A Day on the Grey Lady

After leaving our home-away-from-home on the Cape, we scurried to catch the morning ferry to Nantucket.  Through a series of mistakes on our part, and after encountering more than one full parking lot, we caught the 9:15 ferry at 9:16 and it departed at 9:17.  Whew!  Still can't believe we made it!  A little frazzled, we settled in for the 2 hr. 15 mins. crossing to the island of Nantucket, also known as The Grey Lady.

One of the first sights we saw after arriving was this.  I mean...come on!  You know you're in an utterly charming place when this greets you!

First order of business after arriving was lunch.  We headed straight to our favorite restaurant on the island, The Brotherhood of Thieves.

This, semi-basement level restaurant is a favorite with locals and tourists alike.  When Technohubby and I spent a week on the island for our 10th anniversary, we warmed ourselves with their tasty burgers, soups, and cozy atmosphere many times.

Lunch for me this time was a burger with caramelized onions and mushroom and boursin cheese, served with colesaw and steak fries.  Yum!

Sufficiently fortified for an afternoon of walking and fresh sea air, we began our island explorations.

I never tire of looking at beautiful houses, and Nantucket has the BEST!

We walked along the beach and the famous Brant Point lighthouse that greets you as you enter Nantucket Harbor.  The beach is a shell-searchers dream!

Meandering back towards town, we left the guys to tour the U.S. Coast Guard station, as Max is hoping to become a Coastie.

While they were busy there, Colette and I walked the brick sidewalks and cobblestone streets of the town, admiring the pretty bed-and-breakfast inns, the windowboxes overflowing with blooms, and the general charm of the island.

This famous landmark is painted on the side of the Ralph Lauren store on Main Street.  Did a little browsing in that store.

And a little browsing in this Nantucket shop.  Love their luxurious handwoven throws!

Then we visited the Peter Bretton Hats Studio.  So fun!  Look at all the delicious ribbons with which you can customize your hat!

We met up with the guys at a local coffee house.  Purchased some pastries from a bakery to take home.  And then we headed over to the Whaling Museum to take a tour.  Nantucket was the nation's whaling capital for many years.  Many of the homes on the island belonged to captains of whaling ships.

Candles made from spermecetti, the last part of the whale oil processing.  Such a curious color.

Whale oil (this from a whale that washed up on the island in the 1990's) was used for many decades as a fuel for lanterns.  These bottles are actually quite large...close to 2-ft. high.

The rooftop terrace of the Whaling Museum provides a lovely spot for relaxing and has a commanding view of the harbor and surrounding neighborhood of classic Nantucket homes.  Can you see why it's called The Grey Lady?

Then it was time for ice cream at this charming shop.  The smell of their waffle cones had been hovering in the air for hours, and we could resist no longer.  Besides, they have flowers on their door!

I had a pumpkin spice ice cream, as a way of saying "goodbye" to summer and "hello" to autumn.  Always so sad to leave The Grey Lady.