Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/725964
FALL 2016 DREAMSCAPES 33 glorious and most of the tourists are gone. The island population usually drops from 50,000 to around 10,000 after Labour Day, which gives you your pick of beaches, restaurants and shops, many of which offer sales. Room rates are also slashed as much as 75 per cent. Eco- nomics aside, it's simply the best time to explore the brilliant foliage any painter (accomplished or not) would be in awe of cap- turing. I've brought my iPhone 6 in lieu of paintbrushes. I unpack my laptop, a warm sweater and Barbara Kingsolver's Small Wonder. Ah, the joy of reading, uninterrupted. I'm staying at The Wauwinet, a historic waterfront inn situated on the extreme northeast end of the island. The property is beautiful, informal yet elegant, with great views and fabulous sunsets. Not to mention complimentary port and cheese that await me in the library each day at 4 p.m. I take my drink out to the garden and soak up the warm breeze that drifts off the bay. An older couple from Florida outstretched on the lounge chairs behind me asks if I can take their picture. "It's our anniversary," they say. "We want to capture this day before we leave." I zoom in to their happy, relaxed faces and try not to mess up their picture- perfect moment. TIME ON THE WATER With 48 kilometres of bike paths winding through more than 36 square kilometres of coastline, moors, cranberry bogs and sea- sprayed bluffs, tourists have an endless choice of where to explore. I manage to arrange time on the water with the resident historian and fisherman, Captain Rob. His knowledge of everything island shows in his uncanny ability to summon historical dates and places dating back to the early 1700s. Claiming iconic names such as Macy, Fol- gers and Starbucks, who were among the founding families of the island, it's no sur- prise to hear the entrepreneurial feats achieved by the people of Nantucket. For instance, between 1750 and 1850, when this area was the whaling capital of the world, Nantucket whalers would bring in more than 1,700,000 litres of refined sperm whale oil a year, a value equivalent to US$9 million today. As a working mom trying to put my own busi- ness on the map, I am greatly impressed with the townspeople's ability to turn a plot of sand into a pot of gold. I make some mental notes on how I can use this story to inspire my team. But then I remember: I'm here to float. Moving from historical tour guide to hands-on fisherman, Captain Rob turns our OPPOSITE TOP: Shop along Old South Wharf in Nantucket. LEFT: Savour freshly baked croissants at a bakery on Centre Street in Nantucket. Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism