Getting to Shoals

Program Participant Information

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Student Forms and Waivers

ALL Students must complete the appropriate forms and waivers before arriving at the dock in Portsmouth, NH. You will receive an email prior to your course with a link to the online forms. Please make sure all forms are completed (e-signature required) so that you are ready to get on the boat! If these forms are not appropriately completed, you will not be permitted to board an SML vessel. If a student is under the age of 18, a legal parent or guardian must sign these forms on their behalf.

Please refer to our Recommended Packing List when preparing for your trip to Shoals Marine Laboratory. It is important to note that weather on Appledore Island can be unpredictable; when in doubt, layer up!

Boat Schedule

SML provides transportation to/from Appledore Island from the SML dock located at 315 Market Street, Portsmouth, NH. It is important to note that parking is not available at the dock. Please reference the parking information section below.

Day of arrival (first day of course)

  
1:30 pm Participants meet at dock and prepare to board vessel
2:45 pm Vessel departs (Departure time is firm!)

Day of return (last day of course)

  
10:30 am Vessel departs Appledore Island
11:45 am Vessel arrives at the Portsmouth dock

 Please note: Students interested in carpooling opportunities - see Travel Information section below. 

Faculty/TAs Forms and Waivers

ALL faculty and TAs must complete the appropriate forms and waivers before arriving at the dock in Portsmouth, NH. Please make sure all forms are completed (e-signature required) so that you are ready to get on the boat!

Please refer to our Recommended Packing List when preparing for your trip to Shoals Marine Laboratory. It is important to note that weather on Appledore Island can be unpredictable; when in doubt, layer up!

Boat Schedule

ALL faculty and TA's will be arriving and departing with their students to adhere to our pod protocols (no exceptions). SML provides transportation to/from Appledore Island from the SML dock located at 315 Market Street, Portsmouth, NH. It is important to note that parking is not available at the dock. You are welcome to stop at the dock to drop off your gear prior to parking your vehicle. Please reference the parking information section below.

Day of arrival (first day of course)

  
1:30 pm Participants meet at dock and prepare to board vessel
2:45 pm Vessel departs (Departure time is firm!)

Day of return (last day of course)

  
10:30 am Vessel departs Appledore Island
11:45 am Vessel arrives at the Portsmouth dock

Researcher Forms and Waivers

ALL visiting researchers must complete the appropriate forms and waivers before arriving at the dock in Portsmouth, NH. Please make sure all forms are completed (e-signature required) so that you are ready to get on the boat!

Please refer to our Recommended Packing List when preparing for your trip to Shoals Marine Laboratory. It is important to note that weather on Appledore Island can be unpredictable; when in doubt, layer up!

Boat Schedule

You are responsible for contacting the Island Coordinator to arrange your vessel transportation to/from Appledore Island. For reference purposes, please view our Regular Vessel Schedule. It is important to note that parking is not available at the dock. Please reference the parking information section below.

 

Public Program Attendees Forms and Waivers

ALL public program guests must complete the appropriate forms and waivers before arriving at the dock in Portsmouth, NH. The link to these forms are emailed to you with your registration confirmation. If you need that link emailed to you again, contact our main office at shoals.lab@unh.edu.

Please refer to our Recommended Packing List when preparing for your trip to Shoals Marine Laboratory. This list has been crafted for our students, so some information will not apply. If there are additional materials that are relevant to your program that would enrich your experience on Appledore Island, we will be sure to share that information after you have registered.

Boat Schedule

Boat schedules for specific SML Overnight Public Programs are listed on the individual program pages. SML provides transportation to/from Appledore Island from the SML dock located at 315 Market Street, Portsmouth, NH. It is important to note that parking is not available at the dock. Please reference the parking information section below.

Travel Information

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Traveling by car

Please reference the arrival and parking information on this page. Summer traffic in coastal New England can be heavy, so plan accordingly and allow extra time to get to the dock.

Carpooling for students

If you are interested in carpooling, please reference and fill out this Carpooling Spreadsheet with your information to coordinate with fellow students. Please note that SML is NOT responsible for managing communications between students who are interested in carpooling. It is up to the student to arrange their transportation to our Portsmouth dock. We are only offering this platform for students to connect. 

Traveling by bus

  1. C&J Bus Lines: Drops off at the Portsmouth Transportation Center (Park & Ride). You will need to get a taxi from this bus stop to the dock (15-minute ride).
  2. Greyhound Bus: Drops off at 54 Hanover St. in downtown Portsmouth, then walk 3 blocks to the main dock.

Please reference the CDC's requirements for face masks on public transportation.

Taxi to the dock

(Call ahead to pre-arrange pick-ups)

  1. Rockingham Taxi: (603) 501-0960
  2. Abby's Cab: (603) 431-4555
  3. Annie's Taxi: (603) 531-9955

Please reference the CDC's requirements for face masks on public transportation. 

Nearby airports

  1. Boston Logan International Airport (Boston, MA) - BOS, 1.5 hours south of Portsmouth, NH
  2. Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (Manchester, NH) - MHT, 45 minutes northwest of Portsmouth, NH
  3. Portsmouth Intl At Pease Airport (Portsmouth, NH) - PSM, 15 minutes from the dock (very limited flights)

Getting from the airport to Portsmouth

  1. C&J Bus Lines: Picks up at Boston Logan Airport, drops off at the Portsmouth Transportation Center (Park & Ride). You will need to get a taxi from this bus stop to the dock (15-minute ride).
  2. Flightline:  Reservations required! Flightline services the Manchester airport, and drops off at the Sheraton Portsmouth Hotel, right across the street from the Portsmouth dock at 315 Market St.
  3. Boston Coach: Offers private car service in the Boston/southern NH area. Boston Coach will arrange group pickups as well as individual rides, which makes it a great resource for students meeting up at Manchester-Regional or Logan Airport!

Please reference the CDC's requirements for face masks on public transportation. 

Seacoast New Hampshire and Maine have a variety of places to stay. If you need to spend the night on the mainland before or after your program, check out https://www.goportsmouthnh.com/, visit.nh.gov and/or visitmaine.com.

SPECIAL NOTE FOR STUDENTS UNDER 21: Please be aware that some places to stay may not accept reservations for students under 21 years of age. SML cannot provide overnight accommodations for students before or after program start/end dates.

Parking Information

SML does not provide parking. Our Portsmouth dock can accommodate 5-minute loading/unloading only. 

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GO TO THE DOCK FIRST to drop off your luggage and check in with a Shoals staff member. The best short-term parking is available at either the a) Foundry Place Garage, or b) High St./Hanover St. Public Parking Garage, in Downtown Portsmouth. Parking fees apply. Allow adequate time to park your vehicle, walk or grab a taxi, and return to the dock for departure.

GO TO THE DOCK FIRST to drop off your luggage and check in with a Shoals staff member. The best long-term parking is available at the Portsmouth Transportation Center (Park & Ride). This lot is located at 185 Grafton Road, Portsmouth off Exit 3 on Rt. 95 in New Hampshire. If you miss Exit 3, turning around will be difficult! You must get a taxi from the Park & Ride to the dock (15-minute ride). As of 2025, parking at this lot costs approximately $4 per day and has a 30-day limit. Fees apply for the taxi ride.  Allow adequate time to park your vehicle, grab a taxi, and return to the dock for departure.

Weather, Tides, & Cancellations

Appledore Webcam

View a live feed of our island campus from the Radar Tower!

Shoals Marine Laboratory is fortunate to share Appledore Island with a growing colony of long-legged wading birds (egrets, ibis, and herons!) While access to their sensitive nesting habitat is restricted, you can view the colony on our new webcam (second feed.) Check them out before they fly away for the winter!

Sustainability Dashboard

Appledore's power grid, including solar, wind, generator, and battery status, has a live usage dashboard.

Tide Charts

Tides for Gosport Harbor, NH
Tides for Portsmouth, NH

Current Weather

Click icons to get data from:

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