Nantucket Moms

Polpis Harbor Hike
2021-12-14 13:00 - 16:00, 2021-12-06 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | NANTUCKET WALKABOUT, MA, United States
Although Polpis Harbor is part of Nantucket Harbor, with its own narrow channel leading into it and two distinct coves or, lobes, this former kettle hole definitely feels like its own small harbor with a mooring field in its east lobe and a few boats in its west cove. Native Americans living around it spelled Polpis “Podpis”, which in their tongue meant “divided or branched harbor.”
The Polpis area was first called “Spotso Country” for an Indian chief named Spotso who lived nearby for about 40 years. In the 1600s, farms sprouted all around the harbor, along with fulling mills to clean and prepare wool. Some industrious islanders built sea salt evaporator operations and also excavated peat from the saltmarsh to burn in stoves for heat.
Festooned with salt marshes populated with nesting and fishing shorebirds, Polpis Harbor also has beautiful meadows overlooking the east cove with trails looping around this property and through the remains of a holly tree farm’s former inventory.

Sankaty Bluff
2021-12-14 13:00 - 15:00
Sand, gravel and boulders laid down by the last glacier during the Wisconsinan Glacial Stage was not the first layer of foundation for Nantucket; an ocean bottom created during the Sangamonian Interglacial Stage and another pavement of glacial material during the Illinoian Glacial Stage are also underneath us. The only place to see all three distinct layers up close in an exposed cross-section view is Sankaty Bluff. On this hike, we’ll walk south down the beach from the Hoicks Hollow Road public way to where these layers are visible, learn about how they were formed and how they are part of Nantucket’s geological past.

Gardner Farm-Lost Farm Loop
2021-12-14 08:00 - 10:00
Combining elements of the Lost Farm and Gardner Farm hikes, this is a longer loop hike at approximately 2.5 miles, which helps you explore plant succession on globally threatened habitat known as sandplain grasslands. Although both former vegetable farms are well past the expression “gone to seed” and now dominated by the ubiquitous pitch pines, their groves and small forests are broken up by meadows of wildflowers, a maze of trails and the reed-lined shore of Hummock Pond to which there are several access points along the way. An active osprey nest is visible close to one of them.
Great views of the pond abound. The pine forest on Lost Farm is ideal shade in the summer with cool southwest winds blowing in over the pond. During the colder, windier months of the year, the pines are a welcome refuge to walk through.

Shawkemo Hills Hike
2021-12-13 08:00 - 17:00
Shawkemo Hills offers a hiking experience through a portion of the island dramatically shaped by the last glacier to cover most of North America. From a high spot on this hike, see and learn about the formation of Coatue, Great Point, the Haulover, Nantucket Harbor and inner harbor shores. And from a low spot along the trail, sometimes called a frost bottom because frost prevails only at these lowest of island elevations when it does nowhere else on Nantucket, discover how the glacier shaped the hills and dells — kames and kettles in geologic terms — of this north central part of the island. This is probably the shortest hike Nantucket Walkabout leads, clocking in at no more than one hour.

Gardner Farm Hike
2021-12-07 08:00 - 10:00, 2021-12-03 08:00 - 10:00
Formerly a vegetable farm along the east of side of Hummock Pond, the Land Bank’s Gardner Farm property runs along Hummock Pond, a glacial meltwater river bed that once ran roughly 75 miles south out to the edge of the continental shelf. Now closed off to the ocean and filled with slightly brackish water — the Town of Nantucket opens the pond to the ocean twice a year — the pond is home to painted and snapping turtles, one to two pairs of nesting ospreys and scores of mute swans.
The area is within Nantucket’s oldest outwash plain of sandplain grasslands and contains pitch pine forests and a cattail-choked inlet over which a small walkway passes. This is one of the shorter hikes Nantucket Walkabout leads and is close to Cisco Beach and Cisco Brewery.

Youth Weaving: The Nantucket Basket with Dale Rutherford & Judy Prohaska
2021-12-06 08:00 - 17:00 | NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, MA, United States
It’s never too early to begin the lifelong skill of basket weaving. This is a Nantucket tradition that continues to be passed on to new generations of weavers.
This workshop is designed for youth ages 8-14 where each student will learn and execute all steps in weaving their own basket. Each student will learn all how to set up the staves, weave, add the rim and handle on their own 4″ basket with a handle.
This workshop is led by 2 experienced Nantucket weavers so students will have great instruction and assistance. All materials included.

Stump Swamp/Norwood Farm Hike
2021-12-05 13:00 - 15:30
Two island ecosystems, a shrub swamp wetland and island moors dotted with kettle holes makes for fascinating hike through a section of the island molded by 500 feet of ice bearing down on it 21,000 years ago. A trail meanders along the edge of the Stump Swamp offering views of water and the birds that reside here. Connecting with Almanac Pond Road, the trail continues past Almanac Pond, a kettle hole itself, and over into the Nantucket Islands Land Bank’s portion of Norwood Farm, the result of a joint purchase of 207 acres with the Nantucket Conservation Foundation.
Norwood Farm is a unique mashup of much of the island’s terrain including forest, upland meadows, small ponds, a former cranberry bog and one of the island’s true flowing streams. This dual property hike can last 90-120 minutes depending on the group’s interest in seeing more or less of the area.

COLORING BOOK SALE, STROLL SATURDAY
2021-12-04 11:00 - 16:00 | The Gallery at Four India Street 4, India Street, Nantucket, MA, United States
Coloring books for children and adults by Candace Lovely and C. Robert Perrin make great stocking stuffers for the holidays. Candace will be in the gallery on Stroll Saturday from noon to 4pm and Sunday 11-2pm. C. Robert perrin’s vintage Whopper & Found Coloring story books are only available on these two days of the year. Stop by for stroll cheer and refreshments. For all other art purchases on Stroll weekend we are offering our RED TICKETS and discounts on many of the great artworks.

Teen Trivia and Games
2021-12-02 15:00 - 16:00 | Online-Zoom, MA, United States
Join us weekly online via Zoom to play some fun games! Past games have included Among Us, Geoguessr, Trivia, and Current Events Quiz.
No stress, no grades, just an hour of fun!
FREE for teens in grades 6-12
email eyoung@nantucketatheneum.org for log-in information

Yoga with Barbara Rives
2021-12-02 09:00 - 10:00 | Saltmarsh Senior Center, 81 Washington t. Ext., MA, United States
Join Barbara as she assists beginners and continuing students with yoga instruction. Please wear comfortable clothing.
Available to seniors 60 +.

Lego Time at Nantucket Family Resource Center
2021-12-01 15:00 - 16:00
Join us at Nantucket Family Resource Center for a time of playing and building with Legos! Lego building blocks are provided, but feel free to bring your own to use! Open to all ages! For information and registration, call
508-815-5115 or e-mail hnardone@familycontinuity.org.

Youth Weaving: The Nantucket Basket with Dale Rutherford & Judy Prohaska
2021-12-01 13:30 - 16:00

Smith’s Point
2021-12-01 08:00 - 10:00
Smith’s Point, Nantucket’s westernmost sand extremity is a great hike to see gray seals during the winter, see nesting piping plovers, least terns and American oystercatchers during the summer and catch a glimpse of Tuckernuck Island. This is one of the longer hikes Nantucket Walkabout does. For the full hike out and back, allow at least two hours of trail time not counting getting to and from the trailhead. The hike can be longer or shorter depending on the group’s time constraints.
