July 2012 - Star Island Cruise

Vacation week continues with a cruise.  We have always been intrigued by the islands off the coast of New England so a cruise to explore one of them was another item to be marked off the bucket list.

The vehicle of choice was the "Uncle Oscar" which leaves out of Rye Harbor and the destination of choice was Star Island.

The day started sunny; but in true New England fashion, the clouds settled in quickly.  It has been said that if you don't like the weather here, wait a minute.  That is so true.

By the time that we made it to the Island, it was less cloudy with bursts of sunshine now and again.  The overcast skies provided perfect light for taking photos.  The anchor of Star Island is a historic Victorian hotel that is a now a religious retreat.   I am a lover of architecture...historical architecture, in particular...and this was an exciting part of the trip for me.  I love the era of the grand hotels such as this one and it was so much fun to walk around inside and imagine it in its heyday.

We didn't take advantage of the lunch portion of the trip that was offered, preferring to set out on our own and explore the island.  From what I understand from those that did take advantage of it, we made the right decision. 

There was quite a bit of activity on the Island that day as there was a retreat in session.  Because we arrived around lunch time, we were able to explore the Island without too much interruption.  Most of the campers were dining.

The Island is full of old buildings which have been lovingly kept in good condition.  I love the stone work that was used.

There is an old cemetery that overlooks the Atlantic.  New England is full of old cemeteries and there is something very interesting about them, I think. 

This was a beautiful final resting spot for the people buried here.  Seeing the old headstones always make me ponder who these people were and what their lives were like.  I can imagine visiting the grand hotels of the day; but, I cannot imagine what it was like to live in a place like this during that time period.

We really enjoyed our time exploring the Island, taking photos and enjoying the views.  

I'm quite sure that this is not a pleasant place to be when a Nor'Easter blows through; but on the day that we visited, it was peaceful and quite beautiful.  I could definitely see myself living there....in this time period...on a day like that.

This was another day of making memories for us.

The gnarly wind beaten trees and shrubs were expected on the Island; but I did not expect to find such beautiful, green foliage and these delicate little flowers.  It was a welcome shot of color.

Some things really never change.  As this wide front porch was, I'm sure, a wonderful place to hang out in days gone by, the rocking chairs still provide a place to rest and reflect on the beauty of the New England coast.

It was one of my favorite places of the day.