gently coat. Transfer oysters to hot oil, and fry until crispy, turning once. Remove fried oysters to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Assemble tacos: Place mini Nori strips on a dry work surface. Put a dollop of seasoned sushi rice in the middle of a strip (about the size of a cherry), along with a few drops of the wasabi mayo. Place a single carrot and a single daikon next to the rice mound. Place an oyster on top of the wasabi mayo, drizzle with Korean BBQ sauce and a pinch of sliced scallions on top.

Wrap the whole thing in a Nori sheet like a taco using a toothpick to secure the bundle.

SUMMER SIPPERS LATE

WRITTEN BY JEN LASKEY

Five last-hurrah drinks before the season ends

Summer may be starting to feel like it’s already in the rearview mirror. But with one more glorious month to go and plenty of beach days on the horizon, Nantucket’s bartenders and purveyors have plenty of timely ideas for delicious beverages to pair with the sunniest month of the year.

From a cocktail made with locally distilled gin and fresh garden ingredients to two California wines—a Chardonnay that sips like Chablis and another that struts the line between a rosé and a chillable red—your August happy hours are sure to be covered.

NAPA VALLEY CHARDONNAY

Robert Foley Vineyards, 2023

($116/bottle, $29/glass)

Recommended by SUSAN HANDY co-owner, The Chanticleer

For the last 15 years, guests venturing out to The Chanticleer in Siasconset have been fortunate to find an impressive selection of wines by renowned Napa Valley producer Robert Foley on the restaurant’s extensive and thoughtfully curated wine list. Foley is best known for his commanding, elegant reds, but he’s also achieved acclaim for his Chablis-style Chardonnay—which Chanticleer co-owner Susan Handy believes is the ideal late-summer sipper. “It’s produced in California, but the style is wholly Burgundian,”

she said. “This is a wine you can sip from cocktail hour to the end of the evening.”

Handy describes Foley’s 2023 Napa Valley Chardonnay as a “true expression” of the Chardonnay grape, adding that it’s bright with balanced acidity and a long, lingering finish. “Enjoying the magic of ’Sconset while sipping this French-style Chardonnay transports me momentarily to our sister city of Beaune, France, and its surrounding vineyards.” Handy recommends pairing Foley’s 2023 Chardonnay with The Chanticleer’s wild nettle and white asparagus soup with Maine crab, watercress and lemon coulis. She also loves to “spill” this Chardonnay onto naked Nantucket oysters.

MONTE RIO CELLARS

Mission Somers, 2024 ($24/bottle)

Recommended by EDWIN CLAFLIN AND EILEEN HARKNESS co-owners, Mór Wines

After Current Vintage closed last year, Òran Mór Bistro chefowner Edwin “Ned” Claflin and Commonwealth Nantucket owner Eileen Harkness took up the torch and opened Mór Wine, the island’s newest boutique wine shop at 16 Federal Street. Together, they recommended Monte Rio’s Mission Somers as “the quintessential” late-summer picnic wine. The wine is made with 100 percent Mission grapes. Originally brought to California by Spanish missionaries, Mission grapevines were among the earliest planted there. The grapes in this wine were organically grown and handharvested in the Somers vineyard in Lodi. Monte Rio owner-winemaker Patrick Cappiello, a former sommelier and restaurateur, transitioned into winemaking in 2018

under the mentorship of Pax Mahle, an important California winemaker known for pioneering cool-climate Syrah. According to Claflin and Harkness, “this tart and juicy red wine is delicious and can be excellent with a light chill. The vibrant color could be considered a rosé, but we just think of it as delicious.” They suggest pairing Mission Somers with a sandwich, a sunset or a summer cookout.

CUTE AS A COOLCUMBER ($16 at Cisco Brewers)

Recommended

by RYAN LANAGAN bar manager, Triple Eight Distillery

Possibly the most festive venue on the island all summer long—day in and day out, come rain or shine—Cisco Brewers offers a place to relax, listen to live music, nibble on food truck fare and sip its beers, as well as wine, spirits and craft cocktails from Triple Eight Distillery, part of the Cisco family. “The truly unique thing that makes us really stand out as a cocktail program is that we craft-distill all of our spirits right here on the property,”

said bar manager Ryan Lanagan. “You consume the gin steps from where it’s made, and we grow the ingredients for the cocktails—there are not many other places in the world where you can do that.” Lanagan recommends Triple Eight’s Cute as a Coolcumber cocktail, which is made with the distillery’s Gale Force Gin and freshly juiced cucumbers, kale and lemons, and sweetened with a little simple syrup. “It pairs well with a raw bar or grilled fish and veggies,” he said. “It’s also refreshing and hydrating after a bike ride to the brewery.”

INSTRUCTIONS

• 2 ounces Triple Eight Distillery Gale Force Gin

• 2 ¾ ounces Green Juice* INGREDIENTS

• Fill a shaker with ice.

• Combine Gale Force Gin and Green Juice in the shaker.

• Shake and pour into a glass over ice.

• Garnish with a cucumber slice.

*FOR GREEN JUICE:

• Juice about ⅓ of a medium-sized cucumber to yield 1 ½ ounces cucumber juice.

• Juice about ¼ cup chopped kale to yield ¼ ounce kale juice.

• Juice a small lemon to yield ½ ounce lemon juice.

• Combine juices with ½ ounce simple syrup.

RAISING A GLASS

WRITTEN BY KATHERINE JONES

Épernay Sommelier

Frank Hersey’s tips for wine.

For over two decades, Frank Hersey has cultivated a reputation as one of Nantucket’s most trusted wine experts. A seasoned sommelier with a career that began in high-end restaurants in Florida, Hersey spent nearly two decades shaping the wine list at The Galley before joining Épernay Wine & Spirits. Today, he splits his expertise between Épernay and the Great Harbor Yacht Club, where he curates wine programs rooted in seasonal pairings, a curiosity for undiscovered wines, and close ties with clients. N Magazine caught up with Hersey ahead of the busy summer season to talk underrated bottles, approachable pairings and what keeps him rooted on Nantucket.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

How did you first get into wine and what sparked your interest in becoming a sommelier?

I got into wine in the early ’90s. I worked for a high-end restaurant in Florida, and you had to learn. You had to know everything about everything. We had Armagnac tastings. We had wine tastings. And I just found that I had a palate for wine. Wine that I liked, people seemed to enjoy.

What brought you to Nantucket?

I was working in Florida, and I met Howard Clark and Nelson Doubleday. Nelson used to own 21 Federal back in the day, and Howard Clark lived on Nantucket. They were telling me for years to come to Nantucket. Finally, I took their advice, and Howard called David [Silva] and Geoffrey Silva at The Galley, and I started working at The Galley.

For someone intimidated by wine lists, what’s your go-to advice when making a selection?

It’s funny because I’m doing retail for the first time ever. I was at The Galley for 19 years. When I was at The Galley, the less expensive wines—people were more intimidated to talk about with a sommelier. Whereas high-end wines—if you’re spending money on a really expensive bottle of wine, it should be good. We take a lot of time and effort to make the less expensive wines the best that they can be but people don’t ask questions. They should talk to the sommelier and not be intimidated. If you just say ‘I’m looking for a $60 or $30 bottle of wine,’ we would generally steer you towards what you’re looking for.

Is there a rule you think people should feel free to break, like red wine with meat or white with fish?

You know, I’ve been doing this for over 30 years, and most of the time—most Americans or most people in general—pick a bottle of wine out before they’ve even decided what they’re having for dinner. So I feel like most people, if they’re going to have fish and they love Cabernet, they’re going to drink Cabernet. It’s interesting because pairing doesn’t seem to be as much of a priority as to what they’re drinking that they like.

Any clue as to why? Do you think it just kind of comes in waves?

It’s wavy. I feel like it started with New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, and a lot of people got tired of that grapefruit, citrusy style and then evolved to drier, leaner French Sauvignon Blancs. I noticed that about three or four years ago and now you literally can’t keep them on the shelf. It will be interesting, because they had a disastrous season over there, so the production is absolutely minuscule.

Can you name an underrated or overlooked wine people should be paying more attention to?

Whites—Arneis. They’re the perfect summer porch wine for me that people don’t really have a grasp on. Red wines—Spanish like Riojas, Tempranillos Grenache—that seems to be an overlooked wine.

What’s a bottle that always surprises people, either by taste or value?

We’ve done tastings with Arneis twice now at Épernay and I feel like that’s one. It’s hard to say, because I’ve been doing this for so long and I have a lot of relationships with people, so we get a lot of wines that aren’t in the norm. We get a lot of surprises in general, because people haven’t heard the name before. But because I’ve been on the island for so long, and I have such a great clientele list, people just generally trust me and they’ll drink whatever I tell them.

If someone is just starting to build their wine knowledge, what’s one region or varietal you would recommend they start with?

I think you should try everything. That’s one of the things that I’ve always tried to have—this memory of my clients and what they’ve drunk. I never try to have them drink the same wine twice unless it was a special occasion. If you like white Burgundies, I would get them to drink different white Burgundies that they might not have ever had. So one week they might have a Puligny, the next week a Meursault, the next week a Chassagne I’ve always tried to get people out of a rut. Then they’re always excited when they try a new wine, because generally, 99 percent of the time they like my selections.

What’s your approach to building the wine program at the Yacht Club or Épernay? Are there any new additions you’re excited about?

My approach has always been the same. I try like two or three thousand wines a season. I try to find the best $60 Pinot Noir that I can. I try to do a wine list like that. There were wines that Great Harbor and Épernay have never been able to purchase. And now they can get those wines.

Outside of wine, what do you enjoy most about being on Nantucket?

Everything. I gave my car to my brother and I walk to work every day. It’s just an iconic place. I do private dinners at people’s houses, and my client list is amazing. Being able to make memories for people that are my friends and clients—and individuals that I’ve gotten to meet— there’s no other place like it in the world. I feel very blessed and lucky to have the clients and the friends that I have on this island.

&FAIR BALANCED

INTERVIEW BY BRUCE A. PERCELAY PHOTOGRAPHY OF BRIAN SAGER

Fox News Anchor Martha MacCallum

Martha MacCallum has been one of the most prominent voices on Fox News for two decades. MacCallum has interviewed world leaders and Supreme Court justices on her show, The Story, and has covered six presidential administrations. MacCallum views her approach to journalism as being fair and accurate reporting, even on a network with a reputation for conservative commentary. MacCallum is a frequent visitor to Nantucket during the summer from her home in Chatham, and took time to speak with N Magazine about her career, and both the state of the country and journalism today.

What has your experience been on Nantucket?

I’ve spent a ton of time on Nantucket over the last several decades. I grew up going to the Cape every summer, and my husband and I have owned a home in Chatham for a long time. We have family on Nantucket, so we go back and forth. You can’t help but love Nantucket. It’s one of my favorite places.

You’ve been on Fox News for over two decades. How have you seen the evolution of journalism in that time?

I worked at The Wall Street Journal and at NBC before I came to Fox, so I’ve seen a number of different journalistic organizations throughout my time. They’re all great brands, and they all embraced a very strong philosophy about news and storytelling, which is my home base. My show is called The Story, and the aim has always been to create journalism, good reporting on the ground, and to do a show that is very straightforward. We’ve all seen evolution in the news. I think that it has become more siloed, especially with the growth of social media. People tend to go to the place where they feel comfortable and they like what they’re hearing. One of the things that has been the most striking to me over these last years at Fox is that we have a very strong growth with viewers across the [political] spectrum. Our viewership is roughly split into thirds between people who call themselves Republicans, Democrats and independents. Every network has its strong opinions in the evening, and I think there’s a place for that, but I think that we all have our own perspective with our programs, and with mine, I diversify politics and foreign policy and national events.

The general thinking is that Fox leans to the right and CNN leans to the left, which is not a recipe for objective journalism on either side. Do you feel that the orientation of a network conflicts with true objective journalism?

I look at success as what draws people, and I think people are drawn to quality products. People are smart, and I know that they’re drawn to us for a reason. If people spend a few days actually watching Fox, they usually end up watching it for a long time. People understand what they’re getting when they go to different channels. We’re successful because we have a lot of street features and a lot of good news coverage.

Trust in journalism is at an all-time low, according to major polling organizations. What does that say to you, and how does that get turned around?

I look at that and I think about the deterioration of mainstream news organizations. I think it’s very sad having worked at NBC, as well. I remember Bush derangement syndrome, and now you hear about Trump derangement syndrome. I think that people at a lot of these outlets let their emotions get the better of them, and they get spun up on stories. I’m not surprised that there’s a lack of trust in news organizations.

You moderated several debates last year. Were you surprised by Biden’s inability to function then?

Absolutely. I thought it was sad. When you’re watching, you don’t know what’s going to happen. You don’t know how the candidates are going to perform. But a few minutes in, it was clear to all of us, I think that this was a pivotal turning point.

Should presidential debates be mandated?

I prefer the old format where you had the Commission on Presidential Debates, with three debates. The commission chose the moderator, and did a pretty good job of it. There was always criticism of that format, but I think it’s a principled way to go. They’re some of the

MacCallum on Fox News’ The Story, which she has hosted since 2017.

strongest nights for our organizations because those of us who moderate debates take them very seriously. Participating in the debates should be mandatory. Are they decisive? No. But they’re an important part of the process.

Trump has treated Fox News as a farm team for his administration. How hard is it to be seen as objective with a president whose role is so intertwined with the network?

He has seen a lot of good people in our network, and he’s invited them to be part of his White House team. I don’t think it’s that surprising. We’ve certainly seen it before with someone like George Stephanopoulos working in the Clinton campaign. There’s a history of people crossing over those lines at times. It doesn’t change the way I approach my job.

Trump has also demonstrated a sensitivity to media criticism. Does his reaction to challenging questions inhibit the process of grilling a president about issues?

He is actively answering questions all the time, which is refreshing. During the Biden administration, we never heard from him, and he too, very quickly, objected to questions he didn’t like. I look at Fox reporters like [Senior White House Correspondent] Jacqui Heinrich, who never shies away from asking [Trump] hard questions. I think the President respects those reporters. I think it’s also interesting [Trump] is doing interviews with networks that he has referred to as “fake news.” That makes it a very interesting administration to cover.

“Participating in the debates should be mandatory. Are they decisive? No. But they’re an important part of the process.”

– Martha MacCallum

Is Trump’s public persona the same as his private one?

It’s exactly the same. He treats everyone the same—a waiter or a reporter or the president or leader of another country. I think that’s because he’s very authentic and down to Earth. No matter what you think of him, whether you like him or not, I think that is one of the reasons that he won the election, because people know that he’s saying what’s on his mind.

our leadership could influence the future of the Middle East in a way that is more aligned with the interests of the United States?

I have covered six presidencies, and every president is hopeful about the process of peace in the Middle East. I think we might be closer to it now than we have ever been. The Abraham Accords were a very positive start for a lot of people on both sides of the aisle. We’ll see what happens with Iran following the attack on their nuclear facilities, and whether or not they’ll come to the table and agree to inspections and to dismantling their nuclear weapons program, because they are beyond the levels of anything that you would need for an energy program. This is a moment of hope for the Middle East, and many Americans are hopeful that there’s a possibility for peace.

Are there any public figures who have surprised you when you interviewed them?

I got the call during the very contentious hearings for [Supreme Court Justice] Brett Kavanaugh, to go to Washington and do an interview with him about the allegations against him. I had watched him being questioned in the Senate. It was something I don’t think he anticipated. It was a moment when you sit down and you just see a human being who’s going through a very stressful moment, and you want to give the viewers an opportunity to look into his answers to the questions. You see the humanity of a difficult moment they’re trying to persevere through.

MacCallum, who has a summer home in Chatham, spends time on Nantucket every summer.

The country is facing an incredible level of division. What are you most concerned about for the country? What are you most optimistic about?

“[Trump] treats everyone the same— a waiter or a reporter or the president or leader of another country.”

– Martha MacCallum

I’m concerned about artificial intelligence and the impact that it might have. I’m concerned about the education level of kids across the country. I don’t understand why learning from home during COVID didn’t trigger a huge governmental effort to correct that learning loss. I’m also optimistic about the future of this country. I see a lot of young people who are paying attention to what’s going on. The dynamic of kids having different opinions is a healthy and very American thing. And I think we are incredibly resilient. I’ve always been optimistic about America. I think it’s the greatest country in the world.

What’s something surprising about you?

I served a lot of clam chowder as a waitress on Cape Cod for a long time. I love to play tennis, though I don’t play as well as I would like to. I’m a New Jersey girl, but my mom’s side of the family was from New England, so we have roots on that side. My loyalties are a little torn between New England and New York.

MacCallum interviewing Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and his wife, Ashley Kavanaugh, following his contentious nomination to the bench.

D ionis Waterfront

Eel Point Road

Welcome to your dream beachfront home! This stunning property features an expansive open-concept living space that seamlessly integrates the kitchen, dining, and living areas, perfect for both entertaining and relaxing. Elegant French doors open to a generous patio with direct access to a private walkway leading to the beach, offering unparalleled views and immediate access to the oceanfront. The first floor boasts a luxurious primary suite with a spacious ensuite bathroom, a beautifully designed walk-in closet, and a built-in vanity. Additionally, a charming twin room with its own ensuite bathroom is located off the mud/laundry room, complete with a private exterior exit and an outdoor shower. An adjacent office with a half bathroom provides a versatile space for work or leisure. The second floor includes a serene queen bedroom with a private ensuite bathroom, a cozy living space with a balcony overlooking the beach and ocean, and another balcony at the front of the house with scenic views of the lush yard and conservation land across the street. A full bedroom and a charming twin room share a well-appointed hall bathroom. The partially finished basement offers ample storage space and potential for future expansion, while the finished gym room is ready for your workouts, ensuring you stay fit and healthy without leaving home. Experience the perfect blend of luxury and functionality in this exceptional coastal property, where every detail is designed for your comfort and enjoyment.

Jamie Howarth, Ben Champoux, Doug Cote, Brad Smith and Tyler Somes of Doug & Co.

FINDING ITS GROOVE

BRIAN BUSHARD

Doug & Co. brings the Grateful Dead to life.

t’s not every day that you’ll find a Grammy Award-winning producer and a The Daily Show performing side by side in a Grateful Dead cover band. And yet, on a Sunday afternoon on a backyard deck somewhere on Nantucket, that’s exactly what they’re doing.

In less than a year, the Grateful Dead cover band that Doug Cote formed out of his basement has become Nantucket’s goto house band. In that time, the band has found its groove, sifting through a 60-year discography like it’s a textbook to study. Sure, the Grateful Dead has a reputation for living the subdued, marijuana-induced jam band lifestyle, but each member of this cover band will quickly tell you they were the greatest American rock band of all time. The cover band even schedules rehearsals at the Nantucket Community Music Center just to work on

“I have a totally new appreciation for the depth of what the Grateful Dead is

doing,” said Cote, the frontman for the band, which calls itself Doug & Co. “I’m consistently blown away by the depth and integrity of the music. It’s really complex what each individual player is doing at any given time. With other bands I’ve played in, I can learn the song and perform it. But with this stuff, I’m constantly on my toes.”

Each member of Doug & Co. came to the Grateful Dead at different points in their lives. Lead guitarist Ben Champoux grew up listening to Jerry Garcia’s noodling guitar solos as a kid on Nantucket, heading offisland to Foxboro Stadium for his first show in 1986 before creating his own Dead cover band as a college student, called Uncle Ben’s Rubber Band. Bass player Brad Smith didn’t get into the band until later in life, only when he became overwhelmed by a fear of missing out when his friends caught a Dead show in his hometown of Chicago.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

Keyboard player Jamie Howarth—a 25-year veteran pianist at The Summer House who won a Grammy reproducing a 1949 Woody Guthrie live recording—didn’t always appreciate the Dead, even though he saw them multiple times as a college student in the ’70s. Though to be fair, Dead shows for college students in the ’70s were more a rite of passage than formal concerts. It was only years later when Howarth’s production company, Plangent Processes, started working directly with the Grateful Dead that he changed his tune on the band.

“Did I go about looking for a Grateful Dead act? No. But what the hell, why not?” Howarth said. “Any good opportunity to delve into the music with this much detail as the Grateful Dead has is a joy and a luxury. I put [late Grateful Dead lyricist] Robert Hunter up there with the great American writers, but because he’s a rock lyricist he’s underrated. To me, he’s right below Bob Dylan.”

For Cote, a former television writer, it was seeing the Grateful Dead at Washington, D.C.’s RFK Memorial Stadium in 1994 that did him in. It was just one year before Grateful

“The cool thing is the Dead have been around for so long that people come to appreciate their music at different points in their lives,” Doug Cote said.

Dead frontman Jerry Garcia’s death. Cote, a self-described punk-rock skater kid at heart, started thinking more and more about putting together a cover band. But life got in the way, and in 2015, he formed Buckle and Shake, the Nantucket country-twang band that’s become a regular fixture at Cisco Brewers and The Gaslight.

After nearly 10 years of performing Waylon Jennings, Alabama Shakes and Tyler Childers covers with Buckle and Shake, Cote decided it was time for something new. He reached out to Champoux, Smith and drummer Tyler Somes. After a year of rehearsing, he contacted Howarth.

“I started the band out of fear that if I didn’t do it, someone else would do it,” Cote said. “The universe the Grateful Dead created is so vast, and the fact that people come to it at different points in their lives is really a profound thing. Someone may get into it in their 60s because a song really speaks to them. There’s a frequency about the Dead. It’s almost something you can’t describe. It’s like magic.”

“The Grateful Dead is like an organism that keeps morphing”

– Doug Cote

Playing in a cover band often presents a fundamental question for the band members involved. Do you perfectly emulate the sound of the band you’re covering, or do you introduce your own spin on the music? For Doug & Co., it’s a bit of both. Champoux spent hours upon hours trying to capture the nuances of Jerry Garcia’s guitar style. Four of the band members sing choruses together, recreating some of the

iconic harmonies the Grateful Dead were known for. “I think you want to touch on it, but hopefully there’s a thread of authenticity with it, even though it’s a cover band,” Cote said.

“We play half court,” Howarth added. “We’re constantly working off each other. Ben will play one thing, then Doug will play a solo at me, and we bounce stuff all around. This is a really great bunch of guys and I’ve known some terrific musicians over the years. The opportunity to be on stage with these other dudes kicking it out—that’s great stuff. It is different from sitting alone at the piano. It certainly is more of a rock and roll thing than I had been able to access for years.”

“Did I go about looking for a Grateful Dead act? No. But what the hell, why not?”

– Jamie Howarth

As for the music they play, all five members of Doug & Co. agree that the Grateful Dead is one of the greatest—if not the greatest— American rock band of all time. There’s a perception that the Grateful Dead were always on drugs and goofing around, Smith said. And while there may be some truth to that, there’s no doubting the music they created is some of the most complicated music of its era. Their music has also stood the test of time.

“The Grateful Dead is like an organism that keeps morphing,” Cote said. “I feel like we’re still exploring it, and I hope the local community gets behind it and follows us as we explore it, because we’re learning.”

In less than a year, Doug & Co. has become one of Nantucket’s go-to house bands.

A PRESCRIPTION for HOUSING

WRITTEN BY BRIAN BUSHARD PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

Nantucket Cottage Hospital On-site Housing Campaign

No matter how good the bricks and mortar or how sophisticated the equipment it houses, a hospital cannot function without the staff within it. Nantucket Cottage Hospital, like many institutions on the island, has been suffering from the high cost of housing and lack of available units for its employees—a limiting factor in attracting necessary talent for all aspects of its operation.

This month, Nantucket Cottage Hospital is launching a major funding campaign to help solve that critical problem, which has already resulted in unexpected departures from its staff. Like many organizations on the island, the hospital has employee housing, something essential for its survival. But

with 250-plus full-time staff members and an additional 40 part-time summer employees, its current housing only scratches the surface.

“We are at an inflection point where we risk losing essential personnel because of the housing crisis on Nantucket,” Nantucket Cottage Hospital President Amy Lee said. “Creating more housing for our staff is not optional but is essential.” Nantucket Cottage Hospital Board Chairman Bruce A. Percelay added: “If we don’t act decisively to produce dedicated housing for the hospital, it will most certainly risk the quality of care that we provide for the island.”

The hospital plans to raise $50 million to build a 26-unit housing complex as well as a rehabilitation center on land formerly owned by the University of Massachusetts behind Holdgate’s Laundry on Vesper Lane. According to a design by Bostonbased Linea 5, the project will feature fully furnished onebedroom apartments, designed for short or medium-term stays for visiting specialists, traveling nurses, traveling technicians and doctors on rotation from Mass General Hospital in Boston.

The new housing development also frees up the hospital’s existing housing units, which to this point have been used for both long-term employees and seasonal and traveling staff members, including traveling techs, visiting specialists and rotating doctors. The idea is that those units can now be designated for long-term employees, while seasonal staff members can use the new on-site units.

for our caregivers is not a luxury but a lifeline,” Lee said. “Investing in our talented workforce through stable, affordable staff housing prevents the almost daily crisis we face at the hospital. Without it, we simply

businesses have by-and-large maintained staff because of employee housing. But even with those efforts, the need for more housing still far outpaces the number of units available on the island.

For renters competing on the open market, a one-bedroom apartment typically goes for over $3,000 per month—and sometimes well over that price—according to multiple real

“If we don’t act decisively to produce dedicated housing for the hospital, it will most certainly risk the quality of care that we provide for the island.”

– NCH

Board Chairman, Bruce A. Percelay

“On an island where the strength of our community is measured in housing insecurity, building homes

visitors deserve.”

Nantucket’s acute housing shortage is not for lack of trying. The town has appropriated over $84 million for affordable housing in recent years, largely for workforce rental units. Organizations like Housing Nantucket have provided rental and ownership opportunities for year-round islanders, while nonprofits and for-profit

has become increasingly out of reach for working families, with the median price of a Nantucket home skyrocketing from $1.58 million 10 years ago to a staggering $3.7 million last year.

At the hospital, the prognosis is as simple as creating staff housing or suffering losses to its staff. According to Percelay: “The investment in housing is an investment in preserving the quality of healthcare on Nantucket, and as costly as it is, our goal is to reduce our dependency on the market, and control our own destiny.”

Nantucket Cottage Hospital President Amy Lee

Bruce A. Percelay, Nantucket Cottage Hospital Board Chairman

Steadyas She Goes

WRITTEN BY BRIAN

BUSHARD

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT

NOBLE

Nantucket Rowing trains young islanders.

It’s 6 a.m. and the sun is just rising over Hummock Pond when Mike Springer arrives at the landing on the water like he does almost every morning. He unties a single scull from a rack placed inconspicuously by the water and hoists it over his shoulder, two oars in his hand. Rowing is often called the ultimate team sport, but today, it’s just Springer, and the pond is all his.

You might not know it by how casually he launches his boat on the pond, but Springer is one of two islanders training for the Head of the Charles Regatta in October—the pinnacle of rowing in the Northeast. The rest of his rag-tag group of Nantucket rowers is made up of competitive high school and collegiate students, former Ivy League rowers and a handful of summer and year-round residents who simply enjoy

spending a few hours of their morning out on the water.

“At its core, it’s very peaceful,” said Springer, the founder of Nantucket Rowing.

“It’s like meditation on water, and like any other sport, the more that you are involved with it, the easier it becomes. Though I will also say it can be the hardest sport you’ll ever try.”

After seven years of rowing on Nantucket, Springer is now hoping the group he formed can train the next generation of rowers, including students at Nantucket High School and college kids on the island for the summer. Not only is rowing good exercise—it’s also a gateway for students to land college scholarships.

And with college amateurism becoming a game of high-stakes endorsement deals, there’s a lot on the line.

Nantucket Rowing trains on Hummock Pond in the mornings, when the pond is nearly empty, save for some geese and swans.

Springer’s ultimate goal: Create a Nantucket High School rowing team. “Rowing opens doors,” he said. “It opens doors both for the number of schools that students can get into, and it opens doors to a lot of financial assistance. It can really offset the cost of college, especially for somebody that really loves the sport.”

On a Saturday in June, the Nantucket Rowing group is in full swing, all hands on deck. There are over two dozen members in the group, some of them representing the best rowing clubs in the country: Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Princeton, UCLA, the University of Massachusetts, Villanova and Yale.

In 1985, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Nantucket summer resident David Halberstam wrote a book on the art of rowing called The Amateurs, telling the story of four rowers trying out for the U.S. Olympic team. Those who competed, he wrote, “did so with a demonic passion.” The Boys in the Boat author Daniel James Brown went even further: “It’s not a question of whether you will hurt, or of how much you will hurt; it’s a question of what you will do, and how well you will do it, while pain

“It’s like meditation on water, and like any other sport, the more that you are involved with it, the easier it becomes.”

– Mike Springer

Mike Springer and Sarah Kate Snyder will be participating in the Head of the Charles Regatta this fall.

has her wanton way with you.”

There’s a drive that defines this group of island rowers, too. Some are out there every week, training religiously. Even those whose competitive days are behind them still feel that drive when they launch their boats in Hummock Pond. “If you’re competitive and you’re training, your body uses more oxygen to row than any other sport,” Springer said. “When people talk about 80% of your muscles being in use, it’s true.”

what we’re going for, but the sport runs all the way from one end to the other. For a lot of adults, it’s a great exercise because it’s low impact. It’s for anyone that wants to do strength training or cardio training without impact. If you’re not running, or if you’re not playing tennis, this is a great sport because

typically works out of double sculls and quads.

Some members of the group talk about the pain that comes with the sport. One member shows his callused hands from years of rowing. Battle scars. But pain isn’t always the point. Springer, who only got into the sport as an adult with his daughter 15 years ago, can attest.

“It can be the worst that your body feels in your entire life—nothing but lactic acid throughout your entire body, to the point that you would rather just have somebody run you over with a car than sit and feel like you do,” Springer said. “That is not

you get a really good workout, but it can also be easy on your body.”

There are other lessons in rowing, as well—communication, for one. Rowing a quad scull requires careful direction either from a coxswain or a coach on a chase boat. (Nantucket Rowing has a new boat this year donated by rower Don Fornes.) You can hear them from the shore: “Ready all, row,” “Weigh enough.” Rowing also teaches you how to work on a team. This crew

– Mike Springer “It can be the hardest sport you’ll ever try.”

“To me, rowing is a sport that builds a lot of confidence,” Springer said. “Kids today—when you think about electronics and social media—at least when they’re here, they’re just on the water and disconnected from their phones. It’s just them experiencing nature around them, and they’re doing something that is not easy to do. The confidence level that they build is really great. You can see it in these kids as they’re learning how to row, they get better and better and their confidence level goes up.”

Four rowers and a coxswain on a quad scull.

Gideon Holdgate Professional Scholarship Recipient 2019

I am a furniture maker and sculptor based on Nantucket and in New York City, specializing in bespoke traditional works. In high school, I fell in love with fine woodworking but did not initially see it as a feasible career path. The Nantucket Golf Club Foundation Professional Scholarship allowed me to realize my dream of pursuing a degree in furniture design without the burden of student debt. With the Foundation’s generosity, I have marketed and sold my designs across Boston, New York City, and Nantucket, all while building a network of driven, creative individuals who have also been recognized by the Foundation.

41 Nantucket Scholars since 2006

67 Professional Scholarship recipients since 2018

65 institutions of higher education attended

Grants to 97 Island organizations

892 grant requests – 777 grants funded

Largest grant of $1M

Through the generous support of the members of the Nantucket Golf Club and their guests, the Nantucket Golf Club Foundation has raised over $50 million in the last 23 years for the benefit of Nantucket youth.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

WRITTEN BY BRIAN BUSHARD

PHOTOGRAPHY OF KIT NOBLE

Music Returns to The Muse

The scene at The Muse was like something out of the movie Road House when Mike O’Reilly walked onto the scene in the early ’90s. It was a tough, burly dive bar with an underused stage. And then, like magic, the scene exploded. All of a sudden, some of the biggest bands in the country made a pit stop at The Muse as part of their

In its prime, the Muse hosted some of the biggest acts in the country, and this year, it’s bringing those acts

national tours—bands like Hootie & the Blowfish and the Dave Matthews Band.

But like all things, the days of big-name bands at The Muse came to an end. Those concerts became the stuff of legend. For years, the band photos that line the walls of the restaurant seemed to serve as a reminder of a past life. So it was a welcome surprise when The Muse started booking touring acts at the

back.

Singer Matt Quinn of folk band Mt. Joy performed at the Muse in June.

Photo by Brian Bushard

Photo by Brian Bushard

venue once again this summer.

“It was a go-to place, and the adrenaline of the people in the audiences and the bands that came with it was amazing,” said O’Reilly, owner of The Muse.

“People were very curious, asking what we were doing. And then people just started digging it. They dug it right away, which pushed me to keep going and going. And now that spirit is back.”

The Dave Matthews Band played their first gig at The Muse in 1993, before the band—perhaps the most influential of the ’90s—signed a major record deal with RCA Records. Their second performance one year later marked their final appearance on Nantucket, just months before their debut studio album Under the Table and Dreaming went platinum and launched the jazzrock-jam band into superstardom.

The Sugarhill Gang also performed at The Muse in the ’90s. During that stop, O’Reilly asked for their autograph. “They were these giant guys, and here I was,” said O’Reilly, who is a tall man himself at an imposing 6 feet, 4 inches. “When else would you have the opportunity to sit down for dinner with somebody that’s selling out stadiums?”

Other big acts O’Reilly brought to The Muse throughout the ’90s and early 2000s included George Clinton, Guster, Hootie & the Blowfish, Inner Circle, Sister Hazel, Toots and the Maytals, Train and The Wailers—the backing band for the late reggae legend Bob Marley. Some of the bands had already made it big. Some were

up-and-coming acts trying to make a name for themselves.

One of those new acts was John Mayer, then a rising singersongwriter. This was before he won his first of seven Grammy Awards in 2002. “After his first show, he came back the next day

“When else would you have the opportunity to sit down for dinner with somebody that’s selling out stadiums?”

– Mike O’Reilly

and sat on the stage by himself, just playing guitar and writing lyrics. We took him out to a keg party out in Polpis and nobody knew who he was,” O’Reilly said. “He was a wallflower, and now look at him, he’s out there in front of everybody.”

Stephen Marley on stage at The Muse in June.

It was a time when everybody knew everybody. College students working day jobs as lifeguards took part-time gigs cooking pizza in the kitchen behind the bar. The bartenders worked late nights and became friends with the regulars. “It was the kind of place people would come to and feel at home,” O’Reilly said. “For a lot of people, they could say, ‘This is my bar.’”

As time went by, things started to change. It’s not that The Muse

become a hotbed for new acts touring around the region.

Enter Hayden Arnot, the co-founder of Nantucket Crisps and Whale Jam. Arnot linked up with O’Reilly and started booking new acts: Stephen Marley—the son of Bob Marley—as well as the members of Sublime. Arnot and O’Reilly also brought in folk band Mt. Joy and soul band St. Paul & the Broken Bones, and The Muse is slated to host bands like Everclear and Wheatus this August.

karaoke-inspired air band shows ended, and DJs became the name of the game. The music lived on, but the epicenter had changed. Places like Rose & Crown, Cisco Brewers and The Chicken Box brought in bigger acts. More recently, The Gaslight has

Muse,” Arnot said. “They’re coming back, and they’re making The Muse the venue it used to be.”

After hundreds of concerts, O’Reilly has made a point to remember each act that passed through. He looks around the restaurant at the line of framed band

photos, which has long served as a history book. Now he’s adding to that book again. “Sometimes you forget how many people came through here,” he said. “You never want to forget a memory. That’s why the photos are so valuable.”

The Muse owner Mike O’Reilly

@centrepointenantucket 22 Centre St, Nantucket, MA 02554

A Bog Reimagined

Restoring a historic wetland.

WRITTEN BY BRIAN BUSHARD PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

Less than a decade ago, Windswept Cranberry Bog was a sea of red. The Polpis Road bog was one of two active cranberry bogs on Nantucket, part of a living legacy of over a century of cranberry cultivation on the island. But as the Nantucket Conservation Foundation’s Karen Beattie and Cormac Collier walk through the property today, what was once a 40-acre cranberry bog looks completely different.

As the profitability of cranberry cultivation plummeted, the Conservation Foundation, which owns the

property, was left with a tough decision. Keep growing cranberries—potentially at a loss—or do something else with the property. “Instead of leaving it alone and letting nature take its course, we made a conscious decision to do a wetland restoration project here,” said Beattie, vice president of science and stewardship for the Conservation Foundation. “Restorating the wetlands at Windswept is an opportunity to improve water quality in the entire watershed, and particularly the watershed going into Polpis Harbor.”

Construction on the wetland wrapped in April 2025 on 40 acres of former cranberry bogs, where a system of interconnected ponds and wetlands now replace what had been 14 bog cells.

The areas where there had been bogs are now a web of wetland marshes and grasses, connected by boardwalks and walking trails. Shorebirds, frogs and spotted turtles line a new system of ponds that had been bogs. The idea is to both improve the habitat and protect the harbor from harmful nutrients that had been entering the watershed through years of pesticide and herbicide use. “What we’ve created is a wetland that has deeper pockets in the center and shallower pockets around the edge,” Beattie said. “That creates a lot more habitat diversity for plants and animals.”

The property also serves as a gateway for people to walk through the moors, into a deep network of walking trails that stretch for miles. “There was a big intention on maintaining and improving public access and making sure people could get onto the property and access the other abutting properties,” Collier, the executive director of the Conservation Foundation, added.

Cranberries have been grown on Nantucket since the 1850s and were even a critical part of the island’s agricultural history that helped keep the island’s economy alive after the fall of whaling and before tourism exploded. Windswept was constructed in the late 1800s as a private operation. Cranberries from that bog were even brought on ships to stave off scurvy. They became so profitable they were called “red gold,” according to former Conservation Foundation ranger Allen Reinhard.

The Conservation Foundation acquired both the Windswept and Milestone cranberry bogs in 1979, and with it came the Larrabee family, which has run the bogs for nearly 50 years, from the late Tom Larrabee Sr. to his son, Tom Larrabee, and now to Tom Jr.’s son, Nick Larrabee. But in recent years, cranberry growing has not been as easy as pie. Facing

dwindling yields and a surge in production out of Canada and the Great Lakes region, the Conservation Foundation turned to organic growing in 2013, hoping to both lessen its load of pesticides and herbicides on the surrounding watershed, and as a way to boost its revenue by selling certified organic cranberries that could fetch a higher price at the grocery store.

Even with the organic label, the revenue from Nantucket cranberries was still a far cry from the red gold of the past. After years of consideration over what to do with the bog, the Foundation officially pulled Windswept out of production in 2019. “We felt it was more important to preserve the historical aspects of Milestone Bog given the fact it’s hard to grow cranberries anywhere these days,” Beattie said. “[Windswept] was an important place to visit. It’s the gateway to the Middle and Eastern moors. Preserving that access was an important component that preserves our mission as a conservation organization.”

Most people know cranberry growing from what they see during the several weeks out of a year when bogs are flooded to allow the ripe cranberries to float to the surface for easier harvesting. But getting to that point takes two years, not just one. The process of growing a cranberry takes a green thumb, as well as pounds and pounds of sand. Each year, a layer of sand is added over the bogs. When that happens for over a hundred years, the sand layer becomes compacted into two to three feet of sand, which in effect turns what had been a wetland into what’s known as an upland system—think scrub oaks and pitch pines with fewer cattails.

Not only does the restoration project preserve the wetland that had been there before the bogs were created, it also serves a key ecological function in purifying the watershed entering Polpis Harbor and even acts as a buffer to absorb rising waters. “Wetlands perform ecological services, so as water moves through the wetland, the plants have an opportunity to take up nutrients from the water

and use it as a fertilizer to fuel their growth,” Beattie said. “Water that exits the wetland will have fewer nutrients than water that enters the wetland.”

Phase one of the restoration project wrapped up this summer, following a three-year operation with help from the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration and engineers Fuss & O’Neill and SumCo Eco Contracting. Finishing the

“Restorating the wetlands at Windswept is an opportunity to improve water quality in the entire watershed.”

— Karen Beattie

project included a sitewide vegetation survey of over 400 species of plants on the property. Conservation Foundation staff also identified pickerel frogs, green frogs, spring peepers, spotted turtles, dragonflies, migratory shorebirds, sandpipers, killdeer, painted turtles and osprey on the former bog.

One aspect of the property the Conservation Foundation is keeping in mind now is that as a wetland, the property could start to change. While it will always be open to the public, it can start to serve new ecological functions as sea-level rise eventually brings saltwater onto the property. The point is the property will be what it wants to be. Regardless of how

Foundation’s objective remains the same:

column

Nantucket Conservation Foundation Executive Director Cormac Collier and Vice President of Science and Stewardship Karen Beattie.

Pre-Marketing by the Numbers

MAKING WAVES

BY

Nantucket surfers Wynter and Kydon Larrabee compete internationally.

WRITTEN

JONATHAN SOROFF

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TAVIA O’KEEFE

When the Larrabee brothers started surfing competitively on the West Coast, some of their opponents didn’t even know that Massachusetts was on the ocean. None of them are likely to forget it now. Fifth-generation Nantucketers, Kydon, 14, and Wynter, 16, have been collecting first-place titles in national competitions and stealing the thunder from surfers twice their age who come from surfing hot spots like Hawaii and Huntington Beach.

“I think Wynter and I are the first surfers from the Northeast in a really long time to try and take it to the next level,” said Kydon, who won three

national titles last year: one in his age division and two in all-ages divisions (meaning that he was up against older, more experienced athletes).

In surf-speak, both teens have graduated from being “grommets” to “rippers” in a very short time, putting Nantucket on the surfing map in the process. Although they were born in landlocked Arizona, Kydon and Wynter moved to Nantucket as toddlers and immediately took to the water. “They did sailing camp, aviation camp, football, soccer, but ultimately the only thing they wanted to be doing once they were absolutely hooked was surfing,” said their mother, Shawna Larrabee.

Courtesy of Nate Perry/Nate Surf Media

The first time Kydon got on a surfboard came just before his third birthday. “It just really stuck,” he said. “It’s addictive.” Wynter added that he learned to swim before he could walk. “We’re watermen,” he said. “We do a lot more than conventional longboarding and shortboarding. We foil surf. We’ve done some kitesurfing, paddleboarding and bodysurfing. We also scuba, free-dive and sail—pretty much anything you can do on the water.”

The brothers learned to surf at the Nantucket Island Surf School on Cisco Beach, where Kydon now works. Its founder, Gary “Kona” Kohner, saw the boys’ potential and told their parents, “These kids have really got something.” Kohner should know. A native Nantucketer who started surfing in 1984, he’s traveled the world, chasing waves in the winter and running the surf school in the summer. “When Kydon was small, Gary noticed that his stance on the surfboard was really compressed. He was squatting, which gave him more balance and control over the board,” Wynter said. “There were other kids my age surfing, but Kydon was definitely one of the youngest. When he was 4, he was surfing with kids twice his age and surfing better than a lot of them.”

Still, Kydon admits, “I struggled with a lot of fear until I was 8 or maybe 10. I was very afraid of big waves for a very long time. But I started to push past it, and now I’ve surfed places like Waimea Bay in Hawaii,

which has 20-foot waves. I feel comfortable now, but it took me a long time to get my bearings.” Wynter, on the other hand, was “kind of fearless. I would go out into the bigger surf and get pounded, but I just loved it. I want to surf Nazaré in Portugal and Half Moon Bay in California. I’ve been doing breath training and other stuff to get ready to surf the big waves in Hawaii this winter.”

The season for surfing competition runs from June to August, and for the past several years, the pair has spent a lot of time training in Florida, as well as in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Hawaii and the Dominican Republic. To allow them to pursue their passion, the boys are homeschooled, and their father, Richard Larrabee, points out that surfing is a natural classroom.

“They’re eager learners, and they’ve picked up language skills,” Richard said. “They love math and reading. But from their love of the ocean, they’ve learned a lot about physics, with waves and the tides. Timing, wavelength, fetch, pitch. They watch the weather all the time. Topography. There’s a lot that goes into surfing, education-wise, and sometimes they don’t even realize that they’re learning. But to understand what the ocean’s going to do, they have to know a lot.”

By mid-June, the Larrabee brothers had competed in the USA Longboard Surfing Championships, with Kydon placing 7th and Wynter 10th. The shortboard trials took place at the end of June. More importantly to Richard and Shawna, though, was the fact that Kydon was given an award for best sportsmanship by USA Surfing.

Ultimately, both Kydon and Wynter want to become astronauts and go to the International Space Station, so they’re also learning Russian. Kydon joked that his personal goal is to someday surf on Mars. But for the foreseeable future, they both hope to represent the U.S. in the 2032 Olympics, and to continue proving what a lot of people already know: Nantucket is an awesome place to catch a wave.

“I think Wynter and I are the first surfers from the Northeast in a really long time to try and take it to the next level.”

– Kydon Larrabee

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Is Living to a choice?

Inside Nantucket Summer Resident Craig Ventner’s Human Longevity Inc.

In 2001, Nantucket summer resident Craig Venter decoded the human genome and established himself as a pioneer in changing the course of medical research and diagnostics. Venter’s work was viewed as monumental and will have a profound impact on science and medicine for decades to come. Among other benefits, decoding the human genome allows scientists to identify genes linked to specific diseases and will usher in a new era in personal medicine.

Armed with new tools to understand the functioning

of the human body, Venter launched a new venture called Human Longevity Inc. (HLI), designed to provide individuals with early detection of diseases and genomic based risks that can shorten or diminish the quality of life. From heart attacks to pancreatic cancer to undetected brain aneurysms, HLI’s focus is on early detection through technology formerly unavailable to the public.

The company’s director of development, Anita Cosgrove, a longtime Nantucket summer resident, indicated that a wide

The Human Longevity Institute provides early detection of diseases and genomic based risks.

range of potentially lethal medical conditions can now be avoided by early detection and intervention. According to Cosgrove, “Today, most executive physicals do not offer integrated analysis of contrast quality whole body/brain MRI and whole genome sequencing.”

To test out the theory, N Magazine

One would expect that a program the likes of HLI would be dominated by older patients, however, according to Wei Wu He, chairman of HLI and a serial technology entrepreneur,

“The equipment and the process were reminiscent of a scene out of Star Trek with cutting-edge scanning devices.”

Publisher Bruce Percelay was invited to go through HLI’s halfday diagnostic program in San Francisco to experience firsthand how the program works. Percelay went through a series of sophisticated scans using MRIs and other diagnostic equipment to search for abnormalities or simply to evaluate a patient’s physical status relative to his or her age. The HLI program started at 7 a.m. and included testing for six hours with virtually no invasive procedures except for a comprehensive blood analysis that would not be available through a conventional physician’s testing protocol. After the half day of testing in a luxury spa-like environment, Percelay indicated, “The equipment and the process were reminiscent of a scene out of Star Trek with cuttingedge scanning devices in lieu of a physician’s personal analysis.”

physical condition.

The cost of a complete HLI diagnostic program is not for the faint of heart, as a half-day analysis costs $25,000, including a comprehensive follow-up report issued three weeks after the site visit. For an additional fee, HLI will assign

– Bruce A. Percelay

the primary users of the program are in their 40s and often have a technology background. These are individuals who understand the power of technology and want to maximize their lifespan, He said. They realize that generating data about the human body requires not just routine physicals, but the assistance of cutting-edge science to fully understand an individual’s

a concierge doctor to help guide the patient through necessary steps to mitigate problems that may have been discovered or to maintain peak health on a going forward basis.

As for Percelay, the results were not available at press time for this issue of N Magazine, but he is anxiously awaiting the outcome which will be delivered in a comprehensive report based on his genome sequencing, full-body imaging, advanced blood biomarkers and an in-depth cardiovascular assessment. The results will provide an in-depth risk assessment for four major disease areas: cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative conditions and metabolic disorders, as well as personalized recommendations to maximize longterm health and longevity.

Wei-Wu He’s goal is to democratize the advanced diagnostic testing business by reducing the cost of HLI’s program so that it is not limited to C-Suite executives and technology entrepreneurs. “If we can offer our technology on a broad scale, HLI could have a profound impact on health in the United States and beyond,” he said.

He is convinced that there is no need for a person to experience a sudden heart attack or be diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer or other lethal conditions if preemptive diagnostic programs are utilized. The human body is not designed to work in perpetuity, but the goal is to eliminate unnecessary life-shortening conditions that could otherwise be avoided and to use diagnostics to maintain quality of life and at the same time reduce the incredible burden of medical expenses on both individuals and the healthcare system.

“As audacious as it sounds, living to 100 is really a choice and our technology can play a critical role in how long someone chooses to live.”

– Wei-Wu He

So confident is Wei-Wu He in HLI’s ability to accurately detect early pancreatic cancer that the company will pay up to $1 million for someone who discovers the disease in a later stage despite having enrolled in their annual diagnostic program. According to He, the entire healthcare model in the U.S. is focused on sickness rather than wellness, and intervention rather than preemption. The goal of HLI, on the other hand, is to change that mindset and to increase human longevity.

“As audacious as it sounds, living to 100 is really a choice and our technology can play a critical role in how long someone chooses to live,” He said.

TURBULENT TIMES

Former Continental Airlines CEO Frank Lorenzo on the current state of air travel.

Barbara Walters once called him “the most hated man in America.” The former CEO and chairman of Texas International Airlines and Continental Airlines, Frank Lorenzo oversaw several of the largest companies in the industry as air travel was really taking off in the 1970s and ’80s. He was known for his hard stance on labor unions and for his high-stakes deals at a time when other airlines crashed and burned. Through all of that turbulence, Lorenzo always seemed to come out on top, and he did it with a smile.

Lorenzo recently published a memoir on his career and the companies he led. Flying for Peanuts tells the full story of his career and his lifelong passion for air travel, and gives insight into both the airline industry and what Vanity Fair once dubbed the “Double Life of Frank Lorenzo.” He’s a family man, not a villain, he said.

N Magazine caught up with Lorenzo at his home on Nantucket to talk about his memoir, as well as his thoughts on air travel today and the trials and tribulations of one particular deal he made in 1989— with Donald Trump.

INTERVIEW BY BRIAN BUSHARD

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

How did you end up on Nantucket?

We came here in 1978, doing some financing for Texas International. One of their bankers invited us for the weekend. By Saturday, we had fallen in love with the place. We had been in Texas in the summer, and Sharon [Lorenzo’s wife] wanted to be someplace cooler in the summer. We had to fly out to London that Sunday morning, but the next summer we rented for a week, and then we rented for a month, and then we bought this place in 1985 and had it built in 1987.

What have been the biggest changes you’ve observed in the industry?

One of the biggest changes is the management of airlines. Back when we first bought control of Texas International, the industry was like a club. Everybody participated in the club, and then we came along and we knew we couldn’t

mavericks. It’s that entrepreneurial management that is now standard in the industry. People back then started out because they wanted to walk up and down the aisle and feel like a big shot. We, on the other hand, were the first to do an unfriendly takeover. It had never been done. You have to be willing to take a risk and to experiment. Look at the money United Airlines is putting into some of the new aircraft types. This is great. United has even set up a venture capital operation. It’s a much more adventurous environment, and that doesn’t mean it’s any less safe by any means.

One of your biggest deals was the sale of the Eastern Shuttle to Donald Trump. When you look back at that deal, was it the right decision?

What was the airline industry like when you started your career?

In 1972, we were the smallest airline in the region. We were also in Texas, which had Southwest Airlines. When deregulation hit in October of 1978, the industry dramatically changed. New carriers could come in, and they came in by the dozens. Prices changed. You could do whatever price you wanted. We were the first to eliminate cigars and pipe smoking on airplanes. There was a day when an Eastern Airlines plane had the cabin filled with smoke.

just do what the club wanted; we had to do some different things. When I used to go to the Air Transport Association meetings in Washington, all the big airlines would stay at one end of the table, and I would go to the other end, because I wasn’t really part of the club. We were considered

We had started a little airline called New York Air to compete with the Eastern Shuttle in 1980, and that had been gradually eroding the market share of the Eastern Shuttle. We had New York Air giving away bagels and treating people well, back when the Eastern Shuttle was cheap and basic. You came on board the shuttle,

Lorenzo and Donald Trump. Courtesy of Skyhorse Publishing/ Flying for Peanuts.

Frank Lorenzo and his wife, Sharon, in 1973.

you had your credit card, and the flight attendant went up and down with a credit card reader. They didn’t serve anything. The seats were tight. Then we bought control of Eastern and we had to deal with the shuttle. The Eastern Shuttle was separable from Eastern, and there was a lot of cash in it—and Eastern desperately needed cash. That’s the reason for selling the shuttle, and the most obvious person was this guy in New York. Everything that said “New York,” he loved, so I approached him.

What was it like working with Trump?

We had a normal price negotiation, and then all of a sudden when we came to a deal, the pilot union went on strike. We kept some of the flights going because about a quarter of the pilots didn’t honor the picket line. The traffic on the shuttle dropped. Trump had every right to a force majeure. I called him up, said he was obviously able to back out of the deal, and he said, “Oh no, I love the deal.” We went skiing and I got a call from our general counsel saying, “Guess what, Trump’s announced he wants a lower price on the shuttle deal.” I was really pissed off. We went skiing that day and I flew to New York that night. His office called to renegotiate. I came to Trump and said we had heard he wanted to put in chrome interiors in his airplanes, and chrome interiors take a long lead time to get done. I told him we would add several airplanes to the deal, which were worth very little to us. Trump heard that and said it was great, so we put out a press release saying the deal was done.

How do you feel about the airline industry today?

Where we are today is not perfect. From a safety point of view, we have done a great job. But we have not kept up with the modernization of our FAA system. The new administration, after these terrible airline accidents particularly at the Ronald Reagan National Airport, knows there needs to be more regulation, particularly around that airport. The National Airport has no right to be having helicopters in a crowded airspace. That was an accident waiting to happen.

Airplane crashes seem to be in the news a lot recently, particularly the fatal crash in India this summer. What do you think can be done to improve airline safety?

The information is just coming about the incident in India. It’s really too early to know whether there was a maintenance issue, but that plane—the

Dreamliner—had been operating for 11 years, so it’s certainly not a problem with the plane. Boeing is doing a very good job following up on airplanes. As we go forward, we talk a lot about having small electric airplanes. Well, who is going to regulate these? How are they going to be tracked down when they’re buzzing around the sky? Any one of them could bring down an airplane. There’s a lot of work that can be done.

You’re known for the hub-andspoke model with airlines. We’ve seen recently that some airlines without central hubs can suffer meltdowns. Has the industry learned its lesson?

You have to look at all the revenue it was bringing in with connecting flights. Southwest Airlines had a different concept entirely from the beginning. They had smaller airplanes, and they came up with the idea of going from important cities to other important cities and basically offering one-stop service. They were very successful with it. They had a great plan for many years. But then, the model shifted and they hadn’t updated their systems. It was only a matter of time until they had a meltdown.

Throughout your career, you have been labeled as a “tough guy.” Do you think that criticism is fair?

No. We were just responding to airline deregulation. We were just responding to how you could keep a company alive. The unions had come up with this strategy to make Frank Lorenzo the issue. The unions had put together this massive public relations campaign to make Frank Lorenzo out to be this monster that eats his kids for breakfast and employees for lunch. Their argument was always to blame the Frank Lorenzo style of management and that any problems had nothing to do with the deregulation. But we loved our people.

In 1983 when the pilots struck us, because we implemented new work groups to save us, we got 22% of the pilots to come back to work—and that 22% could

Do you have any predictions about the future of air travel?

Safety is going to continue to be a major emphasis. We are going to see some new technologies by 2030 and beyond—technologies like electric, smaller aircraft, supersonic airplanes. We are going to see technological changes, but if you think about it, very little has changed in the last 30 years.

operate 45% of our system. These people that came back to work could see what was going on. They could see Southwest Airlines next door and recognize that we had to change or we weren’t going to stay alive. We weren’t bad guys. We just did what had to be done to save the company, which we did. Otherwise it would have gone the way of Trans World Airlines and Pan Am, and all these other companies that just went by the wayside.

What are your tips for air travel?

Allow plenty of leeway. Allow leeway for the unexpected.

Do you have a favorite airline food?

Just the snacks. The boxes of snacks these days are pretty good.

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CHANGING

WRITTEN

BY BRIAN BUSHARD

GUARD of the

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

John Lowell takes over at Coast Guard Station Brant Point.

John Lowell likes to say he rode the “Swiatek pipeline” to Nantucket. A Dennis, Massachusetts, native, Lowell rose up the ranks of the U.S. Coast Guard to serve on the same cutter off the coast of San Diego as former Coast Guard Station Brant Point Master Chief Chris Swiatek, where Lowell performed counter-smuggling operations on the high seas. This summer, Lowell followed Swiatek’s footsteps once again, taking the helm of the Brant Point Station as its new master chief, bringing Lowell back to the waters he grew up navigating with his family.

Lowell spoke with N Magazine on the dock beside the 47-foot Coast Guard vessel at Brant Point to discuss his journey to Nantucket and what he hopes to accomplish in his four-year tenure on the island.

What was your path to Nantucket?

I’ve been in the Coast Guard for 16 years on various assignments—both searchand-rescue units and ships. When it was time for me to transfer out of San Diego, I put Nantucket at the top of my list and got ordered out here.

From a navigational perspective, what are the biggest causes of boating accidents?

Drinking and boating is definitely a recipe for disaster. Nantucket has a lot more fog than most other areas, as we know, so navigating through that can be a challenge for anyone who’s not used to it. Those are the biggest two.

Have the recent federal deportations changed your job?

No. That’s always been a mission of the Coast Guard. Station Brant Point was not involved with the most recent ICE raid [which partnered with the Coast Guard vessel Hammerhead out of Woods Hole], so day-to-day on Nantucket, the job did not change at all.

You led a counter-smuggling operation in San Diego. How would you describe that job?

“[In my family], we all make our living on the salt water, so it was a natural path to join the Coast Guard.”

– John Lowell

What was the most harrowing rescue of your career?

In my career, I’ve done Medevacs off big commercial vessels, which are always challenging. When I was in Hawaii, we had long-range search and rescue cases off commercial vessels. When I was in New York, there were people who were beset by heavy weather in an inlet and were at risk of capsizing.

What is the line of thinking for the removal of some navigational buoys?

The one navigational buoy in question is the NB at the mouth of the channel, also known as a sea buoy. The thought is that it’s a non-lateral aid, as opposed to buoys that are red and green to serve as lateral aids, meaning boaters know which side of them they should be on. This is just one fewer buoy to maintain.

We mostly captured human traffickers and turned them in to the authorities. It kept me busy. It was actionpacked. I had an outstanding crew there and worked for a great chain of command that was extremely supportive. But I’m looking forward to getting back to what I trained to do.

How different is the work on Nantucket compared to what you were doing in San Diego?

It’s very different. But my background in the Coast Guard is search and rescue. This is what I was trained to do, compared to what I did in San Diego. I also served at three units on Long Island, New York, doing this same thing—search and rescue and recreational boating safety.

What are you excited for on Nantucket?

So much—driving over sand to get to the beach with the family, Daffodil Weekend, Figawi, the Fourth of July, the half marathon in October, fishing for stripers and bay scalloping. All of the things I grew up doing, I get to teach my kids. That’s going to be awesome.

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A RIVER RUNS

UNDER IT

WRITTEN BY BRIAN BUSHARD IMAGES COURTESY OF NEW ENGLAND SHELF HYDROGEOLOGY

Scientists drill beneath the seafloor for signs of fresh water.

A team of scientists will drill for signs of fresh water deep under the seafloor south of Nantucket aboard the liftboat Robert this summer. Courtesy of the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling.

It might be the most unlikely place to search for drinking water. Twenty miles south of Nantucket, Jez Everest is stationed on a liftboat with no land in sight—only turbines and sharks. Everything about the project looks strange on the surface. Scientists are working in converted shipping containers on what looks like an oil rig propped above the surface. They’re drilling for signs of freshwater 400 meters beneath the seafloor. And on this day, those signs are clear as day. “These projects don’t come up very often,” said Jez Everest, expedition project manager for the New England Shelf Hydrogeology Expedition. “This is something that’s never been done before, never been tried before and the results of it will be globally significant.”

In a way, the idea for the project is 50 years in the making. In the 1970s, a team of scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey led an offshore drilling project from Florida to New Hampshire in search of petroleum deposits. They didn’t find any, and the project fell dormant. But during that operation, they found traces of freshwater beneath the seafloor south of New England, a geological anomaly with massive implications as a potential source of fresh drinking water.

“This could be big for a lot of countries, like a National Geographic TV show big.”

– Mark Willett

Images courtesy of IODP-NSF Expedition 501 - New England Shelf Hydrogeology

Wannacomet Water Company Director Mark Willett

Since that drilling project ended, no follow-up testing has been conducted for the elusive freshwater system that scientists all but know lies deep beneath the seafloor—that is until now. “It was an exciting observation at the time, but not a lot of work was done with it because that wasn’t the project,” said Brandon Dugan, a professor of geophysics at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. Dugan is leading the drilling expedition this summer.

Dugan’s team of scientists is part of the New England Shelf Hydrogeology Expedition, which launched a threemonth research operation in early May. The research group’s members represent 16 countries and will be stationed on the liftboat Robert, a 185foot drilling vessel that looks like a fish out of water. The vessel rests entirely above the surface, with three legs tethered to the seafloor.

transects: at 19 miles, 26 miles and 42 miles south of Nantucket. Dugan hypothesizes fresh water may exist as far as 30 miles out. The question

“What we do next is the big question.”

– Brandon Dugan

The $26 million project—funded by the International Ocean Drilling Programme and the U.S. National Science Foundation—works a lot like an ordinary oil drilling operation. From the liftboat, Dugan’s team drills up to 1,600 feet beneath the seafloor in three

for researchers is not only how big that aquifer is, but how long the water has been there and how it got there.

Mark Willett has been asking those questions for two decades as an engineer and now as the director of Nantucket’s Wannacomet Water Company. Nantucket is fortunate to have its own sole-source

aquifer that is not contaminated by groundwater inputs from any other areas. The only potential contamination to the aquifer would come from the island itself. It turns out that about 250-280 feet below the island, there’s a glacial lake deposit about 100-feet thick, an area encased in clay that likely formed during the last ice age, when receding glaciers left behind the sediment that formed Cape Cod and the islands. “You’ll see a massive glacial lake deposit that’s solid clay, just like Play-Doh, completely impervious,” Willett said. “And below that is another freshwater lens, which we have not tapped into. Nobody has. I think with that glacial lake deposit, that could turn into a mining operation. There’s no recharge that’s going to get through that glacial deposit.”

That groundwater system extends past Nantucket’s shoreline. At low tide, Willett said you can see freshwater trickling onto some beaches up through the sand along Nantucket Harbor. “The birds are drinking the water,” Willett said. “Birds don’t drink salt water. So at low tide, we are actually losing water out of the aquifer into the ocean.” If that freshwater system stretches for miles and miles beyond Nantucket—as Dugan and his team believe—it could mean an untapped resource not only for Nantucket, but for the entire region. It could also mean other countries around the world with similar geological formations could have another source of water.

“This could be big for a lot of countries—like a National Geographic TV show big,” Willett said. “It’s the first

The team of scientists will drill up to 42 miles south of Nantucket.

group of scientists whose sole purpose is to go find the aquifer. They know it’s there. Now they’re going to locate it, find it and sample it to see that maybe it’s completely fresh.” Dugan hopes the research project will provide answers for countries and regions where rainfall cannot be counted on for sufficient fresh water. He pointed to one case in Cape Town, South Africa, where in 2018 the city’s water supply dropped to just a trickle, sparking a regional water crisis.

“A very populous, developed city was almost out of water and they limited people to five liters of water per day,” Dugan said. “There’s anecdotal evidence that an aquifer like this exists off South Africa. If we understand these systems better, policymakers can make informed decisions on protecting, maintaining, sustaining or using that water as they feel right. This is not isolated to New England; we just happen to know the most about it here.”

“When we understand the science in a place where we have the most information, we will know how to study these other places more effectively,” he continued. “What we do next is the big question. Then it’s up to policymakers to decide what they would like to do in terms of preserving this resource.”

Shellie & Dan Dunlap

508.901.9890 | 508.257.1152

shellie@leerealestate.com | dan@leerealestate.com

GRAHAM GUND THE LASTING LEGACY OF

There are those who leave in their wake an indelible mark on the world around them, and Graham Gund was one such person. Gund, who had been coming to Nantucket with his wife Ann since 1977, left his mark brick by brick, and his legacy of creative architecture will impact the landscape of Boston, Washington D.C. and beyond for many years to come.

A longtime summer resident of Nantucket, Gund was born in Cleveland, Ohio, from a family of privilege. The son of an investment banker, Gund was one of six children. One of his brothers, Gordon Gund, still lives on Nantucket, and is the CEO of Gund Investment Corporation and an accomplished sculptor.

75 State Street. Photos by Steve Rosenthal.

Graham Gune received his masters in architecture and urban design at Harvard’s renowned Graduate School of Design. His buildings were often whimsical, some with round windows, pagodalike roofs and gold-leaf chevrons, one could easily identify a Graham Gund building by its unconventional design and signature details.

Gund’s designs extend well beyond New England. In the 1990s, he was tasked with designing new buildings at Disneyworld in Florida. He also worked on over two dozen educational and athletic facilities at Kenyon College and Ohio State University, as well as a botanical garden in Cleveland and a former department store in Washington D.C. that he converted into a mixed-use housing and commercial complex.

Gund was also an active member of the communities he called home. He was a trustee of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, he founded the Boston Foundation for Architecture and in 1997, he cofounded the Nantucket Preservation Trust with Max Berry, bringing historic preservation into the spotlight on Nantucket at a time when historic homes were being gutted like fish at a

market. At the time, The New York Times reported the island was “under siege,” awakening to “the din and clash of construction, threatening both its look and its historic integrity.”

Throughout his career, Nantucket was Gund’s place to relax. People asked him to design houses on the island, though he almost never took on residential projects. “You would never know that he had any money,” Ann said. “He had a quiet presence, a quiet sense of humor and humanity about him. He had a passion for beauty and art. He gave so much that you wouldn’t even know about.”

His works have been described as inviting. Gund was known for buildings that not only had a life of their own, but enhanced the entire neighborhood around it. Paul Goldberger, a Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic, said of Gund: “For Graham, the idea of place is so powerfully real that it always sets the tone.”

Late Boston Globe architecture critic Robert Campbell added in a 1989 article that Gund is “quite possibly the most playful architect of importance in the history of the United States.” He was also an avid art collector, so much so that The Boston Globe called his the most important collection of contemporary paintings and sculptures in New England.

For those who knew Gund, he was a shy, gentle soul who did not seek attention or accolades but let his works speak for themselves. His mark as an architect and as a person will undoubtedly stand the test of time.

Rehabilitation of Bulfinch Square in Cambridge

Waterworks Building in Chestnut Hill, Boston

Chalmers Library at Kenyon College

Situated in Nantucket’s esteemed Eel Point area, this exceptional estate, completed in 2017, exudes luxury and sophistication. Nestled on three acres of pristine land, the home masterfully combines modern elegance with classic historic charm, showcasing impeccable craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail. 36 Warrens Landing Road Eel Point | 7

GIVING BACK

to the Island

WRITTEN BY BRIAN BUSHARD PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

Lucile Hays’ 50 years of philanthropy

When Lucile Hays turned 80 years old, she decided it was time to sell her nine-acre property overlooking the Harbor Creeks to the Land Bank—not for the windfall, but to give something back to the community. That land, which she sold well below market value in 2019, is now considered the “crown jewel” of the Land Bank’s holdings.

Lucile Hays at her former home overlooking the Creeks, where she lived for 45 years before selling the property to the Land Bank well below market value.

Walking around the property, Hays can’t help but marvel at not only the stunning view of the harbor, but the number of kids and families enjoying the park that now sits there. Hays is modest about the sale, but it might just be the most beautiful park on Nantucket. “It’s spectacular,” she said, sitting on an Adirondack chair where her kitchen once stood.

Giving back to the community—and especially to children—is a philosophy that’s been entrenched in Lucile Hays since she was a girl. It’s a story that comes from a place of tragedy. In 1959, Hays lost her younger sister, Louise Francis Walker (“Weezie”), in a tragic accident behind her house in Long Island, New York. Weezie, who had a childhood love of horses, was out feeding the family horse, when she was

The Weezie Library at the Atheneum

suddenly struck in the back of the head by another horse kicking at swarming flies around it. She died just hours later, at 10 years old.

The following year, her parents established the Weezie Foundation in her name with a mission of providing funding for children’s organizations. That foundation has left its mark both on Long Island, and on Nantucket, where Hays moved with her late husband years later. For an example of that mark, you don’t have to look any further than the Children’s Library at the Atheneum.

The story goes like this. In 1994, Hays was asked to lead a fundraising effort for a new children’s library, replacing the former children’s library in the basement of the Atheneum, a dark space that smelled of mildew. “There was a wonderful lady who lived here, Grace Grossman, and she had been involved with the Atheneum for some time and had known about the Weezie Foundation,”

Hays recalled. “She came to me saying you’re going to be in charge. It was very exciting having the new library there, to have a place where kids could go after school.”

The Weezie Foundation also endowed the children’s librarian position in 2005. According to Atheneum Interim Director Leslie Malcolm, the former children’s librarian: “The Children’s Library has been such a big part of the community, and that’s thanks to Lucile. Having this space here has been absolutely instrumental.”

This year, Hays celebrates another milestone: 50 years on the board of the Nantucket Boys & Girls Club, another organization she has helped tremendously. “I was supposed to be on for two four-year terms, but they never made me leave,” Hays said with a smile. One of her proudest accomplishments has been the expansion of the organization’s campus, particularly the 15,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art clubhouse renovated and expanded in 2015. “The Boys & Girls Club can affect everybody on the island,” she added. “For the working people with children, the Boys & Girls Club is there for them after school, and parents don’t have to worry about their kids.”

Looking back at over 50 years of island philanthropy, Hays thinks back on her sister. She keeps a photo of her on the wall of her new house at Sherburne Commons. Below the photo is a drawing Weezie made shortly before she died, of horses galloping in a field. “Weezie has affected a lot of people,” Hays said. “In 50 years, the money in her name has grown, and it’s phenomenal. It feels special. It’s awesome.”

Hays’ former house overlooking the Harbor Creeks.

Nantucket Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Jamie Foster with Lucile Hays.

The staff and board of the Boys & Girls Club

OVER

MOON

The Maria Mitchell Association reopens its Vestal Street Observatory.

WRITTEN BY BRIAN BUSHARD PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

Interior designer and Maria Mitchell Association Board member Elizabeth Markel (left), with MMA Executive Director Joanna Roche (center) and Deputy Director Jascin Leonardo Finger (right).

If ever there was a star in the world of astronomy, it was Maria Mitchell. She was not only the first woman astronomer on Nantucket—she was the first woman to lead an astronomy department in the country, the first woman invited to the Vatican Observatory and the first woman to work for the U.S. Naval Observatory. She was even presented a gold medal by the king of Denmark for her discovery of a comet in 1847.

Today, thousands of visitors attend programs hosted by the organization that bears her name—but only a handful of people enter a key attraction, the Vestal Street Observatory, built just years after her death as a tribute to her. That is until this summer, when the Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) reopened the historic observatory and its adjacent Astronomical Study to the public, once again bringing in visitors to what’s now the organization’s newest museum.

Maria Mitchell was awarded a gold medal from the King of Denmark for her discovery of a comet in 1847, one of the items in the Maria Mitchell Association collection.

Interim astronomer

Geoff Clayton in the Vestal Street Observatory, which reopens to the public this summer.

“[

The observatory and Astronomical Study] will help give people a history of not just Maria Mitchell, the MMA and our work in astronomy, but the importance of astronomy, why we study the stars, how it’s important to Nantucket, and how having an astronomy program on an island nearly 30 miles out to sea is really special,” said Jascin Leonardo Finger, the association’s deputy director.

While Maria Mitchell never stepped foot in the observatory on Vestal Street, it carries a lifetime of her achievements, as well as those of her successors who led the organization throughout the 1900s. Among the items on display in the first-floor study is the five-inch Alvan Clark telescope Mitchell used to document Nantucket’s night sky. Also on display: the glass plates developed at the observatory that were used like a camera before digital processing to capture a precise moment in the night sky. The MMA has 8,000 of those plates in its collection.

Geoff Clayton

Maria Mitchell’s Alvan Clark telescope, on display in the Vestal Street Astronomical Study.

“This is a lot like a history museum, but it’s actually where the history took place,” interim astronomer Geoff Clayton said. It’s also a living history. The MMA continues to bring in astronomers, as it has done since 1913, as well as astronomy research fellows and summer interns funded through the National Science Foundation. The idea is to use the renovated study as a meeting and research space, in addition to holding tours.”

“We had so many astronomical artifacts and historical records, but there was no place where they were on display for the public to see,” MMA Executive Director Joanna Roche said. “We wanted the Astronomical Study to become the museum of astronomy on Nantucket. It’s 157 years of astronomical history that originated on Nantucket and was part of the fabric of the island. That’s what’s really remarkable— that there’s a history of female astronomers on the island who have been such a powerhouse in the industry.”

On August 1, the MMA officially reopens its doors to the public. The Astronomical Study desperately needed to be renovated, Roche said. Inside, there was water damage, as well as plumbing and electrical issues.

While the MMA’s Loines Observatory on Milk Street Extension has remained active with stargazing open nights and research, the telescope in the observatory on Vestal Street had not been used since 2019. At a time when the MMA has expanded its open night programs at the Loines Observatory, opened up new exhibits at its Natural Science Museum and relocated its Aquarium on Washington Street, it made sense to invest in the Vestal Street Observatory as a dedicated museum to tell the history of astronomy on Nantucket.

“We want to make astronomy more accessible,” Roche said. “People can go to Loines and have hands-on experiences in astronomy, but there wasn’t a place for people to learn the history of astronomy. Now we have this space.”

Nantucket’s Primary Care Team

When you live on an island, you look out for each other.

No one feels the weight of this responsibility more than Nantucket Cottage Hospital’s primary care team. They are the orchestra leaders of your health and well-being. They’ll take care of all your routine needs such as annual physicals, vaccines and the care of common or chronic health issues. They will also guide you to a specialist if needed, on- or off-island.

Joining the team this year are Dr. Sarah Russell and Dr. David Lieberman, who are both accepting new patients. If you need a primary care provider, we’re here for you. Call 508-825-1000.

Margaret Koehm, MD, Nancy Lucchini, NP, Katie Miller, NP, Molly Harding, NP, Diane Pearl, MD, Annette Adams, NP, David Lieberman, MD, Derek Andelloux, MD, Claire Conklin, NP, Sarah Russell, MD

LIGHT TO A

BRINGING NEW CANDLE v FACTORY

A preservation-minded restoration project mixes modern and historic.

The home on Starbuck Court was once one of the most iconic signs of Nantucket’s whaling industry—a 75-foot-long candle factory. Today, it’s one of only a few former candle factories left standing on the island. So when the homeowners decided to restore the building, they opted against gutting the interior, choosing not to let its history go up in smoke.

After purchasing the property in 2020, the homeowners enlisted the architecture and design firm, Hendricks Churchill, to guide the restoration and bring the historic property in line with the needs of a modern family. More living space was added. A cottage was designed to serve as a primary suite and living space, drawing inspiration from the historic candle factory while incorporating contemporary

The house on Starbuck Court is one of the last remaining former candle factories on the island.

WRITTEN BY BRIAN BUSHARD

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

GENERAL CONTRACTOR:

TODD BURNS BUILDING AND RESTORATION

ARCHITECT: HENDRICKS CHURCHILL

INTERIOR DESIGN: DANA SIMPSON DESIGNS

The side of the former candle factory, which was restored with new French doors.

Photo by Jamey Simpson

design elements. Island builder Todd Burns was brought on board for what turned into a major project: lifting the historic candle factory, laying a new foundation, restoring the building and constructing another structure to complete the property. “We had been doing so many contemporary houses, and it’s nice to link up with homeowners who wanted to respect the history of their home,” Burns said. “When you work in the confines of the historic nature of the building it can be challenging but it’s really rewarding.”

The candle factory, which was built by Joseph and Simeon Starbuck in 1807, now includes a modern kitchen and living space equipped with an updated HVAC system. The finished house also retains its historic elements, such as vaulted ceilings and open stud walls. The original

The upstairs loft in the studio, which features exposed brackets.

Photo by Jamey Simpson

property also included a “wagon shed” dating back to the 19th century. The architect and homeowners worked together to redesign this space into a family gathering place, perfect for watching movies and playing board games. The historic charm of the raw wood and open stud construction was retained, with some new amenities that bring it into the 21st century.

The restoration earned the Nantucket Preservation Trust’s 2023 Michelle Elzay Architectural Preservation Award. “This is one of the greatest examples of historic preservation on Nantucket in recent memory, a fabulous success story of modernizing a historic building while still preserving the interior character defining features,” Nantucket Preservation Trust Executive Director Mary Bergman said. “The interior design aesthetic exists on the continuum of Nantucket history, and when I am in the candle house, I feel as though I have been transported to the island’s bohemian heyday.”

The vaulted ceiling in the former candle factory creates an open concept. A bedroom in the former candle factory, designed by Dana Simpson.

Photo by Jamey Simpson.

A Thriving Nantucket Begins with Us.

If you care about this Island and want to make a positive impact on the quality of life for young people in the community, donate to The Nantucket Fund — The Community Foundation’s permanent grant making fund that provides financial support to the Island’s most critical needs and initiatives.

Our goal is to raise $3M in 2025 to ensure funding in vital areas like childcare and support local organizations who are providing teacher retention programs, impactful youth activities, mentorship and post high school scholarships.

The Nantucket Fund Grant Recipients from left; Nantucket Boys and Girls Club, Rising Tide Preschool, Our House, St. Mary’s Parrish

Photographer: Kit Noble

DIP INTO Style

PHOTOGRAPHER: BRIAN SAGER

EDITORIAL STYLIST: PETRA HOFFMANN

PHOTO ASSISTANT:REECE NELSON

STYLE ASSISTANT: LEXY SABELHAUS

HAIR STYLING: MACY BELYEA AND JOHN STANIELON OF DARYA SALON + SPA

MAKEUP STYLING: JURGITA BUDAITE OF ISLAND GLOW

VENUE: THE DIPS

MAGGIE INC. MODELS:

CIERRA DUBINSKY, TAYLA FERANDEZ, JACOB BOYD

HER DRESS: REMY BAG: SARA CAMPBELL

JEWELRY: THE VAULT

HIM SHIRT, PANTS, BELT AND WATCH: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

JEWELRY: SUSAN LISTER LOCKE

SUNGLASSES: THE VAULT BIKINI BOTTOM: SOUTHERN TIDE TABLESCAPE: ELEISH VAN BREEMS

JEWELRY: KATHERINE GROVER

HIM

SHIRT, PANTS, WATCH AND SHOES: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

SUNGLASSES: THE VAULT

CENTER

TOP AND SKIRT:

CARTOLINA X CENTRE POINTE

JEWELRY: THE VAULT SUNGLASSES: REMY

RIGHT

DRESS: CARTOLINA X CENTRE POINTE

JEWELRY: THE VAULT SCARF: SARA CAMPBELL

PILLOWS: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

TOWEL: ELEISH VAN BREEMS

SHORTS AND SHIRT:

MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

SUNGLASSES: THE VAULT

LEFT

DRESS AND BAG:

MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

JEWELRY: THE VAULT

RIGHT

DRESS: REMY

JEWELRY: THE VAULT

BAG: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

LEFT

DRESS: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

BRACELET: SUSAN LISTER LOCKE

HIM SHIRT, PANTS, BELT AND WATCH: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

RIGHT DRESS: REMY EARRINGS: SUSAN LISTER LOCKE

HIM

SHIRT, PANTS, AND WATCH:

MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

SUNGLASSES: REMY

HER SHIRT: DOEN

PANTS: SARA CAMPBELL

JEWELRY: SUSAN LISTER LOCKE

HAT: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

HIM

SHIRT AND PANTS: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

BELT: SOUTHERN TIDE

RING: SUSAN LISTER LOCKE

GLASSWARE AND TOWELS: ELEISH VAN BREEMS

HER

SCARF: SARA CAMPBELL

JEWELRY: THE VAULT BIKINI TOP: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

TOP AND PANTS: MARISSA COLLECTIONS

JEWELRY: SUSAN LISTER LOCKE

BAG: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

TABLE SETTING: ELEISH VAN BREEMS

LEFT

BIKINI: SOUTHERN TIDE

NECKLACE: KATHERINE GROVER

RING: THE VAULT

RIGHT

BATHING SUIT: SOUTHERN TIDE

EARRINGS: THE VAULT

SCARF: SARA CAMPBELL

HIM

SWIM TRUNKS: SOUTHERN TIDE

SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE DIPS

Masterfully crafted, The Dips is a lavish Nantucket compound where guests can rest, reflect and recharge in the lap of luxury. This summertime paradise is a private hideaway on 3.7 acres with unobstructed ocean views. The compound boasts a seven-bedroom main house, a five-bedroom guest house, two pools, two spas, two fire pits, a pool cabana and a studio, easily sleeping 30. thedipsnantucket.com

LEFT

DRESS: REMY

SCARF AND BAG: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

SHIRT AND PANTS: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

RIGHT

DRESS AND HAT: SARA CAMPBELL

BAG AND BELT: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

EVERY ROOM TELLS A STORY

Introducing Nantucket’s Most Captivating Hotel

76 Main Ink Press Hotel provides a fascinating glimpse into Nantucket’s media past within a totally redesigned seacoast environment.

With its subtle blue hues and textured surfaces, 76 Main is more than simply a luxury hotel—it ’ s one that showcases the fascinating past of this historic island through a media lens over the centuries.

Come experience a one-of-a-kind adventure while being pampered with luxury linens, crafted continental breakfasts, and a calming outdoor lounge. Luxuriate today while savoring the richness of Nantucket’s past.

GAME,MATCHSET,

A snapshot of history on Nantucket’s tennis courts.

IMAGES COURTESY OF THE NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION'S ARCHIVES

Athletic Club House, Nantucket Tennis Courts, 1913.

Sconset vs. Nantucket mixed doubles at the Yacht Club, 1905.

A crowd watching a tennis match at the Sconset Casino, 1900s.

A young woman holding a tennis racket, standing on the courts, at the Sconset Casino, 1900s.

Hester Brown and Ruth Gillmore beside the tennis courts at the Sconset Casino, 1910s.

Two boys shaking hands after tennis match at the Nantucket Yacht Club, 1960.

Children lined up along a tennis net at the Sconset Casino in Doc Curry’s tennis clinic, 1961.

Three tennis players at the Sconset Casino tennis courts. Helen Clark Farnum on right, 1922.

Bud Cushman sitting by the tennis courts at the Sconset Casino, 1910s.

“Miss Byrne” playing tennis at the Sconset Casino tennis courts, 1922.

Postcard showing the Sconset Casino and its tennis courts, 1930s.

Scott Zumwalt gives a tennis lesson to a group of youngsters at the Sconset Casino, 1990s.

A woman playing tennis at the Sconset Casino, 1900s.

Portrait of Sunny O’Berge at the Sconset Casino, 1940s.

Former Gov. Lucius F.C. Garvin (center) of Rhode island on the tennis court at the Sconset Casino, 1922.

Four men playing tennis on the lawn of the Sconset Actors’ Colony cottages, 1903.

Group of young boys in a Sconset Casino tennis class, July 1955.

Two men shaking hands over a tennis net at the Sconset Casino, 1900s.

Helen Clark Farnum with a tennis racket, on the court at the Sconset Casino, 1922.

NANTUCKET BOOK FESTIVAL

For four days in June, some of the greatest authors from around the country converged on Nantucket for a string of book talks and other events, celebrating great works of fiction, mystery, romance and nonfiction by some of the literary greats of our time: Wally Lamb, Imani Perry, Carl Hiaasen, Ocean Vuong, Victor Luckerson, Adam Ross, Elin Hilderbrand, Patrick Radden Keefe and journalist Bob Woodward.

WALLY LAMB, TIM EHRENBERG & OCEAN VUONG

JENNIFER FINNEY BOYLAN

DAWN TRIPP, JILL KARP & ANNA POPNIKOLOVA

TIM EHRENBERG

GERALDINE BROOKS

MICHAEL SCHULDER & LORETTA J. ROSS

BOB WOODWARD

PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY

YOUNG WRITER AWARD AND THARON DUNN SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS: GIOVANNE VIEIRA, JILL SURPRENANT, LALIA BECKFORD, REBECCA HICKMAN, CECILIA “CECY” RAMIREZ MALDONADO, SANDY MITCHELL, MARY HAFT, ANNE PHANEUF, JIM SULZER, MIA BEAUDETTE, CHLOE REMICK & MALACHI SEIP

SUZY WELCH, ANN LEARY, DAWN TRIPP, VALERIE ROSENBERG, CHRISTINE MASTRANGELO & LINDA HENRY

BILLY COSTA, JENNY JOHNSON & ROBERT COCUZZO

ANN LEARY & LISA GENOVA ELIN HILDERBRAND, CARL HIAASEN & TIM EHRENBERG

KATE BROSNAN & MOLLY JONG FAST

KIM COLEMAN FOOTE & KALEY KOKOMOOR

VICTOR LUCKERSON, ARIEL FELTON & CHARITY GRACE MOFSEN

LORETTA J. ROSS & PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE

CHRIS SHEPPARD & ROBERT COCUZZO

ALISON BOVARD, MARCY MCCREARY, LISA COLAO, JENNIFER CHRISTIANSEN, BETTINA BROER & JUDY KALES

MARY HAFT & IMANI PERRY

MEG WALKER, PATTI HENRY & MEG RULEY

LUKE RUSSERT & WRIGHT THOMPSON

REBECCA HICKMAN, CECILIA “CECY” RAMIREZ MALDONADO, JILL SUPRENANT

PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE

JASON REYNOLDS AND CARL HIAASEN

ELIN HILDERBRAND & ADAM ROSS

PASCON DREAMCATCHER

PASCON’s 32nd annual Dreamcatcher gala was a sight to be seen, featuring incredible food, music, a private auction and incredible food on the harbor at the Nantucket Yacht Club. All proceeds support Palliative & Supportive Care on Nantucket, a specialized health care program providing islanders with life-threatening illnesses.

NANTUCKET FILM FESTIVAL

The Nantucket Film Festival celebrated its 30th anniversary on the island this year with a week of feature and short films, private events and talks with film producers and actors. In addition to its annual screenwriter’s tribute, highlights from this year’s festival included a comedy roundtable with actor Ben Stiller, a conversation with documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and a documentary on the 50th anniversary of Jaws

featured wedding

First Congregational Church • Reception Venue: Denise Badders-Perry of ACK Gift Bags & Events

(not pictured due to unexpected Nor’easter)

Nantucket’s Leading News Source & Beyond

More people rely on the Current for their news than any publication on the island. Our work has also been cited by some of the most respected media outlets in the country and beyond.

Nantucket Current provides instant news to your phone or email inbox. The news doesn’t wait to break every Thursday, so why should you? Discover why thousands of Nantucketers now view the Current as their single source of news.

Sunny Hostin

Kristin Hannah Kevin Kwan Reid

76 Main, Ink Press Hotel

Artists Association of Nantucket

Atlantic Landscaping

Audrey Sterk Design

Bar Yoshi

BHHS Island Properties Nantucket

BHS Palm Beach - Pulitzer & McGurk

Books, Beach & Beyond

Brian Sager Photography

Campion & Company - Tracy Campion

Carolyn Thayer Interiors

Cartolina / Centre Pointe

Chip Webster Architecture

Christian Angle Real Estate

Citizens Private Bank

Clarke Brothers Construction

CMC Construction

Coldwell Banker Realty - Deborah Gordon / Campion & Company - Tracy Campion

Community Foundation for Nantucket

Compass

Compass - Marybeth Gilmartin-Baugher

Darya

Diana Minshall Real Estate

Douglas Elliman

eittem

Eleish Van Breems

exp Realty

Fisher Real Estate

Gail Roberts, Ed Feijo & Team

Gibson Sotheby’s - Michael Carucci

Goldsmith & Davis Architects

Great Point Properties

Great Point Properties - Liz Finlay

Heidi Weddendorf

Island Glow Nantucket

J Pepper Frazier Real Estate

James Robinson, Oscar Heyman

Jobe Systems

Katherine Grover Fine Jewelry

Kathleen Hay Designs

Kligerman Architecture & Design

KNB Art Advisory

Land Rover

Lee Real Estate

Lee Real Estate - Shellie Dunlap

Marine Home Center

Mark Cutone Architecture

Maury People - Bernadette Meyer

Maury People - Chandra Miller

Maury People - Gary Winn

Maury People - John McGarr

Meg Lonergan Interiors

Murray’s Toggery Shop

Nantucket Cottage Hospital

Nantucket Current

Nantucket Garden Club

Nantucket Golf Club Foundation

Nantucket Historical Association

Nantucket Inn

Nantucket Performing Arts Center

Nantucket Picnic Baskets

Nathan Coe

Noble Fine Art

Nourish Nantucket

Olson Twombly Interior Design PlaneSense

REMY

Russell Simpson Inc.

Sandpiper Place II

Sara Campbell

Seaman Schepps

Sotheby’s - Frances and Todd Peter

Sotheby’s - Lisa and John Cregan

Southern Tide

Spackmans & Associates, Jackson Hole

Susan Lister Locke

The Dreamland

The Dreamland Conversations

The

The

The

Nantucket, Melissa Kaye

Nantucket, Ondyn

ThrIVe IV Hydration

Tom Hanlon Landscaping

Tomaiolo Development

Vineyard Vines

William Raveis Nantucket

The Only Place to Advertise.

Over the past 20+ years, N Magazine has established itself as Nantucket’s leading luxury lifestyle publication and the most powerful advertising vehicle on the island. Renowned for its compelling content, stunning photography and premium production, each issue is hotly anticipated and becomes a permanent collectible in homes around Nantucket and beyond. Accordingly, N Magazine provides businesses with residual exposure unlike any magazine or newspaper of its kind.

To learn more about the many advertising opportunities available with N Magazine, contact Emme Duncan, Director of Advertising and Partnerships, at emmeduncan@n-magazine.com