Jack Farrell

Jack is a USCG 100-ton master and the island manager at Star Island at the Isles of Shoals, where his boat, Aloft, lives most of the summer. His column covers stories and observations from the Isles of Shoals and beyond. Some six miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Piscataqua River, this amazing and historic place is host to a variety of interesting vessels, wildlife and people – a rest stop on the East Coast maritime highway. He is the owner of Seacoast Maritime Charters.
Photo by Jack FarrellThe lighthouse on White Island in the Isles of Shoals. The author would like to know why the light is not functional.

‘Let’s buy a house in Maine’ season

September 30, 2024 at 12:00 am

Fall 2024 By Jack Farrell It’s mid-September on a perfect morning’s trip to Star Island amid a string of beautiful days. The clean air, blue sky, sparkling water and brisk breeze from the north make this yet another “let’s buy a house in Maine day,” as Catboat Bob would say.Read More

Photo courtesy WikipediaMarine mammals like this humpback whale are protected by federal law. Be sure to give them their space on the water.

Let ’em work, let ’em live

August 26, 2024 at 12:00 am

September 2024 By Jack Farrell It was seven a.m. on a hot, hazy morning in July at the Burge Dock in Portsmouth. My program of becoming a kinder and gentler captain was struggling that morning in the face of yet another late food shipment for Star Island. Three times aRead More

Photo by Jack FarrellCommercial fishing vessels, like the Rough Times, shown above, get a right of way on the water. This doesn’t apply to recreational fishing vessels.

So, you bought yourself a boat

July 29, 2024 at 12:00 am

August 2024 By Jack Farrell We had just finished loading propane and diesel on the Shining Star for Star Island on a scorching July afternoon along the Piscataqua River in Portsmouth. The tide was at peak flood. As we disconnected the diesel hose, a call came over the radio fromRead More

Aloft underway in earlier times. She’ll be going back into the water this summer after several years on the hard.

Striking a delicate balance

June 24, 2024 at 12:00 am

July 2024 By Jack Farrell There is a long-standing debate among historians about the origins of the name Isles of Shoals. To some it simply refers to the many ledges running out from the islands and the few especially treacherous ones that lie in open water offshore of them, commonlyRead More

Photo by Jack FarrellOn the western edge of the island, where a pavilion now exists, is the site of a former fort built by the settlers in an effort to protect themselves from a feared invasion by Native Americans.

Modeling a cleaner, brighter future

May 20, 2024 at 12:00 am

June 2024 By Jack Farrell Some years ago, a group of high school seniors from an organization called Upward Bound stopped at Star Island for a few days. As the island manager at the time, I was given the task of showing them around and doing a little teaching onRead More

Photo by Jack FarrellA tug escorts the bulk carrier Leto of Panama in the Piscataqua River.

A tragedy in Maryland

April 22, 2024 at 12:00 am

May 2022 By Jack Farrell The talk of the waterfront these days is the terrible disaster in Baltimore that took down much of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, killing six construction workers, closing the port, and disrupting traffic in the region for perhaps years to come. The Singapore-flagged cargo shipRead More

Photo by Jack FarrellSam, a professional fiddler, serenades the author on the trip back to the mainland.

The changing face of Maine

March 25, 2024 at 12:00 am

A changing climate is affecting the state from the mountain tops to the seashore.

Photo courtesy Alexandra de SteiguerA still image from a video of the January 13, 2024 storm that battered the Isles of Shoals. The video was shot by Star Island caretaker Alexandra de Steiguer.

The power of wind and waves

February 5, 2024 at 12:00 am

January’s back to back winter storms wreaked havoc at the Isle of Shoals

Photo by Jack FarrellThe author’s grandson in the cabin of Shining Star.

Counting my blessings

November 20, 2023 at 12:00 am

Lately I’ve been balancing the demands of boat captain and grandfather, happily aware of how blessed life can be.

An aerial image of the restored Wood Island Lifesaving Station. Shining Star is tied up at the dock.Photo by Dave Seavey

New life for an iconic station

September 25, 2023 at 12:00 am

Fall 2023 By Jack Farrell I bought my first sailboat in 1982. That 17-foot O’Day Day Sailer was the perfect platform for learning how to sail, allowing me to quickly gain experience from my many mistakes with minimal consequence. Every weekend that first summer was spent sailing around Pepperrell CoveRead More