Isles of Shoals

The Isles of Shoals are a cluster of small islands about ten miles offshore, split between New Hampshire and Maine. They are accessible by excursion ferry from Portsmouth's waterfront, with Isles of Shoals Steamship Company running regular summer services. The round trip takes most of a day; the boats stop at Star Island, where the historic Oceanic Hotel operates as a conference centre.

The islands have a long history as a fishing community, an artists' colony — Childe Hassam painted here extensively in the late 19th century — and a resort destination before the ferry traffic declined. Today they draw birdwatchers (the islands are important seabird nesting habitat), divers (rocky underwater terrain and good visibility), and visitors interested in the atmospheric combination of open ocean, historic buildings, and relative isolation. The views back toward the New Hampshire and Maine coast are excellent on clear days.

things to do sight
A story
In 1873, the Norwegian immigrant John Hontvedt and his brother hired out as fishermen and left their wives on the island of Smuttynose for the night. A man named Louis Wagner, who knew the household, rowed out from Portsmouth in a stolen dory and murdered two of the women for the small amount of money he thought was in the house. The Smuttynose murders became one of the most notorious crimes in 19th-century New England; the case is retold in Anita Shreve's novel The Weight of Water.