Nantucket U
By Sherrie Wilkolaski
By Sherrie Wilkolaski
S
ummer in Nantucket is what
dreams are made of. This
small island off the coast of
Massachusetts is magical.
From the moment I arrived, I
knew I had found a piece of Heaven
on Earth.
Nantucket was the getaway I was
longing for. This trip had been
booked back in early spring and given
my hectic schedule, I couldn’t wait
to get there. I started my journey,
leaving from Westchester County
airport and upon arrival at the
secured hanger, my cell phone lost
its signal. I considered it to be a nice
break and picked up a copy of a
People Magazine to get caught up on
the latest celebrity gossip. It was
only an hour and fifteen minute
flight on Cape Air and I figured I
could make some calls once I landed.
Our flight left on time and once in
the air, the view was breathtaking.
It’s not often you get such an
incredible view on a flight and I did
my best to enjoy it. I was filled with
anticipation as we descended on to
the runway at Tom Nevers Field.
Relaxation, here I come!
Before leaving the airport, I decided
to grab some extra cash and went to
the ATM machine only to find it was
temporarily out of order. No big deal,
I’m on vacation. I asked the cab
driver to take me to another ATM
location on the way to the hotel, and
off we went. As we made our way to
The Summer House Cottages in
Siasconset, the stress of everyday
life started to drip off me like rain
on a windshield. I opened the window
and felt the ocean air brush against
my cheek and with every stroke, my
smile grew larger until I realized I
could feel the muscles stretching in
my face-- brilliant. The cabbie made
idle chitchat and after mentioning I
was in the publishing business, she
told me about one of her favorite
memories growing up on the island.
She said when the movie Jaws came
out, you couldn’t go anywhere
without seeing someone with a copy
of Peter Benchley’s book, the
inspiration for the film, in their
hands. The publicist in me
appreciated that.
It is about a 15-20 minute drive
from the airport to Siasconset. Upon
arrival, I immediately soaked in the
ocean view. The Summer House
Cottages sit on a bluff overlooking
12
the Atlantic and in the courtyard
area, guests were sitting in their
Adirondack chairs, enjoying cocktails
and soaking in the sun. I walked from
the street along the pebbled path,
lined with lavender and hydrangeas,
and peppered with butterflies. I
checked in at the front desk and was
welcomed to the property by a nice
young man named Carl. He grabbed
my luggage and escorted me to the
Francesca cottage, my short-term
Nantucket residence.
After unpacking and getting settled
in, I decided to make a few phone
calls and check emails. My cell was
not getting any service and the
wireless was working sporadically
and at island speed. Again, I thought
it wasn’t the end of the world. I had
posted my office was closed and