Nantucket Island

Since it was raining the entire time we were in Nantucket, we decided to visit the Whaling Museum. The museum houses a large collection of whaling artifacts and memorabilia, including longboats used for whale hunting, harpoons, and scrimshaw (artistic objects made from whale bone and teeth), but the centerpiece is the skeleton of a 46-foot Sperm whale suspended from the ceiling. While we were there, one of the museum employees presented a fascinating lecture on the whaling industry. Young teenagers, around the age of 14, were mostly employed on the whaling boats for 3-4 years! It was extremely gruesome work to hunt and kill a whale. Six men in a longboat would get right next to the whale and thrust a harpoon into it, which would connect the boat to the whale. The whale would swim with the boat for one to three hours! Once the whale was finally tired, the men would be able to row next to it in order to thrust a spear into the whale's lung region. This would finally kill the whale :( Afterwards, it would take days to cut it apart and get it onboard the ship. The whole process was extremely violent, and the whalers were in a constant state of danger. I couldn't help feeling sorry for the whales! However, it was interesting to hear about the whaling history.

The Nantucket Lightship Baskets are seen in the gift shops throughout Nantucket. In the 1800’s, one of the most famous Nantucket Lightships was anchored off the shores of the island to warn approaching ships that there were dangerous shoals nearby. While on board, the crew that manned the ship began to make baskets to keep themselves busy and to sell on Nantucket. Unfortunately, after 1900 the baskets were no longer made on board the ship. However, the tradition of making these baskets was continued on the island itself and has become an unique part of Nantucket. They are extremely expensive to purchase, a small basket costing over $100.

Many of the houses on Nantucket are similar in shape and color. Here are some of these houses that are located in the harbor:

While we were visiting Nantucket, we searched for the Jared Coffin House because Jared was named after him. He was a famous sea captain that once lived on the island, and his family was a large part of the whaling industry.

We also indulged in Nantucket Rum Cake :)