An update from Amy Lockwood, Executive Director

Work at Star Island continues as we direct our energies toward conducting and completing electrical work which will make our island safer for conferees and visitors alike. During this period, the island remains closed to overnight guests. Our goal is to reopen in early August. We will reassess and update that benchmark as we proceed with our work.

We are grateful for the support of the Rye Fire Chief and state and local fire and electrical inspectors in helping us identify critical work. This work is being performed by electricians. In the meantime our summer staff—the Pelicans—are dedicating themselves to completing required work and projects that will help make our island both safer and more accessible and will help to preserve our historic structures (including removal of brush that constitutes a fire hazard, exterior painting, and so on).

While, with the support of the Fire Marshal, we are pleased to welcome day visitors to the island on a limited basis, we can not accommodate larger boats on our dock due to our need to allow our work boats to have free access to that space. Access to Star Island can be gained via the Uncle Oscar or by sailing or motoring a private boat which can be moored in Gosport Harbor—contact Kittery and Portsmouth Yacht Clubs for permission and information—and then rowing a dinghy to our dock. Please note that all day visitors are to stay off of porches and out of all buildings, with the exception of use of the restrooms in the Brookfield building.

We will update this website regularly with new information as it becomes available and appreciate the support of the public, our conference family, and the greater Portsmouth and Rye business community as we work through these short term challenges to make everyone’s Star Island experience safer and more enjoyable.