Scenes from Spectacle Island

Welcome to Spectacle Island! Just off the coast of Boston, this little island is a mini-vacation for us. Accessible by both ferry and private boat, it’s a great place for hiking, running, picnicking, and, in our case, spending a quiet, cozy night in the cabin of Ceol na Mara.

The Boston Harbor Islands offer a variety of activities, from yoga to kayaking, to historical tours and clam bakes.

Our first walk took us to the drumlin between the two sides of the island.

This gazebo has always been a place of great tranquility, overlooking green hills and blue sea. We spent over an hour there, enjoying the quiet and peace, our only company a lone turkey.

This space is about to become even more special. You see, marathon bombing victim Krystle Campbell used to work on the island as an employee of Jasper White’s Summer Shack. This gazebo will be dedicated in her memory. We found this out not long before our visit to Spectacle Island, and we spent quite a bit of time talking about the tragedy, sending healing energy into the universe for the victims’ families, and being thankful for our lives in that moment.

Because it was our anniversary weekend, we toasted to love and being grateful for how blessed we are. Duval Leroy Champagne seemed like a good choice for such a celebration. I am always grateful for Champagne.

We spent the rest of the night watching the sun set and seeing most of the other boats leave for the day. Other than two boats and the Mass Maritime staff, we were alone on the island, listening to the sounds of waves lapping against our hull, the clank of the sailboat, and the occasional plane overhead.

We haven’t had the time to go far this summer, but I honestly can’t imagine wanting to be anywhere but Massachusetts in the summertime.

Now to start planning on ways to get out of here come winter! We are leaning towards Sint Maarten in January or February. After a summer close-to-home, I have a major travel bug and am ready to be on-the-move again!

Do you have any fall or winter travel plans?