Uncle Oscar is back. With the MV Thomas Laighton no longer ferrying tourists
to Star Island – so far – only one local boat is offering daily stopover service
to the Isles of Shoals this summer. Curiously, the converted fishing boat is named
for Thomas Laighton’s son – Oscar Laighton – affectionately known as Uncle Oscar.
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MUCH MORE: How to Get to the Shoals
UNCLE OSCAR IS BACK IN THE FERRY BUSINESS
It seems inevitable that other cruise boats will eventually begin providing summer
"stopover" and "walkabout" visits to Star Island. But for now, old Uncle Oscar, a converted fishing boat out of Rye Harbor, NH, is the only vessel making daily
trips for visitors who actually want to get on to Star Island and walk around,
then return the same day.
Star Island conference members and Shoals Marine Lab students have their own
ferries this year. The sudden change, breaking decades of tradition, occurred
when the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company ceased its ferry service this summer.
The MV Thomas Laighton still offers a full schedule of narrated tours around the
Shoals. But only Uncle Oscar, owned by Captain Sue Reynolds will be taking up
to 20 visitors at a time to Star Island during July and August.
Reynolds, a middle school teacher, also created and organizes The Lighthouse Kids, who are raising the funds to save White Island Lighthouse
– funds the state of New Hampshire was unwilling to put up itself. Reynolds runs
a morning Lobster Fishing demonstration tour, then makes at least two daily trips
to Star, weather permitting. Those wishing an instant taxi service to the Shoals
can pay independent vessels up to $150 per trip, but Reynolds offers regularly
scheduled trips beginning at $20.
SeacoastNH.com was aboard for the first scheduled trip of the season and we took
these pictures of Sue, her assistant Max, and a few friendly passengers. For details
on trips aboard the Uncle Oscar, check out the official Island Cruises web site. – JDR
MORE: On Oscar;s sister Celia
Photos copyright (c) 2005 SeacoastNH.com. All rights reserved.
for MORE on the Isles of Shoals
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LOGHTHOUSE KIDS PAY STATE OF NH
TO SAVE WHITE ISLAND
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