The Isles of Shoals

A unique island world just off the New England coast

Nine rocky islands lie within view of the New England shore. Half of them (Lunging, White, Seavey, and Star) are within the tiny 17-mile coastline of New Hampshire. The other five (Cedar, Smuttynose, Appledore, Malaga, and Duck islands) are within the jurisdiction of Maine. Visited by Native Americans since at least 6,000 years ago, the larger islands were the ideal staging point for seasonal English fisherman beginning at least in the 1620s. All the islands are privately owned except for White Island, site of the historic lighthouse, and adjoining Seavey island, now a bird sanctuary, that are managed by the state of New Hampshire. The only surviving hotel is the 1875 Oceanic on Star Island, operated seasonally by the nonprofit Star Island Corporation.. The Shoals Marine Lab on Appledore offers marine biology classes in cooperation with Cornell University and the University of New Hampshire. Rich with plant and bird life, the islands are roughly 10 miles from downtown Portsmouth, NH and as close as 6.5 miles from Rye Harbor, NH. Tour boats including the M/V Thomas Laighton,  the Heritage, and the M/V Uncle Oscar tour the Shoals in season and stop regularly at Star Island.   (Drone photo copyright 2014 David J. Murray of ClearEyePhoto.com.)