Photo of Appledore Island in winter, taken by Jack Kingsbury prior to digital photography, year unknown
This newsletter includes the following topics:
Director's Note
Here's How! Our Gift to You
A New Tradition
Appledore in Winter
Cornell Undergrad Research Symposium
Apply Now-Seasonal Staff 2026
Artist-in-Residence Program
Faculty Member Wanted
End-of-Year Donations
Greetings to the Shoals Community:
There is a special magic this time of year. I’ve always enjoyed the beauty of winter scenes. Currently, my yard is covered in snow, the river is iced over, and more birds are using my feeders. Seeing the vibrant red of a male cardinal against the backdrop of white always makes me smile. I also love seeing my family’s holiday decorations, which haven’t been on display for two years as we were packing and moving to New Hampshire.
It has always seemed odd to me that winter officially begins at the winter solstice. We have already had two substantial snowstorms and multiple days when temperatures did not reach freezing (32°F or 0°C). My husband and I joke about how driving home from UNH at 5 pm in total darkness makes it feel much later. The solstice on December 21 is the shortest day (longest night) of the year in the northern hemisphere. Then on December 22, the days will start getting longer. Slowly at first but noticeably over January and February. While I know that we will experience more cold temperatures and more snow, the increasing daylight feels like the annual transition toward summer.
Before the solstice, the Shoals team had several winter trips to Appledore. These were to continue work on a research project by a UNH faculty member, who is also a great Shoals partner and friend. I was able to go on the first trip, hoping to get pictures of Appledore in the snow. Because I still had 4-5 inches of snow covering my yard in Lee and snow blanketed the ground in Portsmouth, Rye, and Newcastle, I was excited to be able to land on the island with my camera. You can read below about our December Appledore adventures.
The team had a wonderful holiday potluck last week to celebrate the season and to enjoy the company of a truly amazing and fun group of people. Many of us are planning some well-deserved time off over the next couple of weeks. For me, this will include numerous walks on the beach in South Carolina. I can’t get too much of the ocean, marine mammals, and seabirds. When we return, the preparations for the 2026 season will swing into full gear. We begin reviewing applicants for our seasonal positions in mid-January, students start moving through the enrollment process later that month and into February, our public programs are being finalized to bring new and returning friends to the island, and our research teams are evaluating candidates for the Shoals Undergraduate Research Group (SURG). So, although we have already put a lot of time into preparations for the next Shoals’ season, the solstice also marks the transition into the sprint toward next summer.
As the solstice approaches, I plan to enjoy the sights of winter and the lights that are visible now, particularly the stars and the moon against the pitch black sky. There’s nothing like the reflected moon and moon shadows on snow covered ground.
Wishing you all the beauty and wonder of the holidays and of the astronomical winter,
Here's How! Our Gift to You
The story of how it all started, Here's How We'll Do It: An Informal History of the Construction of the Shoals Marine Laboratory, Appledore Island, Maine, by John M. Kingsbury, is now available on the most popular podcasting platforms, read by the author himself! Curl up with a hot cocoa this winter and listen to the soothing tones of our founding director as he tells the most unlikely, sometimes serious, usually amusing stories of way back when. Host a listening party with your fellow alumni and recall the glory days. Here's how to find it! Click one of the buttons below.
As part of our annual end-of-year appeal, we have created a recipe card using a very popular recipe used on Appledore Island throughout the years. This recipe was generously provided by Eli Thompson. We are pleased to share with our community and plan to share more recipes in the future. We hope you enjoy!
Appledore in Winter
Have you ever looked at the Appledore webcams in the winter just to see what is happening on the island? Are you looking for falcons, hawks, eagles, or Snowy Owls? Have you wondered what it is like on the island in the snow?
As part of an ongoing research project, several Shoals staff and support teams for the research project went to the island on Sunday, December 7, for a day trip. That trip was followed by an overnight trip to the island last weekend. During the day trip, Sara was able to wander the island and take some photos while the engineers and researchers were working on their projects. Given the number of people who monitor the webcams, the team was surprised that no one asked who was on the island or who was walking on Crystal Lake. Ross, Mike, and Zach had shared that because of the wind and possibly the ocean temperatures, snow rarely accumulated on Appledore.
Lessons Sara learned from the day trip:
Dock lines can be hazardous weapons in the winter. (They were much easier to manage and more supple after the trip to the island when the lines were wet but not frozen).
Ross, Mike, and Zach were correct about the snow. Not that it’s surprising that they were correct, more that the lack of snow was a disappointment when there was so much snow on the mainland. Despite the lack of snow, icy patches around the island made navigation tricky.
We've often said that Crystal Lake is neither crystal nor a lake. However, in the winter when frozen over, it's more akin to its namesake.
Snow Buntings do visit the intertidal during the winter. Sara is used to seeing them in farm fields, and this was the first time she saw them on the island.
High tides can raise the Heiser above the tire bumpers on the high tide pier. During the summer season, the high tide pier is usually used short-term for loading or unloading our boats. During this trip, the Heiser sat on the face of the high tide pier while folks were working on the island. Poor Matt had to keep the Heiser safely off of the pier. The crew had to wade through the water to get to and from the boat. Thank goodness for Muck boots!
Photos: Sara Morris
The Shoals Marine Lab was established as a seasonal (summer) field station, and those of us who have stayed in the dorms in May can attest to the lack of insulation. However, due to the forethought of prior directors and staff, some of the buildings (Utility Building and K-House) were built with the possibility of use throughout the year.
We had been anticipating and planning for an overnight trip for months, and, for a variety of reasons, it had been planned, rescheduled, and rescheduled again. The difficulty of the logistics of winter work on Appledore were on full display as the team monitored the weather and looked for a reasonable window to land on the island and to return.
To maximize the time they were able to devote to work on the island, Zach spent time provisioning on the mainland and Dave made soup, chili, and egg bites to facilitate warm meals on the island. Getting to the island on Saturday was fine, but then it started snowing and the winds kicked in. The team sent amazing snowy pictures from the island. Leaving the island took additional care and the boat trip back was tough—wind, waves, water, cold!! Everyone made it back safely, but it was a stark reminder of why we have limited winter work on Appledore.
Photos: Matt Norwood, Rich Rogers
Photo: Zach Charewicz
Photos: Tyler Garzo
Photo: Chris Pepitone
Photo: Zach Charewicz
These photos remind us of the winters Celia Thaxter spent on Appledore.
“Soon will set in the fitful weather, with fierce gales and sullen skies and frosty air, and it will be time to tuck up safely my roses and lillies and the rest for their winter sleep beneath the snow, where I never forget them, but ever dream of their wakening in happy summers yet to be.”- Celia Thaxter, An Island Garden
Cornell Undergraduate Research Symposium
Shoals SURG alumni represented well recently at the 27th Undergraduate Research Symposium: Experiences in Field Ecology (Cornell Natural Resources and Oneida Lake Shackleton Point Field Station). Below are: Ben Kerstetter, Riley Smith, Ondine Morgan-Knapp, and Marshall Mumford.
Apply Now-Seasonal Staff 2026
Photo: some of our amazing staff during 2025
Be part of our hard-working, dedicated, passionate community this summer on Appledore Island. Live and work on a 100-acre island off the coast of Maine and New Hampshire. Work closely with researchers, undergraduate and high school students, faculty, artists, marine scientists, long-time Shoalers, volunteers, and enthusiastic members of the public. Staff live and work on the island five nights a week and have the option to enjoy days off on the island or on the mainland with access to a staff apartment.
Applications are now open for these positions, and we will begin reviewing applications in early January, so apply soon!
Click the button below for more information on our “Opportunities to Work For Shoals” web page.
Head & Sous Chefs- These positions oversee the operations of the SML kitchen on Appledore Island, leading the planning and preparation of 20+ meals per week for up to 100 residents and visitors. Responsibilities include menu planning, purchasing, and ensuring meals are made primarily from scratch using local ingredients when possible. The roles involve supervising and scheduling kitchen staff, student workers, and volunteers while maintaining relationships with food suppliers, all with an emphasis on sustainability and food waste reduction.
Cooks (Chef & Assistant Chef)- These positions involve assisting in meal preparation and kitchen operations at Shoals Marine Laboratory on Appledore Island, ensuring up to 100 residents and visitors receive quality food. Responsibilities include cooking, cleaning, dish washing, food storage, and maintaining a safe and sanitary kitchen environment. A strong focus on sustainability and minimizing food waste is essential.
Island & Assistant Island Coordinators- These positions manage all day-to-day logistics including vessel schedules, orientations, housing, dietary information, and departures. The roles also support researchers and academic programs and supervise and assist student workers in campus maintenance tasks. The individual may serve as supporting scientific crew aboard research vessels, lead facility and natural history tours, and assist with other operational tasks.
Programs Coordinator- The Programs Coordinator ensures the successful delivery of all Shoals Marine Laboratory programs by coordinating logistics with instructors, group leaders, and staff. Responsibilities include facilitating curricular needs, leading faculty meetings, training teaching assistants and participants in equipment use, and organizing at-sea educational activities.
Island Facility Engineers- These positions support the daily operations and maintenance of Shoals Marine Laboratory’s Appledore Island facilities under the supervision of the Lead Engineer. Responsibilities include maintaining and repairing buildings, equipment, and grounds using various trade skills, as well as monitoring and operating essential systems such as diesel generators, renewable energy grids, water treatment systems, and island vehicles.
Captains- These positions assist in maintaining, operating, and ensuring the safety of Shoals Marine Laboratory’s vessels and waterfront under the direction of the Lead Captain. Responsibilities include acting as captain of SML’s USCG-inspected passenger vessels, overseeing laboratory and oceanographic equipment use, and ensuring the safety of all vessel occupants. Captains in these roles also train and supervise staff and students, conduct routine maintenance on vessels and waterfront infrastructure, and manage documentation, inspections, and permits.
Seabird Technician- Two Seasonal Seabird Technicians will work with SML's Director of Seabird Research to study and manage a breeding colony of Common, Roseate and Arctic terns at Isles of Shoals. Primary responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, banding and band resighting, diet studies, productivity monitoring, and predator management. The applicant should have experience in overseeing and participating in data collection and management, establishing a daily work schedule based on approved protocols, bird identification, and banding. Experience with boats is preferred. Applicants must be in excellent physical condition (capable of climbing over rugged terrain and able to lift 50 lbs.), be comfortable living and working in close quarters for extended periods of time, and enjoy working independently and with others. The technicians will live in a historic and rustic lighthouse keeper's cottage (solar electricity, composting toilets, no running water).
Artists have been inspired by Appledore Island's remote and beautiful landscape since the nineteenth century. Students engaged in scientific study come to Shoals Marine Lab to unlock mysteries of ecology of the marine world. This shared passion for keen observation and interpretation of nature creates a natural collaboration between artists and scientists. To facilitate this partnership, SML created the Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program.
Shoals AIR program offers artists the opportunity to:
Reside on the island for a 2-week period during May through August
Pursue their own work free of the distractions of everyday life, surrounded by inspiring landscape, and enjoy all meals provided by the Shoals' kitchen.
Blend personal creative time with art programming for SML students by participating in SML academic courses.
If you would like to learn more and apply for this exciting program, please click on the button below.
We are seeking an interested candidate to join a teaching team and serve as co-faculty for an undergraduate introductory sustainable fisheries course at the Shoals Marine Laboratory (SML) field station on Appledore Island, Maine from June 1-June 15, 2026. Candidates must be available to be on island for at least 7 days, but preference will be given to those who can be on island for the entire course period. Seeking someone with experience working in fisheries, fisheries management, collaborative research, or quantitative fisheries biology. A master's degree or equivalent experience is required, PhD or ABD is preferred. Experience working at a field station or on a vessel is a plus.
Expectations:
Work with three other faculty to provide undergraduate students of varied majors with an introduction to sustainable fisheries and working waterfront management with a focus on the Gulf of Maine region.
Willingness to participate in field work, including on vessels (day trips only), and be adaptable in response to possible changes in course activity schedules due to the complexities of teaching on an island.
Be available approximately once per month January through April and once a week in May to meet with co-faculty for course planning.
Ideal candidates will be available to co-teach this course beyond 2026.
This adjunct faculty position is provided through the University of New Hampshire. Salary is commensurate with experience. Room and board while on island is included in the position. Reasonable travel expenses from your home to SML's dock in Portsmouth NH are also included.
Please send a brief cover letter outlining your qualifications and a 2-page resume/CV to Lindsey.Williams@unh.edu. Applications received by December 15 will receive priority consideration. Please feel free to reach out to any of the current faculty with any questions related to the course (Owen Nichols - nichols@coastalstudies.org; Heidi Henninger - heidi.henninger@noaa.gov; Lindsey Williams - lindsey.williams@unh.edu). For questions about the adjunct position or SML more broadly, please contact David Buck - David.Buck@unh.edu.
If you are planning to make end-of-year donations, please consider supporting the Shoals Marine Laboratory. Any donation you give will be counted toward our $6M for 60, to commemorate our 60th season. Thank you!
