Fall Schedules Posted

Both Hy-Line Cruises and the Steamship Authority have officially shifted to their end of year high-speed and traditional ferry schedules. View the schedules through December 31, 2015 here.

Hy-Line Announces High-Speed Ferry Fall Special!

Take an afternoon day trip to Nantucket aboard Hy-Line's high-speed ferry Grey Lady and walk around and shop the historic downtown area of Nantucket. This special includes adult round-trip high-speed ticket and a $25 restaurant certificate to The Rose and Crown OR B-ACK Yard BBQ.
 
The cost is just $77!

Offer good now through October 14, 2015.

Ferry departs Hyannis at 12:00 p.m. and leaves Nantucket at 7:20 p.m.

Call (800) 492-8082 to make reservations!

Nantucket's Fall Ferry Schedules Posted

While Labor Day marks the unofficial end to the summer season, the appeal of Nantucket hardly comes to a close. Enjoy the amazing fall foliage during a hike on Sanford Farm or visit the island's signature cranberry bogs. Find your fall ferry here.

Nantucket's Lighthouses

The Steamship Authority "spotlighted" Nantucket's three lighthouses in its August e-Newsletter. Read it below . . . and to subscribe to the SSA's monthly e-News, click here.

Nantucket is home to three picturesque lighthouses; Brant Point Light, Sankaty Light, and Great Point Light. The ever-shifting battalion of sandbars, or shoals, lurking beneath the waters that surround Nantucket have caused between 700 and 800 shipwrecks in recorded history. These beacons of safety have been guiding mariners into harbor for centuries.

Brant Point Light

Brant Point Light was built on the island of Nantucket in 1746. It was a wooden structure built on Nantucket Harbor. It was replaced several times over the years as it was destroyed by fire or storm. The first brick tower was built in 1856 and was lit on December 10th of that year and bore a Fourth order Fresnel lens that beamed a fixed light. Although this structure still stands, because of erosion a new tower was built in 1901. It was only 26 feet tall and was again constructed of wood. It was fitted with a Fifth order Fresnel lens. Some years later, the light would be changed to a flashing red so that it was more easily differentiated from the lights of the town.

Brant Point Light is still guiding mariners today. Although its flashing red light is only 26 feet above sea level, it can be seen ten miles out to sea. When you visit Nantucket, it is one of the first things you see as the ferry rounds Brant Point and heads into the harbor. You can walk to the grounds on which it stands but the lighthouse itself is not open to the public.

Sankaty Light

Built in 1850 of brick, Sankaty Light is located on Sankaty Head in Siasconset and stands 70 feet tall. The lighthouse was originally fitted with a Second order Fresnel lens, making it the first in the United States to have one of these lenses. The fixed white light that it emitted could be seen for 20 miles out to sea and was called by fishermen 'the blazing star'. The name of this lighthouse is derived from the language of the Native Americans who lived on Nantucket, the Wampanoags. Their word "sankoty" means highland, and even erosion hasn't changed the appropriateness of that name.

If you want to visit the lighthouse, leave Nantucket Village by Milestone Road and head out to Siasconset. When you reach the rotary, take Sankaty Avenue to Butterfly Lane and turn right. When you reach Baxter Street, turn left. At the end of Baxter, you will see where the original light was and the new one 400 feet from the original site.

Great Point Light

In 1785 the first lighthouse was constructed on what was then called Sandy Point and was made of wood. It was destroyed by fire in 1816 after which a 60-foot stone tower was built and finished in 1818. In 1857 a third order Fresnel lens was installed and in the 1950's, the light was automated.

As erosion began to threaten the lighthouse, Islanders appealed to the Coast Guard to move it inland. The request was rejected and in 1984, the lighthouse was destroyed. Because of the efforts of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, federal money was made available to build a replica of the original light some 300 yards from the old site. It is made of concrete and plastic and stands 60 feet high. A solar powered white light flashes every five seconds. 

You can reach Great Point from Nantucket Village by traveling east to Polpis Road and then turning north on Wauwinet Road. You will need a four-wheel drive vehicle and a permit to travel the seven miles from Wauwinet to the lighthouse.

Nantucket's August Calendar of Events

Click here for a day-by-day look at August events on Nantucket, courtesy of the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce.

Our favorite webcam EVER!

Quite simply, it's the next best thing to being there. Hy-Line Cruises has installed a new state-of-the-art webcam at its Hyannis dock and you can practically feel the harbor breeze sweeping through your display screen. It also provides a nice peek into the loading/unloading process for those who are planning to travel aboard Hy-Line Cruises for the first time.

View the webcam here, and once it moves you to book a ferry, check out the current schedules between Hyannis and Nantucket here!

Upcoming Events on Nantucket

The Steamship Authority has included a list of upcoming Nantucket events in its latest e-News for Nantucket Travelers. Join the SSA's email list here.


July 15 – 18: Nantucket Comedy Festival

More than a dozen leading comedians, humorists and commentators will converge on Nantucket for the annual Nantucket Comedy Festival. The four-day festival includes women’s night, kids night, NY vs Boston Comedy Smackdown and VIP events for pass holders only. Proceeds benefit the Stand Up & Learn program for youth.

http://nantucketcomedyfestival.org


July 16: Annual Summer Kitchen Tour

Each year the Nantucket Preservation Trust opens kitchens in an historic neighborhood in the downtown area to educate about the significance of Nantucket’s historic houses and to broaden knowledge about the possibilities that exist in designing new and retaining historic kitchens in old houses.

http://www.nantucketpreservation.org/events/summer-kitchens-tour


July 17 – 19: Small Friends Arts & Artisans Shows

Every summer Small Friends on Nantucket hosts The Nantucket Art and Artisan Show.  The show brings together over 60 locally and nationally recognized artisans and features an unparalleled selection of pottery, jewelry, textiles, art, photography, handcrafted furniture, folk art and many one-of-a-kind masterworks created by today’s most celebrated artisans. All proceeds from the show benefit Small Friends on Nantucket, a non-profit Early Learning Center for infants, toddlers and preschool aged children.

http://smallfriendsnantucket.org


July 18 – 19: Nantucket Triathlon

The Steamship Authority is proud to be the official transportation sponsor of this USAT sanctioned event. Register to compete or cheer on your favorite athlete as they swim in the waters of Nantucket Sound, and then bike and run on the beautiful island of Nantucket. Part of all proceeds benefit The Town of Nantucket Scholarship Fund.
Saturday, July 18 - Nantucket Triathlon (Sprint distance)
Sunday, July 19 - Hero Triathlon (Olympic distance)

http://www.acktri.com


July 20 – 25: Atheneum Dance Festival

Enjoy a week of programs related to ballet. Free programs for the community include a lecture/demonstration with artistic director Tyler Angle (watch the 2014 lecture/demo here), youth master ballet classes taught by members of the dance festival company, and a children’s program. The festival ends with evening performances on Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25.
Tickets are available beginning July 1 at the library box office from 10 am – 4 pm, Monday through Saturday, or online. The Nantucket Atheneum Dance Festival is a major fundraising event for the Atheneum.

http://www.nantucketatheneum.org


July 22 – 23: Nantucket Garden Festival

The Annual Nantucket Garden Festival highlights the unique and beautiful garden ecosystems on Nantucket and focuses on the importance of sustainability, conservation and gardening ethics for the long-term health of the island. The festival celebrates gardening through creative workshops, exquisite garden tours, children’s workshops, family activities and an opening night party.

http://nantucketgardenfestival.net


July 29 – August 2: Antiques and Design Show of Nantucket

This event benefits the Nantucket Historical Association, and includes a week of social events, lectures, and activities.  The show is one of the most highly regarded antiques shows on the East Coast, attracting collectors and enthusiasts to the forty-four distinguished exhibitors who present American and European art and antique furniture, accessories, nautical items, garden and architectural ornament, and folk art.

http://www.nha.org