Time to Reflect on Nantucket

One year ago this past weekend, my husband Dan and I rounded Brant Point on the Steamship, landing in Nantucket as full time residents. We’d been here before a few thousand or so times (we’ve owned a home here for 18 years), but this time we weren’t pulling into the harbor to vacation – we were here for good. We looked a bit like the Beverly Hillbillies, car filled to capacity with family keepsakes, a moving van busting at the seams with a lifetime of belongings and a fat white dog even more delighted than we were to be coming “home” to Nantucket.

The island had a million surprises in store for us. As temperatures dropped, the summer visitors began to dwindle and the foliage fell from the trees, we discovered our little island in raw form was every bit as beautiful as in all her summer glory. As we headed into winter, we frequented local restaurants and community activities, gathered friends together for impromptu dinner parties and embraced the quiet hush that characterizes the off season months. Before we could utter “cold winter’s nap,” the temps were rising, the trees were blooming and spring was in the air.

Working in real estate has unearthed countless opportunities to become intimately involved with the geography of the island. Our rental visits and turnovers have led us down remote winding roads to beach cottages in Madaket and bluffside homes in Sconset. Sales showings have taken us from Eel Point estates to the sandy shores of Wauwinet – each home ripe with its own nostalgia and charm. Every one the guardian of a family story.

There is no question the best part of this past year has been the opportunity to meet so many interesting and diverse personalities. Each one has a unique Nantucket story. Some have spent a lifetime here, some just discovering it for the first time, but all share a common bond – the love of Nantucket. Many of our renters are repeat visitors who make the “Nantucket Experience” an annual event. Others choose the island to commemorate a special occasion. We assisted families this summer as they celebrated weddings, anniversaries and birthdays. One mom gathered her entire family on the island to celebrate her son’s victory over lymphoma.

Many of you have scrapbooks filled with your own Nantucket story. In the coming weeks we’d like to showcase some personal stories of how the island has impacted our homeowners, clients, colleagues and friends. What’s your favorite Nantucket experience or island memory? Email over your stories and we’ll weave them into our weekly island musings.

Even as I take time to reflect on Nantucket this past year, it’s exciting to anticipate what’s ahead. Many of you have already re-booked a rental home for next summer. Some of you are planning a trip to the island for the first time or are in the process of purchasing a Nantucket dream home where your family can begin building a lifetime of island memories. Join me in reflecting…and then turn your eyes toward the future where the next Nantucket Experience awaits you.

Onward.

Shellie Dunlap