Photo: Jim Coyer (circa 1990)

This newsletter includes the following topics: 

Greetings to the Shoals Community:

 

It has felt like a long winter, but we can see the Shoals 2025 season coming together and fast approaching.  The ice is now gone from the Lamprey River in front of my house, I can see where flowers are beginning to emerge in our yard, and birds like Red-winged Blackbirds and Red-shouldered Hawks are showing up in the area, so spring is here. The old adage that March comes in like a lion, and out like a lamb seems inappropriate for the Shoals schedule as March starts at full speed and ramps up to warp speed by the end of the month. The open-up crew is scheduled to be on the island in just one month and two weeks later the staff will move to the island to begin our summer season.

 

I continue to be blown away by the generosity of our community.  We had a very successful Cornell Giving Day, engaging more than 60 donors (our goal for the 60th) and unlocking all of our donor challenges.  Next month will be the opportunity for the UNH community to show their support.  This year I issued a challenge to the 2024 alums from Cornell and UNH.  Whichever university has a greater percentage of students from last summer donate will unlock an additional donation from me. We use annual donations to fund scholarships, seasonal positions, building maintenance, and general operations of the lab. Running a self-contained campus on an off-shore island is expensive and our community support makes our classes and the opportunity to do research on Appledore within reach for many who might not otherwise be able to afford our amazing experiences.

 

March has been a month of transitions at the lab. Despite the three years notice, none of us actually thought that Ross Hansen would retire. We had a small retirement “shindig” for Ross at a local virtual golf facility. He finally agreed that we could celebrate him on the island, and that is likely to be in 2026. Our new Lead Captain began this month, we are interviewing for a new Lead Engineer to start as soon as we can onboard them, and some of our seasonal staff have started their positions. We are beginning to plan day trips to the island, working with various groups that want to visit this summer, and planning our 60th celebration and reunion weekend. Matt is developing the onboarding schedule for this summer’s staff. Students are now registering for our classes and our SURG students (summer interns) are being selected by our mentors.

 

Although I have been in this position for a full year now, I still can’t believe how lucky I am to spend my summers on Appledore, to work with such a talented and dedicated team that run the island and educate our students, and to be surrounded by a community that is so generous with their time, talents, and financial support.

 

In anticipation of a fantastic 60th season!

We are excited to welcome Jesse Joy, 
Lead Research Vessel Captain, to the team! 

 

 

 

 

Cam Ragland (former SML Lab Coordinator 2024) is our Program Coordinator this 

year and we are lucky to have her back! When not on Appledore for the summer, Cam has spent the past few years sailing aboard the ships at Sea Education Association, teaching students marine science and sailing. She earned her BS from Union College in Environmental Science and Geology, where she found a passion for research/data science and marine education as an oceanography TA. On the island, you can often find Cam trying to defrost dogfish for dissection on the PK back porch, getting stoked about plankton with Mike Sigler, or finding good wind to sail the S/V Becker around the island. (below left)

 

Maddie Ellms is our new Social Media Assistant! Maddie graduated from UNH in 
2024 with a degree in Zoology and having spent most of his undergraduate summers on Appledore Island. He grew up in the White Mountains and is passionate about
sharing and inspiring excitement for science. (below right)

 

In 1995, when Ross Hansen was hired by Shoals as a seasonal island engineer, it was clear that the island community had found a “keeper,” although we don’t know that anyone realized the impact that he would have over the next three decades.  Over the last thirty years, Ross has been a key part of the Shoals team.  An incomplete list of his accomplishments includes: learned our systems inside and out, ensured that our buildings were in good repair, led the annual open-up and close-down of the island facilities and infrastructure (including power, freshwater, saltwater, and sewage), oversaw the installation of a continually increasing and complex sustainable energy infrastructure, oversaw the development of our water conservation and energy conservation buildings, helped remove broken or unused equipment to increase the utility of many places on the island, and led countless volunteer projects. His hands are all over the projects and buildings in the island (and his name is immortalized in the concrete in at least one building). Shoalers informally named a building in his honor—the pole barn will continue to be Ross’s pole barn.  His name deserves to be immortalized with the reverence afforded to Dominic Gratta and the builders of the Lab facilities, as his work over decades has helped maintain and expand our island facilities. We were thrilled last fall when Ross’s work as a driving force in all the lab's infrastructure upgrades and upkeep was recognized with a Cornell University President’s Award for Employee Excellence in a Culture of Sustainability, which recognized Ross’s role in a key part of developing the culture and community that make Appledore and SML so special.

 

Ross gave us three years notice of his retirement. We didn't really believe he would ever do it, but here we are. It's time to wish all the best to our long-standing friend, colleague, and dedicated Shoals advocate and steward as he retires and moves to the next chapter in his life. Ross has shared that he plans to spend time enjoying summers with family and friends, playing golf and hockey and partaking in many summer concerts and theater. Although we will miss seeing Ross on the island each day, we know he will always be part of the Shoals community and expect to see him at future events and volunteer weekends on Appledore.
 

We know many people expressed interest in honoring Ross. We had a small retirement gathering on his last night in the seacoast.  He has agreed that our community can celebrate him on the island in the future, probably in the 2026.

 

Thank you, Ross, for the large and small ways you have supported and guided the Shoals Marine Lab for so long. Congratulations on your retirement! 

Some of our supporters have expressed interest in ensuring that their annual support for the lab can continue in perpetuity. One way that is particularly helpful is planned giving, an option that is available through either Cornell University or the University of New Hampshire.  A planned gift allows us to know of your intention to leave a bequest to Shoals and ensures that your gift is used as intended—for our annual fund, for scholarships, for infrastructure, for specific staff or faculty positions, for research, for operations, or for a specific infrastructure project.  Planned gifts may be made to support existing funds or may be used to establish new ones, if they meet the guidelines of the particular university.  Please note that even if it is years or decades before we receive the bequest, it can be counted to meet current or ongoing philanthropic goals like Shoals’ $6 million for the 60th.

Hey Shoalers! Thank you so much to those who have responded to our interest survey already! It's valuable in helping us plan for this fantastic event. In case you missed it, we are asking everyone who has ever enjoyed Shoals Marine Lab to consider joining us for this special Anniversary, and we would appreciate you taking this brief interest survey to help us gauge interest for planning purposes. 

Come for the day! Come for a night! Come for two nights! 

There will be traditions old and new - don't miss out!  

 

Step back in time and experience the unique beauty of Celia Thaxter's Appledore Island! Experience the serenity of Celia Thaxter’s garden by the sea. 

Take a Celia Thaxter Garden Tour!

Spend a day learning about the history and natural history of the Isles of Shoals with the UNH Marine Docents. Join an Appledore Island Walking Tour!

Spring migration is one of the most exciting times for bird watchers, and Appledore Island is an important place to see it all. Register for Migration and the Isles of Shoals!

Join fellow artists of all skill levels and explore the beautiful landscapes, flora, and fauna of Appledore Island for a creative getaway, with Seascapes and Landscapes!

Experience the magic of the Isles of Shoals in early fall during Isles of Shoals Birding

Over 200 species of songbirds, seabirds, and waterfowl occur on Appledore as migrants – making it a perfect spot to observe fall movements. 

Long time Shoaler and island photographer, Jim Coyer, has expanded into other artistic media and will have an exhibit opening in Portsmouth, NH in April. If you're in the area you might want to stop by and see his installation.