•Walk with Neil: Coast to Coast Trail Published by
Thursday, Oct. 9
Ecologist in Training: Bird Banding
8-10:30 a.m. Linda Loring Nature Foundation, 110 Eel Point road. Discover your inner field ecologist, get hands-on field experience and connect with professionals to explore bird-banding techniques and learn the significance of long-term bird research. Free with registration on calendar page of www.llnf.org
Behind the Seams
10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. Organized by the Nantucket Historical Association, “Behind the Seams: Clothing and Textiles on Nantucket” presents more than 150 objects from the NHA’s costume and textile collections to tell stories of making, meaning and island identity from across Nantucket history.
Sconset Walking Tour
3 p.m. 1 New St., Sconset. Join Nantucket Preservation Trust executive director Mary Bergman as she shares her knowledge of this unique fishing settlement at the eastern edge of the island. Tickets at nantucketpreservation.org
Island Calendar
Live Music: Dusty 45s
4 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Seattle rock band Dusty 45s will perform. Additional shows Friday and Saturday.
Live Music: Jacob Butler
6 p.m. The Rose & Crown, 23 South Water St. Nantucket singer-songwriter Jacob Butler will perform.
10 Years of Daring Heists and Lovable Outcasts in YA Fantasy
7 p.m. online at www.nantucketatheneum.org. Author Leigh Bardugo (Six of Crows”) discusses here thoughtfully-structured magic system and deliciously morally-gray characters. Register on calendar page of www.nantucketatheneum.org
Owl Prowl
8 p.m. Maria Mitchell Association, 4 Vestal St. Join MMA field ornithologist and I&M columnist Ginger Andrews to listen for the calls of nocturnal animals and birds and watch for owls as they begin their nightly activity. Tickets on calendar page of www. mariamitchell.org
THURSDAY, PAGE 17
Courtesy of Nantucket Historical Association
The Nantucket Historical Association will lead an historic bike tour Saturday, telling the story of the island’s people and places, and tracing the path of land use.
Fusaro’s: Classic Italian comfort food all year long
By Francesca Giangiulio fgiangiulio@inkym.com
There’s something inherently comforting and homey about Italian food. That first twirl of pasta or dip of bread into olive oil is like getting a long hug from your nonna (that’s grandmother in Italian).
Growing up in an Italian-American family, you learn pretty quickly that there’s one central motto in the kitchen: simple food done right . . . and always with lots of passion.
That’s exactly what you get at Fusaro’s on Old South Road.
Tom and Stacy Fusaro opened the restaurant in 2011. They saw a need for a classic red sauce, Italian-American, family-friendly place on Nantucket.
“This type of menu didn’t really exist on the island at the time,” said Tom, who arrived on Nantucket 1982.
A friend who “worked in the trades” asked him for help one summer and the rest is history.
Let’s Eat!
“It’s the same old story you hear with so many people who came out here for a couple of weeks one summer and never left. You know, it just fit me perfectly,” Tom said.
Stacy was born and raised on Nantucket. She was a scrimshaw artist and worked in the public schools before in addition to working the front of the house at the restaurant.
Their goal was always to make Fusaro’s a neighborhood place, a place for the locals. It’s one of only a few restaurants open yearround.
“If we don’t know you when you arrive, there’s a pretty good chance we’re gonna know you when you leave,” Tom said.
“Over time, we become good friends with the people who come in. It’s a little more intimate, a little more authentic.”
At its core, Italian cuisine is minimalistic. I’m sure you can picture at least five dishes that follow the “pasta, red sauce, protein” formula, but there was a time when Tom
Photo by Francesca Giangiulio
The linguine with clams overflows with shellfish and is finished with a buttery white wine sauce and crisp and salty pancetta.
Photo by Wendy Wilson
Nona Jean’s meatballs are Tom Fusaro’s mother’s recipe and a crowd favorite.
Photo by Francesca Giangiulio Fusaro’s pizzas are overloaded with toppings and perfect to share.
The
Bolognese is hearty fall and winter fare when the temperature drops. didn’t even know how to cook chicken properly.
He grew up in an Italian-American household and said his dad was a great chef and role model, but it wasn’t until his 20s when (out of necessity) he had to learn about cooking and the kitchen.
After a few years working as a commercial salmon fisherman in Alaska, Tom was looking for a change. He met someone on the docks looking for a cook for his boat crew. Tom knew nothing about cooking at that point but said yes and hopped onboard the next morning.
“It wasn’t until we were many miles out to sea, the captain throws me a pack of chicken and says, ‘We want chicken tonight.’ Needless to say, I burned the chicken,” Tom said. “I had no idea how to cook it, but we were too far out for them to bring me back.”
After the chicken incident, Tom learned quickly how to cook basic meals. He started reading cookbooks and watching cooking
shows in his free time.
“I just started studying and reading, making mistakes, learning and you know, enjoying the process,” he said.
His office in the basement of Fusaro’s is full of cookbooks, and his cork board is plastered with business cards and coasters from restaurants all over the country.
At Fusaro’s, Tom said he learned quickly that you can’t try to be everything for everyone.
“You have to learn where you shine and where you don’t,” he said.
He continually updates the menu to provide what the community needs while still showcasing what Fusaro’s does best. The classics (and naturally, the most popular items) have always been there – Bolognese, chicken parmigiana, lasagna (his mother’s recipe) – but when they can, the team likes to experiment with new or seasonal EAT, PAGE 22
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
Photo by Wendy Wilson
rigatoni
Kicking off the Coast to Coast Trail
By Neil Foley I&M Columnist
The summer heat has mostly faded, but it lingers on sunny afternoons spent opening scallops on decks and patios.
In its place we are left dodging tropical storm gusts and gazing at white-capped rollers pounding the south shore.
It’s the season to start a new endeavor, pick up that hobby you put down in the spring and engage with your fellow farers of the fall season on Nantucket.
October brought the start of the Coast-toCoast Senior Series, a weekly walk which breaks up the 24.7 miles of this island-spanning trail into manageable sections over eight weeks.
Spreading out the trail makes it approachable and fun for those who join, even for a few sections. I have some regulars who have walked it with me every time, especially Kathy Grieder whose original idea brought the series to life.
Dana Nielsen over at the Nantucket Land Bank is co-leading the series with me to highlight the arduous work its team did to lay out and create the initial trail design and the amazing collaboration that this trail represents across the island.
For the first leg, we start on Hoicks Hollow Road, near the Sankaty Head Beach Club where a sign marks the beginning of the trail and shows off what lies ahead.
We take a lasting look at the east beach and the expansive stretch of open ocean and walk the paved road westward. We carefully cross the curve of outer Polpis Road and turn on to narrow Barnard Valley Road which traverses the moors.
Asters and goldenrod in bloom along the road still support the hurried foraging of native bumblebees before their dormancy begins.
Praying mantises and other ambush predators wait silently along the tall seed heads and clusters of flowers for the right opportunity to grab a substantial meal. The C2C trail cuts sharply to the right, carrying us up on to the ridges of the terminal moraine and further into Mass Audubon’s Sesachacha Heathlands property. It was good to have Mark Paglierani, Mass Audubon’s new Nantucket sanctuaries manager, on the first leg of the walk to
Photo by Neil Foley
Scaling the sandy hills of the Middle Moors with Sankaty Head Lighthouse in the background.
Photo by Neil Foley
The praying mantis, a common sight in the fall on Nantucket.
Walk with Neil WALK, PAGE 23
YOU can Help Fulfill a Child’s Wish List this Holiday Season!
Inky Santa is Nantucket’s answer to helping families who are struggling during the holidays provide Christmas gifts for their kids. Through donations from island businesses and seasonal and year-round residents, Inky Santa is able to make Christmas a little merrier for island families.
First begun in 1985 by firefighter Tom Holden and his wife Betsy as a Toys for Tots program, it was joined the following year by The Inquirer and Mirror, when former editor and publisher Marianne Stanton saw that using the reach of the newspaper could expand the message of need and increase donations. That partnership has endured ever since to the benefit of island children. Over the last 40 years, Inky Santa has worked to ensure that no island kids go without on Christmas morning.
Magic, monsters and romance, with the perspective of age
By Sierra Hurd
Contributing Writer
Some books are so magical you know they will rank among your favorites within the first chapter.
“The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi” by Shannon Chakraborty is just such a book for me. Chakraborty opens the novel with a preface, establishing the legend of the fearsome Amina Al-Sirafi as a smuggler and pirate on a medieval Indian Ocean within the historical context of the Crusades and Holy War.
Our narrator describes her many misdeeds and the rumors surrounding them – that she served up human hearts to her sea-beast husband, that she is a sorceress, or a djinn – before promising to tell us the real story of the woman behind it all.
But when we meet Amina, she has long since retired from her captainhood and life at sea. Having settled down to protect her daughter, she is now a middle-aged single mother who lives in a modest country house and minds her own business.
Neither as young nor as beautiful as she once was, Amina is a breath of fresh air to a reader like myself, used to seeing heroines who have just barely come into adulthood.
Amina’s years of adventuring have taken a toll on her body, and continue to affect her even as she is dragged back into the life she thought she had left behind.
When a rich woman with a mysterious connection to her past comes calling, Amina feels she has no option but to accept the job.
The woman’s granddaughter has been kidnapped by a notorious treasure hunter from the west, who first came to the region as part of the Crusades. In order to rescue the girl and get the promised payout, Amina rounds up her former crew – now all respectably retired – and takes to the high seas again.
It doesn’t take long, however, for her to discover that not everything is what it seems. The stakes are far higher and the reward much more valuable than expected, and everyone has more complicated motivations than they admit.
This book is funny, magical and thrilling. It is an adventure from beginning to end, and readers will be glad to never know exactly what is coming next.
The characters are lovable, their relationships and histories are complicated and the villains truly vicious.
There’s magic and monsters and romance
Good Reads
and swashbuckling, and anything else you could want in a historical fantasy adventure. Plus some things you probably didn’t even know you wanted.
If there is one aspect of Chakraborty’s writing that shines the most, it is her ability to navigate nuance and diversity.
She expertly weaves the nuance of the time period and the region, character’s religious, sexual and personal identities, and the character’s relationships to one another in a way that appears truly effortless.
Amina herself is a Muslim of “mixed coastal ancestry” and her crew includes African Muslims, Arab Christians and a Southeast Asian Hindu woman.
The religious differences and similarities come up but are respected, and the pluralism of faiths is worked into the story seamlessly.
Chakraborty also does not shy away from the exploration of gender and sexuality, and queer characters are treated with more acceptance than someone uninformed on the historical and religious context might expect.
Sin may be mentioned quite a bit due to the dastardly deeds the pirates commit, but it’s never wielded as a weapon against someone because of their faith or identity.
And as we get to see the characters battle
the variety of obstacles in their way, their individual and collective histories unfold before our very eyes, endearing them more and more to the reader with every passing page.
I must also applaud Chakraborty’s ability to weave religion, mythology and history together with lovable characters and character dynamics to create an adventure that is most of all fun to read.
There are mythical elements such as djinn, marid, winged creatures from Persian mythology called peri and a kraken.
There are sword fights, treasure heists, haunted islands and the seduction of an old flame just to name a few. And most of all, love of friendship and family – both by blood and by choice – takes center stage in this tale.
Seekers of fantasy adventures featuring badass older ladies, look no further. You’ll want to meet Amina and her ragtag team of pirates on this high-seas expedition.
“The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi” is truly a master class in storytelling, and you’d be remiss to not pick it up.
Photo by Melissa C. Beckman Shannon Chakraborty
The Inquirer and Mirror
Dusty 45s hit 15-year mark of rocking the rock
Hailing from Seattle, Wash., The Dusty 45s meld rockabilly, swing and rock and roll into a unique and vibrant sound.
By Kendall Graham kgraham@inkym.com
The Dusty 45s have been carrying the torch of American roots music for nearly three decades.
Since the late 1990s, the Seattle-based band has made a name for itself by channeling the swagger of rockabilly, the warmth of swing and the raw drive of early rock and roll into a hybrid sound that feels both time-
less and contemporary.
This week, they return to Nantucket for their 15th straight year, a tradition that has transformed their visits into something closer to a reunion than just another stop on tour.
Frontman Billy Joe Huels, the group’s founding singer-songwriter and trumpeter,
built The Dusty 45s out of a desire to bridge styles that had shaped him since childhood.
For Huels, music was at its best during the 1980s and 1990s, when the swing revival hit American popular music, when musicians and bands were taking cues from the big band, jazz and early rock and roll styles that originated in the mid-20th century.
By the mid-1990s, Huels seized the chance to marry his influences into a single focus.
“(At that time), there was a big swing re-
surgence, and we fell into that genre, being a kind of rockabilly band, and I happened to find other guys who were into that style of music and who could support my songs, and it just took off from there,” Huels said.
“To me, that (revival) was when music was at its strongest fundamentally. We kind of go back to where those fundamentals of rock and roll are formed.”
The Dusty 45s will perform at Cisco Brewers Thursday, Friday and Saturday after-
Courtesy of The Dusty 45s
MusACK
noons, and play a late-night set at The Gaslight Friday.
Huels grew up playing trumpet and listening to early jazz and rock music from the early to mid-20th century.
There was a certain knowledge and studiousness to the genres he believes was stronger then, which may not be as embraced by contemporary musicians and bands in the modern era, he said.
“I think some current bands might not delve into the history of where certain sounds come from,” he said, suggesting that the idea of paying homage to musical forebears could strengthen a musical act’s sound.
“I think that factor is sometimes overlooked in popular music.”
Huels culls the band’s sound from a studied list of sonic inspirations, describing a timeline that ran from the popularity of musicians from Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley to surf-rock bands like The Ventures throughout the 1950s and 1960s, to the more later, experimental and hybrid styles of bands like The Stray Cats.
“We’re still trying to create music that is current, but we just draw from those influences,” Huels said.
That respect for history shapes not just their sound but also their ethos. Their shows brim with energy, but Huels insists they’re not just a nostalgia act.
“It’s not just a party band,” he said, al-
though they do encourage show-goers to do exactly that at a Dusty 45s show.
“It’s more about taking that era we love and giving it more of a studied approach. It’s about presenting something that’s a little
years, but the current roster, what Huels affectionately calls “Dusty Version 6.0,” has been together for about eight years.
Alongside Huels are Rod Cook on lead guitar and vocals, Robin Cady on upright bass and Kohen Burrill on drums and vocals.
Their tight chemistry comes from a shared reverence for the music they play and a collective commitment to Huels’ original goal.
“Everyone definitely has their influence that comes through, but everyone is there to support the song and the vision of The Dusty 45s being a purveyor of this style of American roots music,” Huels said.
That seriousness about their craft has seen the band collaborate with icons from Adele and Brandi Carlisle to Wanda Jackson and John Prine.
The Dusty 45s played the international roots and rockabilly music festival Rockin’ Race Jamboree, held in Málaga, Spain in February, showing that these genres stretch far beyond American borders.
more artistically cohesive than just a bunch of covers, and the original music is a draw upon those influences, so aesthetically, it works together as one cohesive package.”
The band’s lineup has shifted through the
They performed alongside acts like longtime rockabilly band Lee Rocker and The Stray Cats and rock and roots contemporaries Nick Lowe and Los Straightjackets, and found themselves inspired enough to write and record a collection of songs for a forthcoming EP, dropping later this fall on streaming services as well as, fittingly, a physical 45 vinyl record.
The band’s most recent album, last year’s MUSACK, PAGE 21D
Courtesy of The Dusty 45s
The Dusty 45s play Cisco Brewers Thursday-Saturday and The Gaslight Friday.
HALLOWEEN PARADE
Founding Sponsor of the The Inquirer and Mirror and Costume Contest, presents our inaugural Pumpkin Carving Contest and these additional sponsors
The I&M is proud to continue this annual event with
Town of Nantucket Office of Culture & Tourism and the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce.
FRIDAY
OCTOBER 31
Contest registration begins at 3 p.m.
Pumpkin Contest begins at 3:30 p.m. Parade begins at 4 p.m. at the fountain on Main Street
Pumpkin Contest
Prize
pre-register your group by visiting ack.net/promotions
Judging Begins at 3:30pm at the Fountain on Main Street Prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place
Bring your carved pumpkin to Main Street and enter our first Pumpkin Carving Contest sponsored by Pumpkin Pond Farm.
Nantucket’s deep connection to Burgundy
By Peter McEachern I&M Columnist
The bond between Nantucket and Burgundy runs deeper than mere appreciation for fine wine: it’s a connection rooted in shared values of terroir, seasonality and the celebration of place.
After 20 years of calling Nantucket home and three memorable journeys to Burgundy’s storied vineyards, I’ve become fascinated by the remarkable parallels between these two regions and the endless possibilities for pairing their flavors.
From the cobblestones of Main Street to the ancient limestone vineyards of Meursault, both regions understand that the finest experiences emerge when local ingredients meet wines that truly complement their character.
What began as casual observations during vineyard walks and harborside dinners has evolved into a passionate exploration of how these two terroirs speak to each other across centuries and an ocean.
The village philosophy
Nantucket’s village culture mirrors Burgundy’s appellations in remarkable ways.
Just as each Nantucket village –whether it’s the windswept dunes of Madaket, the rose-covered cottages of Sconset or the harborside bustle of town – possesses its own microclimate and character, Burgundy’s villages each express unique terroir through their wines.
Consider how Dionis Beach’s protected waters create different shellfish than those harvested from the rougher seas off Great Point, much like how Gevrey-Chambertin’s clay-rich soils produce a different style of Pinot Noir than neighboring Chambolle-Musigny’s limestone slopes.
The island’s restaurants have learned to celebrate these micro-differences: Nantucket bay scallops from protected harbors taste
Photo by Massimo Santi
A scenic road passes through the legendary wine region of Burgundy.
Courtesy of Peter McEachern Nantucket Harbor as seen from above.
Wine Cellar
distinctly different from those harvested in open waters, not just due to preparation, but because of where they’re sourced around our varied coastline.
Burgundy’s village hierarchy
• Côte de Nuits (Pinot Noir paradise): Regional Bourgogne Rouge, Village wine like Vosne-Romanée, Premier Cru Les Malconsorts, Grand Cru La Tâche
• Côte de Beaune (Chardonnay heaven): Regional Bourgogne Blanc, Village wine Puligny-Montrachet,Premier Cru Les Pucelles, Grand Cru Le Montrachet
Ancient seas, modern plates
The most poetic connection between Nantucket and Burgundy lies beneath our feet and theirs. While Nantucket’s restaurants serve shellfish harvested from living waters, Burgundy’s vines grow in soils enriched by ancient marine life from 175 million years ago.
Those Kimmeridgian limestone deposits –filled with fossilized oysters, corals and prehistoric sea creatures – create the mineral backbone that makes Burgundian Chardonnay so compatible with our island’s fresh shellfish.
Nantucket’s seasonal shellfish calendar
• Year-round: Local oysters, littlenecks and quahogs from island waters
• Fall/Winter: Nantucket bay scallops
(the island’s crown jewel)
• Winter/Spring: Steamers from harbor waters, razor clams from the south shore
This geological poetry comes alive when you taste a Meursault alongside Nantucket bay scallops at any island oyster bar.
The wine’s mineral structure – born from ancient shellfish – creates a harmonious bridge with the sweet, briny scallops swimming in brown butter.
It’s as if time collapses, connecting the Jurassic seas that once covered Burgundy with today’s waters surrounding our island.
Sustainable island cuisine meets Burgundian philosophy
Nantucket’s commitment to sustainable, local sourcing aligns perfectly with Burgundy’s terroir-driven philosophy.
Island restaurants from casual bistros to fine dining establishments have built reputations on showcasing ingredients that travel mere miles from source to plate, much like Burgundian vintners who believe the best wines express the precise place where the grapes were grown.
Perfect pairings from island tables
Local farm vegetables with village-level Burgundian whites create magical combinations. Island-grown tomatoes, still warm from Nantucket’s sandy soil, pair beautifully with a Rully Blanc, while fresh sweet corn
finds its match in a mineral-driven Sancerre (technically Loire, but sharing that limestone soul).
Island wood-grilled local fish demands Burgundian reds. Fresh striped bass, caught in Nantucket Sound and grilled over oak, creates sublime harmony with a Volnay, the wine’s silky tannins and red fruit complementing the fish’s smoky char without overwhelming its delicate flesh.
Traditional island bouillabaisse, crafted from Nantucket’s daily catch, finds its perfect partner in a Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge. This unique red Burgundy from a predominantly white wine village bridges the gap between the richness of the saffron-scented broth and the sweetness of local lobster and scallops.
Nantucket-Burgundy pairings
The island’s top establishments have mastered these combinations:
• Local venison, prepared with island herbs and seasonal vegetables, pairs magnificently with aged Gevrey-Chambertin.
The wine’s earthy complexity mirrors the rich, gamey flavors while its structured tannins complement the meat’s robust character.
•Island breakfast potatoes, crispy from locally-grown spuds, create an unexpected delight when paired with a young Meursault. The wine’s buttery richness and mineral finish elevating the humble potato to
fine dining status.
• Local mussels, steamed in island craft beer, gain sophistication when followed by a glass of Chablis Premier Cru. The wine’s steely minerality cuts through the broth’s richness while amplifying the mussels’ oceanic essence.
Seasonal harmony
Both Nantucket and Burgundy live by seasonal rhythms. Just as island restaurants adapt their menus to the natural cycles – soft-shell crabs in summer, bay scallops in winter –Burgundian wines change personality with each vintage, reflecting the weather’s whims and the vintner’s skill.
• Summer on Nantucket: When island restaurants serve their famous clam chowder alongside local craft beer, consider upgrading to a crisp Bourgogne Aligoté. Its bright acidity cuts through the cream while its mineral finish echoes the sea.
• Fall Harvest Season: As Nantucket restaurants showcase cranberries from the island’s bogs, a mature Burgundy Rouge from Santenay provides the perfect accompaniment. Its earthy undertones and balanced acidity complement the fruit’s tartness.
• Winter’s Bounty: When scallop season arrives and every island restaurant features these sweet treasures, from simple
CELLAR, PAGE 21
What is a Nantucket lightship?
By Robert R. Reed
Contributing Writer
A simple answer might be “a seagoing vessel designed to function much like an earth-bound lighthouse.”
Just as lighthouses were situated to warn mariners of hazards along our shores, lightships were the sentinels stationed at the offshore shoals or ledges.
The Nantucket South Shoals, extending 35 miles south of the island, were of great concern to coastal shipping throughout the history of navigation off New England.
The shoals were a notorious shipwreck site, with wrecks numbering 100 or more during the early centuries of American settlement.
In 1843 this problem was presented to Congress in an effort to support the placement of a lightship there. The report cited that, “many a gallant ship lie buried in one common grave.”
Congress responded favorably and, as a result, the first lightship was stationed at Nantucket’s South Shoal on June 15, 1854.
Exposed to the elements of the raging Atlantic, any lightship placed at South Shoal had to prove her seaworthiness.
From the Museum
Most importantly her anchoring equipment had to withstand the continuous punishment dealt by winds and swells.
The first lightship to be anchored at the South Shoals was based on a sturdy schooner-styled hull commonly used in these waters.
She had two masts on which, at night, large lanterns were hoisted. Whale oil lamps within these lanterns supplied the light, which at best, fog permitting, could only be seen for a few miles.
In contrast, the lamps of the last lightship, which ended its service in 1973,had an intensity of 400,000 candlepower and could be seen for 23 miles.
The first ship had a rather brief tour of duty. After just 18 months at the shoal, her mooring failed and she was blown 50 miles to the west, where she went aground on Montauk Point, Long Island, New York.
Nantucket’s second lightship faired better in longevity but not in staying put. Though she served faithfully for almost 37 years, it is reported that she parted from her moor-
ing at least 23 times while at the shoals.
In 1878 a nor’easter blew her clear to Bermuda, some 800 miles south of Nantucket. She crept back to the island without a motor, rigged only with two small tri-sails.
Her end at the shoals came with a final, unanticipated journey. During a blizzard in March of 1892, she parted her chain, and weeks passed without any sign of her whereabouts. Finally she was spotted grounded on a reef at Noman’ s Land near Martha’s Vineyard.
The crew survived, the ship was repaired and sent away to calmer waters.
It was aboard those early lightships stationed at the South Shoals that basket-making emerged as a cottage industry for the Nantucket crewmen.
Their craft was as much a means of diversion from confinement as it was a source of extra income.
The extent of basket production aboard South Shoal vessels was unique to this isolated location.
A commentary written in an 1891 edition of Century Magazine caught the desolation, monotony and discomforts of life aboard. The following are excerpts from the 1891
article:
“Quoting an old whaling captain, the loneliest thing he had ever seen at sea was a polar bear floating on a piece of ice in the Arctic Ocean; the next loneliest object was the South Shoal Lightship.”
An ex-captain of another lightship said, very solemnly, “If it weren’t for the disgrace it would bring on my family I’d rather go to State’s Prison.”
The author was also told of times when the South Shoal lightship so pitched and rolled that even an old whaleman that served at sea for 17 years felt squeamish.
Life on the lightship, therefore, presented itself to us as a term of solitary confinement combined with the horrors of seasickness.
Although, over the years, numerous lightships were moored at the South Shoals, saving many a vessel from disaster, the making of lightship baskets aboard these guardians of the sea ended soon after the turn of the 20th century.
Learn more about Nantucket lightships by tuning in to the latest episode of the NHA’s podcast, “The Nantucket Gam,” available on NHA.org and all your favorite streaming services.
Courtesy of Nantucket Historical Association
Nantucket Lightship 112 on station in the swells, circa 1960s.
(Thursday, continued from page 3)
Live Music: Morrissey Blvd.
10 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. South Coast-based indie-rock band Morrissey Blvd will perform. 21 and over.
Friday, Oct. 10
Scalloping Field Trip
7:40 a.m. Location upon registration. Maria Mitchell Association aquarium manager Christina Norman leads this scalloping field trip to collect and observe bay scallops. Participants will learn about their biology and the challenges they face. The trip requires a valid shellfish permit to take home bay scallops. $50. Additional trips Sunday and Wednesday. Registration required on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Nantucket Bird Walk
7:45 a.m. Maria Mitchell Association Classroom, 33 Washington St. Bird guide and Inquirer and Mirror columnist Ginger Andrews leads this walk through the island’s avian landscapes and hidden nooks. Binoculars available. Dress for the weather. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Island Calendar
Harbor Health and Coffee
9 a.m. 68 Washington St. Scientist Rich Blundell discusses current harbor conditions and their patterns, changes and implications for the island ecosystem. Suitable for everyone from scientific minds to curious residents and visitors, Harbor Health Coffee provides insights into the marine environment and a practical understanding of how ecological monitoring informs community decisions. Free but registration required on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Nature Ramble
10 a.m. Linda Loring Nature Foundation, 110 Eel Point Road. Explore the sandplain grasslands and coastal heathland habitats of the Linda Loring Nature Foundation property while taking in views of Long Pond to see what’s blooming, fruiting, flying, and crawling around the trails. Free but registration required on calendar page of www. llnf.org
Art Reception: Artists Association
5-7 p.m. Cecelia Joyce & Seward Johnson Gallery, 8 Federal St. The Artists Association of Nantucket will host an opening reception for its People’s Choice exhibition.
FRIDAY, PAGE 18
Your island,
inbox
File photo
The Maria Mitchell Association is holding its annual Aquarium Release Day Saturday.
(Friday, continued from page 17)
Seafaring Heritage in a Changing Climate
5:30 p.m. Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. Glenn Boornazian, founding partner and principal conservator of Integrated Conservation Resources and Integrated Conservation Contracting, and Rohit Jigyasu, program manager for sustainable urban and built heritage conservation, disaster and climate risk management and post crisis recovery at ICCROM, will discuss the four week program hosted by the Nantucket Historical Association on safeguarding historic properties against climate change. Free, but registration required on calendar page of www.nha.org.
Fall Fashion Show
6 p.m. Nantucket Hotel, 77 Easton St. A night to remember showcasing the latest fall fashions on the island. Cash bar, light bites and live voting for best fall fashion.
Live Music: Foggy Roots
6 p.m. Dreamland Theater Harborview Deck, 17 South Water St. Nantucket’s own roots reggae band Foggy Roots will perform.
Island Calendar
Live Music: Jacob Butler
6 p.m. The Rose & Crown, 23 South Water St. Nantucket singer-songwriter Jacob Butler will perform.
Live Music: Sean Lee
8-10 p.m. Rose & Crown, 23 South Water St. Nantucket singer-songwriter Sean Lee will perform. Second show Saturday.
Stargazing at the Observatory
8 p.m. Loines Observatory, 59 Milk St. Join professional astronomers from the Maria Mitchell Association for a guided tour of the night sky, including the moon, planets, star clusters, nebulae and more. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Live
Music: Dusty 45s
10 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. Seattle rock band Dusty 45s will perform. 21 and over.
Live Music: Maxxtone
10 p.m. The Chicken Box, 6 Dave St. Springfield party band Maxxtone will perform. 21 and over. Tickets at the door. Second show Saturday.
Courtesy of Artists Association of Nantucket The Artists Association of Nantucket’s Wet Paint Weekend culminates Sunday at the Nantucket Yacht Club with live and silent auctions and a dinner honoring Joan Albaugh.
Saturday, Oct. 11
Nantucket Clean Team
8 a.m. Handlebar Café, 15 Washington St., and the Creeks opposite Sayle’s Seafood, Washington Street. The Nantucket Clean Team meets weekly from spring through fall to clean up trash around the island. Bags and pickers provided.
Farmers & Artisans Market
8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cambridge Street, between Federal and South Water. Sustainable Nantucket hosts a market of fresh local produce, island cottage-industry artisans and food. Weather permitting.
Pipe Organ Crawl
9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Various locations downtown. The Nantucket Community Music Center presents the 34th annual Pipe Organ Crawl, short pipe organ concerts on the half hour at St. Mary’s Our Lady of the Isle, the First Congregational Church, United Methodist Church, Unitarian Meeting House and St. Paul’s Church. Free but donations welcome.
Island Calendar
Dance Party in the Garden 9:45 a.m. Atheneum Garden, 1 India St. Cory Morgan leads an energetic, joy-filled dance time for babies and children with songs, silly dance moves and fun challenges like Freeze Dance and the Cha-Cha Slide. Bring a blanket. Canceled in the event of inclement weather.
Aquarium Release Day
10 a.m. Maria Mitchell Aquarium, 32 Washington St. Join MMA aquarium manager Christina Norman and her team to return the marine life they collected over the summer to Nantucket Harbor. Preceded at 9:30 by a sensory-friendly half-hour. Free but registration on calendar page of www. mariamitchell.org is recommended.
Lighthouse Open Day
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sankaty Head Lighthouse, end of Baxter Road. The Sconset Trust hosts its annual tour of Sankaty Head Light. Children must by 7 or older and accompanied by an adult. Space is limited and registration is required. Sign up on calendar page of www. sconsettrust.org
SATURDAY, PAGE 20
Courtesy of Maxxtone
Springfield party band Maxxtone will play The Chicken Box Friday and Saturday.
(Continued from page 19)
Pumpkin Painting
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Halloween, Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm, 33 Bartlett Farm Road. The garden center at Bartlett’s will be stocked with pumpkins and painting supplies will be set up inside the greenhouse. Buy a pumpkin and stick around to decorate it.
Wet Paint Art Hop
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Various locations around town. Artist members of the Artists Association of Nantucket will be painting around town as part of the AAN’s annual Wet Paint Weekend. For more information, stop in to the Cecelia Joyce & Seward Johnson Gallery, 8 Federal St.
Historic Bike Tour
10:30 a.m. Begins at Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. A Nantucket Historical Association guide will Our guides will lead visitors through a history of island people and place, tracing a story of historic land use. $65. Register on calendar page of www.nha.org.
Nantucket Shorts Festival
5 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. An evening of storytelling through short films of two to 10 minutes created by members of the Nantucket community. $33, $25 for Dreamland members. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Live Music: Jamie McLean
10 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. McLean mixes New Orleans soul, Delta blues, middle America roots and New York City swagger. 21 and over.
Sunday, Oct. 12
Birding Meet-Up
8 a.m. Nantucket High School parking lot, 10 Surfside Road. All are invited for a few hours of social birding. Be prepared to carpool. Dress for the weather.
Nantucket Half Marathon
8 a.m. start at Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm, 33 Bartlett Farm Road. The Nantucket Half Marathon and 10K race traverses one of the most scenic courses on the East Coast through the Nantucket Land Bank’s Smooth Hummocks Coastal Preserve. This year’s event is sold out.
Filmmaking Workshop
10 a.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. NCTV hosts this free workshop that teaches the fundamentals of filmmaking and offers an opportunity for members of the community to network with other aspiring and veteran amateur filmmakers.
Island Calendar
Art Auctions
5 p.m. Nantucket Yacht Club, 1 South Beach St. The Artists Association of Nantucket will host its annual Wet Paint Weekend silent and live art auctions. Free and open to the public.
Drop-in Ukulele
5:30 p.m. Nantucket Community Music Center, 56 Centre St. No instrument, no problem. Beginners welcome.
Live Music: Julia Newman
6 p.m. The Rose & Crown, 23 South Water St. Nantucket singer-songwriter Julia Newman will perform.
Art Dinner
6:30 p.m. Nantucket Yacht Club, 1 South Beach St. The Artists Association of Nantucket hosts its annual Wet Paint Weekend art dinner with painter Joan Albaugh. Tickets on calendar page of www.nantucketarts.org
Sunday Scaries
6:30 p.m. Atheneum Great Hall, 1 India St. The Atheneum will screen a pair of horror films: “The Fog” (1980) and “The Wicker Man” (1973). Free. Intended for mature audiences.
Live Music: DJ Ryan Brown
10 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. Boston DJ Ryan Brown will man the turntables. 21 and over.
Monday, Oct. 13
Indigenous Peoples Day
Levitate Flannel Jam
Noon-7 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Live music by The Wood Brothers, Rayland Baxter, Hans Williams, Evangeline, Nate Ramos, Overserved Again and Doug & Co., hot cider and donuts, New En-
ea’s early residents and architectural styles, as well as how the houses have come to symbolize the island’s whaling era. Tickets at nantucketpreservation.org.
Open Arts Night
6:30 p.m. Nantucket Atheneum, 1 India St. The library’s stage and mic are open to all, who are also welcome to come and work on any kind of art project while watching the show.
Wednesday, Oct. 15
Drop-in Craft Gam
11 a.m.-2 p.m. 1800 House, 4 Mill St. Have an unfinished chair, basket, beading, or stitching project? Bring any project you are working on to this open session and work in the company of other creative people. Free.
gland photo and art show. Tickets at levitateflanneljam.com
Best Screenplays: “The Big Short”
7 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Dreamland will screen 2015’s “The Big Short,” starring Steve Carell, Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt and Marisa Tomei as part of its Best Screenplays series. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Tuesday, Oct. 14
Cinema for the Very Young
10:30 a.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Dreamland will screen a sensory-friendly Rated G or All Ages film/series whose title will not be announced in advance. Free. All children in attendance must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver throughout the 90-minute program.
Connecting to Art and History
10:45 a.m. Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. Discover connections to art, history, and each other through conversation about works of art and artifacts in the NHA collection. Free but registration required on calendar page of www.nha.org
Golden Age Films: “The Awful Truth”
1:30 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Dreamland will screen 1937’s “The Awful Truth,” starring Cary Grant. Free for seniors, $13 for the general public. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
A Walk Down Main Street
3 p.m. 11 Centre St. An overview of Nantucket in its heyday focusing on the portion of Main Street between the Pacific National Bank and the Civil War monument. Learn about the street’s development and the ar-
History Lecture
2 p.m. Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. Timothy Walker, professor of history at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and oceanographer Caroline Ummenhofer of the Woods Hole Oceanographic institution will discuss how weather records contained in ship logbooks from American whaling voyages can be used to assess current shifting winds and weather patterns. Free, but registration required on calendar page of www.nha.org
Film for Thought: “Les Musiciens”
7 p.m. “Le Musiciens,” starring Marie Vialle, about a woman who succeeds in fulfilling her father’s dream: to bring together four virtuosos for a unique concert, eagerly expected by music lovers around the world. The only problem is, they are incapable of playing together. Free for Dreamland members. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Science Speaker: Jackie Milingo
7 p.m. Maria Mitchell Association Research Center, 2 Vestal St. Jackie Milingo, the MMA’s new director of astronomy, will discuss her research into star spots and how she uses them as a window into teaching undergraduates the process of scientific discovery. Free, and also available on Zoom. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Thursday, Oct. 16
Owl Prowl
8 p.m. Maria Mitchell Association, 4 Vestal St. Join MMA field ornithologist and I&M columnist Ginger Andrews to listen for the calls of nocturnal animals and birds and watch for owls as they begin their nightly activity. Tickets on calendar page of www. mariamitchell.org
Courtesy of Nantucket Half-Marathon
The Nantucket Half Marathon will start and finish Sunday at Bartlett’s Farm.
Cellar: Nantucket and Burgundy
(Continued from page 15)
pan-seared presentations to creative preparations, the choice of Burgundy becomes crucial. A Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru elevates the scallop’s natural sweetness, while its limestone-derived minerality provides a sophisticated counterpoint.
Philosophy of place
What truly connects Nantucket to Burgundy isn’t just the compatibility of flavors, it’s a shared philosophy that the best experiences come from celebrating place.
When you sit at a waterfront restaurant watching the sunset over Nantucket Harbor, sipping a Gevrey-Chambertin while savoring locally caught tuna, you’re participating in the same reverence for terroir that Burgundian vignerons have practiced for centuries.
The island’s restaurants understand this connection intuitively. They know that a Nantucket oyster and a glass of Chablis aren’t just compatible, they’re expressions of the same geological story, separated by millions of years but united in their mineral essence.
A guide to exploring this connection
Begin your journey at any island restau-
rant that proudly sources locally. Start with village-level Burgundies before exploring Premier and Grand Crus.
Taste multiple wines from the same producer to understand their house style, then compare across producers from the same village. Most importantly, taste without preconceptions. Let the wines speak to you as they interact with Nantucket’s incredible local ingredients.
This annual exploration of Burgundy through Nantucket’s culinary lens becomes a celebration of two places that understand a fundamental truth: the finest pleasures in life come not from dominating nature, but from understanding and celebrating what each special place offers in its own perfect time.
Whether you’re discovering this connection at a casual island lunch or during an elegant waterfront dinner, remember that you’re participating in a conversation between two terroirs: one ancient, one immediate, both magnificent in their expression of place and season.
Peter McEachern is the general manager of the Nantucket Yacht Club. He has been buying wine, creating wine lists and running wine tastings since 1983. He can be reached at peter@nantucketyachtclub.org
MusACK: Dusty 45s rock the rock
(Continued from page 11)
“All the Beauty in Between,” was born out of a sense of isolation that came from the twin tasks of navigating life and pursuing art during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Huels, via the band’s Bandcamp page, talks about the album as “a journey that reflects the wide-eyed optimism of a farm boy with a trumpet and a heart full of dreams,” with the songs exploring “the cracks that appeared in the foundations of a world once taken for granted.”
Those themes are most apparent on tracks like “Get Back Home,” with its sense of yearning to return to a safer place, or at least to recover direction when things fracture; and the instrumental “Burnout” which lets its silence speak volumes, things unsaid and fissures in worldview whispering through the gaps.
What allows the band to gel as a unit is each musician’s knowledge of and love for American roots music, a combination of camaraderie and shared drive.
Though Huels started out as a solo singer-songwriter, the consistent collaboration of being part of a band is what makes everything worth it, he said.
“Instead of being a solo artist, I really prefer to operate as a band and collaborate,
as long as we stay within the vision of our sound,” he said. “So I’m very fortunate in that regard to have guys that love the music, as well.”
If The Dusty 45s’ mission is to preserve and renew the spirit of American roots music, their annual trip to Nantucket is where that mission finds a particularly warm audience.
They’ve been playing on the island every October for the past 15 years, a streak that began when Cisco Brewers’ CEO Jay Harman invited them in 2010.
“We just clicked with the folks out there, particularly the locals,” Huels said.
The Nantucket shows will also feature four new tracks from their forthcoming EP, giving an early taste of the band’s latest work.
For Huels and the band, these appearances are less about filling a calendar slot and more about sustaining a relationship. Their yearly presence on the island brings a reminder that roots music, when handled with care and fire, isn’t just a relic of the past. It’s a living, breathing thing still gathering people together.
As Huels puts it, the job is simple, if not easy: “We all rally to make it as good as it can be.”
Eat: Classic red sauce comfort food at Fusaro’s on Old South Road
(Continued from page 5)
ingredients.
“Red sauce joints” are classic for a reason, though. You can get that American meat-and-potatoes kind of meal (a staple of central Italian cooking) and also the comforting, hearty pastas and pizzas.
Fusaro’s draws on this home-cooked charm with dishes like Nana Jean’s Meatballs and Mimi’s Lasagna, but the team also makes an effort to show you what’s to love about all the regions of Italian cuisine, including fish and lighter fare from the south and rich risottos from the north.
Our meal started off with a basket of Italian bread and olive oil. The bread was pillowy soft and had a light, thin crust, perfect for dipping and soaking up the smooth, green flavors of the house EVOO. I really enjoyed the mild nuttiness from the roasted garlic cloves baked into the loaf.
For appetizers, we dug into the local calamari and roasted Brussels sprouts. The calamari really let the local squid shine, just enough coating to get that bready, fried flavor while still letting the natural taste of the squid come through.
One thing I’ve always loved about Fusaro’s is the dipping sauce served with the calamari. It’s not your traditional cocktail sauce. It looks and tastes more like a pepper relish with visible bits of chopped pepper and seeds.
Now, fair warning, I am a huge spice-aholic. The spicier the better. To me, this sauce is so great because of the higher spice level. It adds such a nice, peppery flavor to and really elevates the neutral squid.
One of my biggest personal challenges in the kitchen is getting crisp Brussels sprouts, and I think Fusaro’s may have found a solution to my problem. They top their roasted buds with toasted breadcrumbs, giving you a great crisp bite all the way through.
Mixed with the sprouts are some caramelized shallots and pancetta. Anything with pancetta, sign me up.
The salty Italian bacon mixes beautifully with the sweet shallots and earthy Brussels sprouts. To top it all off, the dish is drizzled with vincotto, similar to a balsamic glaze that adds a hint of rich fruitiness.
For our mains, we took a whole tour of Italy, top to toe of the boot. In preparation for the fall season, I had to try the rigatoni with shredded short rib, and it did not disappoint.
The pasta was cooked to a wonderful al dente, just soft enough to get on my fork.
The short rib was served in bigger chunks, but you barely even needed a knife to pull it apart. The meat was smooth and melted right in your mouth.
The sliced crimini mushrooms added a subtle earthiness. Topped with smooth, creamy herbed ricotta, the dish was reminiscent of a beef stew, warm and hearty.
It’s the kind of dish you constantly crave in the fall and winter but never have the energy to make for yourself. Thankfully, Fusaro’s has you covered.
For a lighter pasta, we ordered the clams and linguine, because who can say no to local littlenecks?
The light, briney flavor of the clams mixed perfectly with the rich, fatty pancetta.
“Anyone who orders it, I get compliments all night long, but I think some people are maybe still a little scared of it and don’t fully know what it is,” he said.
People, please don’t be scared of the branzino. I’m a sucker for a crispy skin and this fish did not disappoint.
I loved the contrast between the light, buttery branzino and the crunchy, roasted skin. The fish was served on a bed of arugula and roasted fingerling potatoes and topped with cherry tomatoes and a lemon caper sauce.
The salty-citrusy combo of lemon and capers was perfect for this dish and really brought some brightness to the fish.
One of my favorite parts was smashing the potatoes and letting them soak in the sauce. The slightly sweet starchiness of the potatoes and the kick of sourness from the sauce made a great layered bite.
If you’re eating with a large group, the pizza is a great option for an appetizer or shared plate for the table. The crust is thick and bready, a great handle for the sturdy pizza. You can get a taste of some Fusaro’s specialties on the pizzas like Nana Jean’s meatballs, and they don’t mess around with the toppings.
The pizzas come loaded up so you get a taste of everything in each bite, all held together by warm, melty cheese and crisp, coal-dusted bread.
For dessert, the torta al cioccolata was a chocolate-lover’s dream. The cake itself was so thick and rich, it felt like biting into a spoon of hot fudge.
I loved the berry compote and raspberry sauce, which each added a nice bit and tartness to the plate.
The cake is served warm, so the vanilla ice cream on top melts as you eat, balancing a sugar sweetness with the deep chocolate and tart berries.
Fusaro’s tagline is “your neighborhood joint,” and that atmosphere is clear when you step into the restaurant. I watched Tom and Stacy walk through the restaurant stopping to chat with every table.
It’s such a high energy, friendly place, you can’t help but want to be a part of it.
“That’s what we’re trying to create here: a small, warm welcoming neighborhood place,” Tom said. “When you come in you feel welcomed, enjoy your meal, and see value in the prices you pay for the food that you get.”
The linguine soaked up the buttery white wine sauce beautifully, and I loved the quick punch of spice from the chili. It was refreshing and comforting, balancing the lighter clams and pasta with the rich sauce and pancetta.
Tom Fusaro said that one of the most underrated dishes at the restaurant is the branzino.
What makes Italian food so universally beloved is its reverence for the simple things in life: a juicy tomato, perfectly roasted garlic, warm pasta.
It’s the food you crave at the end of a long day when you just want a home-cooked meal, and on Nantucket, Fusaro’s is where you get it.
Fusaro’s, 17 Old South Road, (508) 2284100, www.fusarosrestaurant.com
Photo by Francesca Giangiulio
The rigatoni with shredded short rib contains thick chunks of melt-in-your-mouth short rib tossed with perfectly al dente pasta and sliced crimini mushrooms.
Photo by Francesca Giangiulio
The torta al cioccolata is a chocolate-lover’s dream.
Walk: Hiking the Coast to Coast Trail, one manageable section at a time
(Continued from page 6)
meet the group of year-rounders and seasonal regulars and showcase his work and focus on Mass Audubon property.
Once open and low-growing, these heathlands have largely turned into scrub oak-dominated shrubland, with a tunnel-like trail running through it.
As we walk along you can look back to see the Sankaty Head Lighthouse and the houses lining Baxter Road.
A few more open views appear from the small crests and hilltops on the trail. From these vantage points you can see that the foliage of domed tupelo stands has turned copper red.
The shrubland transitions into more mature forests in the Land Bank’s Stump Pond Preserve, a gorgeous parcel of mixed hardwood forests and spring-fed swamps that feed into the Stump Pond reservoir.
As you descend into the Stump Pond basin, the Coast-to-Coast Trail takes you close to the reservoir edge.
Beautiful boardwalks lined with cinnamon fern traverse the wet and uneven edges which are now very dry with lack of sustained rain.
The trail takes a few sharp turns, and it’s easy to get lost or turned around unless you lock eyes with the guiding trail medallions which tell you which direction to go.
Before you know it, you have emerged onto the wide and sandy Almanac Pond Road. If you are going the trail alone, this is the place to stash a car or bicycle to make your way out.
But with a group as large as ours we have to carpool back out Polpis Road to the start to get the rest of the cars.
It takes some quality time to get through this hilly first section. Seeing the same foliage and fall views speed past as we navigate back out Polpis Road can make it seem so short and unremarkable.
It instills in me the conviction that you need to get outside to experience it firsthand. Don the boots, feel the leaves crunch
beneath your feet, smell the forest slowly falling asleep.
You will miss the glory of autumn on-island if you just see the moors through a car window.
Neil Foley is the interpretive education coordinator and ecologist at the Nantucket Conservation Foundation.
Never Miss an Island Moment!
Photo by Neil Foley
Sankaty Head Light and Baxter Road as seen from the Sesachacha Heathlands.
