June ISHRA Conference

Ship to Shore: The Boats of the Shoals and the Stories Behind Them

Dates: Sunday, June 21 – Thursday, June 25

Registration will open after January 15, 2026 at www.starisland.org.

From the humble dugout canoe of the native Wabanaki to the tall-masted sailing ships that brought the first Europeans in search of cod, humans have been arriving on the rocky shores of the Isles of Shoals by way of boats.

There is no aspect of life out on the Shoals that is not in some way dependent on boats whether the surf boats of early lifesaving stations, the shallops, rowboats, and lobster boats of fishermen through the centuries, to the ferries and assorted small craft that now bring thousands of guests to the Isles each summer and all the necessary supplies to provide for them.

Join us this June for a fascinating look at the boats that have landed on these rocky shores across the millennia, as we hear the stories behind them as related by those who know them best. We are honored to welcome long-time Shoalers Laury Bussey, Jack Farrell, and Island Historian Ann Beattie as our esteemed presenters for this very special conference.

Scheduled activities during our week will include fascinating lectures, an island tour with Jack aboard the Shining Star and a stop at The Wood Island Life Saving Station where Laury will give us a first-hand tour, he being an integral part of the station’s recent restoration project.

In addition, we will have all our usual enjoyable offerings from our traditional Candlelight Service in the old stone Gosport Chapel to plenty of time to explore the island and enjoy visiting with friends in the rocking chairs on the porch of the historic 19th-century Oceanic Hotel.