It definitely feels like fall here in New Hampshire. In fact, more leaves are off the trees than still on. It is never clear to me when I should acknowledge that summer is over, and I guess it should be when I move off the island in September. At some point in the last few weeks, I know it has happened. Fall has been beautiful and mild, but as the evening temperatures dip into the 30s regularly, I now know that winter is just around the corner.
Shoals had two major events last week: the hard shut down of the island and a trip to Cornell to meet with campus partners and students. It was amusing to me that some of our shut-down crew were coming from Ithaca, just as we were traveling to Cornell. I had dinner with them on Sunday before they headed to the island on Monday, and the energy they were bringing and their love of the island were palpable. After several major fall projects, Zach and Tanner led the team who got the island ready for the winter weather that is just around the corner. The trip out to Appledore was described by one of the team as the worst he had ever seen because of a combination of rough seas and fog. It took the Heiser almost an hour and a half! Four days of hard work, and that Appledore “can-do” approach to any project, saw the island prepared to weather the winter. In addition to the on-island winter preparations, Jesse also led the effort to haul out our research vessels for hull inspections, cleaning, and painting before the temperatures were too cold for that work.
As the facilities crew headed to Appledore, the academic crew headed to Ithaca. We met with our partners in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), the School of Continuing Education (SCE), and across departments and units at Cornell. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to meet in-person with many of our partners and to think about how Shoals can benefit Cornell students, how we can reach those students, and how we can facilitate their enrollment and funding for Shoals courses. Our friends in the Office of Undergraduate Biology (OUB) and in the Environment and Sustainability (E&S) program provided us with additional ideas of how we can reach students and what curricular offerings would help fill gaps in the on-campus offerings. The highlight of the trip was our reunion/alumni event. Eugene provided a great summary of the Shoals opportunities for students, both courses and research experiences. Two of this year’s research interns spoke about their experiences, and then we surprised the winner of the Anderson Award with his honor. Several of us also met with research collaborators, working on results of past studies and already planning for next summer. There is never a dull moment for Shoals.
I already have a countdown timer on my phone indicating the number of days until we open for 2026. There is a lot of life to live, people to see, and football (or hockey, basketball, volleyball, or name your favorite sport) to watch between now and then. Wishing you all the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature in the fall and winter.
Winter Vessel Care
The R/V John B Heiser recently came ashore and then went right back in the water after receiving new bottom paint and routine maintenance. It will stay in the water all winter. (see below before and after pictures)
The R/V John M Kingsbury was brought ashore for its biannual dry dock and haul inspection -it passed without any major issues. Captain Jesse is currently bottom painting her, and she will receive additional maintenance throughout the fall and spring seasons. Below is a view of her that few experience.
photos: Jesse Joy
New Sustainability Acquisition
Dear Friends,
Exciting news for the sustainability of Celia Thaxter's Garden for the future! Three generous donors came together to underwrite a 3000-gallon water tank that will be used to irrigate Celia's Garden.
As you may know, for some time we have used rainwater as the primary source of water for the garden by collecting rain from the roof of the Grass Lab and storing it in two 875-gallon containers, giving us 1750 gallons of water to work with between rains. The new tank will be tied into the roof of the pole barn or the Whirly barn.
This past summer we used approximately 4000 gallons of water in the garden and the garden expansion, and even with little rain, those reservoirs refilled once and then we supplemented as needed. Our goal in the garden is to never utilize resources that are used by the students, and I feel for the most part we have been extremely successful with that goal. This new water tank will further that goal, and we will work it into the educational aspects of sustainability at Shoals.
If you have never collected rainwater for your garden, start in the Spring. Your plants will love it, particularly if it's enhanced with gull enrichment as ours is on Appledore!
Sincerely,
Terry Cook, Celia Thaxter Garden Steward
Photos provided by Terry Cook. Shown: the tank with Lead Engineer Tanner Burns and loaded onto the R/V Heiser
Ithaca Meetup
SURG mentor and SML faculty, Mike Sigler, and his wife, Flora, stopped in Ithaca last month to host an ice cream social for SML alumni. Several members of the class of 2025 attended in person, but others attended via social media. Dedicated Shoalers presented tables at Biofest. Cornell Academic Coordinator, Eugene Won, then hosted the Siglers for a fresh lake trout dinner.
Shoals Seabird Exhibit
2025 SML SURG student Ben Kerstetter (Cornell class of '27) is sharing his perspective on the seabirds of the Isles of Shoals with the Cornell community through an exhibit of his photography in Mann Library (2nd floor) from now until Thanksgiving. He shares: "As a photographer, I became fascinated with the wild and beautiful world of Shoals. Back at Cornell, I miss how it felt to wake up to gulls blaring outside my window, to the sight of endless ocean, to my nest checks on the cliff edges, to unbelievable island sunsets, and to the amazing undergrads, scientists, and staff that made Shoals’ community so special. It is impossible to capture it all in a couple photos, but I hope to show just a bit of the beauty of Shoals and its seabirds in this gallery." Check out the exhibit if you are on Cornell campus this fall! You can see more of Ben's work at @b_kerstetter_photography.
Cornell Reunion and Open House
Sara, Dave and Liz made a fall visit to Cornell last week. This trip provides opportunities for Shoals to connect more strongly with our Cornell colleagues. During the visit, Eugene hosted us for a Cornell-SML reunion and open house - it was standing room only! Our campus partners are definitely spreading the word for opportunities at Shoals for Cornell students.
2025 Anderson Award Winner
Marshall Mumford
The John M. Anderson Award for Excellence in Natural History is given in memory of John M. Anderson, one of SML’s founding faculty members. The annual award recognizes an outstanding Cornell undergraduate student who has demonstrated academic excellence at both Cornell and SML.
This year’s award was given to Marshall Mumford (Environment and Sustainability 2026). Marshall took his first class at Shoals Marine Lab as a rising junior in 2024, Marine Mammal Biology taught by Dr. Nadine Lysiak and Dr. Matt Leslie. He returned as the physical oceanography and ecology intern in 2025 as part of the Shoals Undergraduate Research Group. Marshall’s research focused on understanding local physical oceanography and its influence on Appledore nearshore fishes and was supervised by Dr. Jennifer Djikstra, Dr. Tom Lippman, and Melanie Carolan. “This summer has been absolutely incredible”, said Marshall.
Marshall shined this summer. He devised and completed an ambitious fieldwork plan, a great big data collection achievement. He is steady in the field regardless of conditions (he has lots of experience in small boats commercially fishing). He collaborated to create a Shoals fish "book", which described where different species can be found, a well-done guide for students and faculty with nice pictures and descriptions, for several species. He continues to analyze results from this summer’s work with his mentors and intends to submit a paper for publication.
Congratulations Marshall! We were proud to present this award to you and excited for your bright future ahead!
Shoals at the Waterbird Society Conference
Earlier this month, Shoalers reunited in Traverse City, Michigan during the 2025 Waterbird Society conference. This meeting is an annual opportunity to share our science and connect with colleagues and friends old and new. UNH graduate student Aliya Caldwell (SML SURG 2018 and SML seasonal staffer) was awarded the best student paper award for their work on drivers of foraging movement in Isles of Shoals Common Terns. Congratulations Aliya!
Top: Dr. Gemma Clucas (Cornell Lab of Ornithology Research Associate & SML SURG Research Mentor), Aliya Caldwell (UNH grad student & SML alum), Dr. Liz Craig (SML Director of Seabird Research), Olivia Smith (Dartmouth grad student & SML alum), and Dr. Leah Moran (Mississippi State University & Isles of Shoals tern program alum) reconnect over a shared and ongoing passion for Isles of Shoals seabirds. Bottom left: Aliya Caldwell giving an award-winning talk. Bottom right: Dr. Clucas wowing the audience about the amazing dietary insights we can gain by sequencing seabird poop.
From Our AFA Community
Alumni and Friends Association
Dear AFA Community,
The August 2025 celebration/reunion, to honor SML’s 60th season, was a grand success! More than 80 alums and friends attended, some of whom had not been to Appledore in decades or since they were a student. It was great seeing Shoals classmates and friends who came from near and far, having the chance to make new connections. The silent auction was a point of pride - it included more than 50 items solicited by and donated by AFA members and raised more than $5,000 for SML!
DID YOU KNOW? All SML Alumni and Friends are Members of the AFA
We held an informal and well-attended AFA meeting at which several people stepped up to become members of the AFA Council, and we are still seeking volunteers to serve as Vice Chair and Secretary of the AFA Leadership. Our goals over the next several months include revising the AFA Charter (our guiding document) and to initiate a search for “lost” SML alums, focusing on more recent classes to expand membership. Current members are listed below - members added in 2025 are indicated as “new”:
The AFA Leadership
Chair – Jackie Webb
Vice Chair – vacant
Secretary – vacant
AFA Council (organized by the decade representing first experience at SML)
1960’s: vacant
1970’s: Jack Cutler (1973), Jackie Webb (1977), Mike Coburn (1977), Tom Johnson (new, 1970’s)
1980’s: Mark Wiley (1986), Morgan Hardwick-Witman (‘80’s)
1990’s: Doug Fudge (1991), Kate Siler (1991), Jim Warren (new, 1991)
A reunion attendee wrote to me recently after connecting with a fellow alum who they hadn’t seen in decades; “What a place, Shoals, that creates our small world.”
If you feel the same, please consider giving back to SML by volunteering your time as an AFA leadership or council member. Please contact me at jwebb20@cox.net to learn more.
