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Nantucket, Massachusetts (U.S.)

Consolidated Town and County

image by Dave Martucci, 17 April 2011

Description of the flag
Earlier de jure version
Nantucket Sailing and Wireless Association
No scalloping flag
Souvenir flag

See also:

note: the Town of Nantucket and Nantucket County are consolidated

Description of the flag

In 1974, Nantucket's Town Meeting established an official flag that was based on a design presented to the town by Dr. Edward B. Swain. The blue field of the burgee-shaped flag stands for the sky and sea; the white color for the beaches of the island. The whale, framed by a circle of rope "symbolizes both the globe which Nantucket whale ships range and the compass rose which guided them across oceanic hunting grounds. A harpoon or whale iron was added pointing to the magnetic north pole as seen from Nantucket.
Dave Martucci, 22 January 1997

Earlier de jure version

image by Dave Martucci, 22 January 1997

This version shows a white vertical stripe set in slightly from the hoist. This is based on original drawings from when the flag was adopted (the "de jure" version). It is, however, not clear if this was intended to be a part of the flag or a part of the header (poorly drawn). All of the flags used nowadays do not show this as a vertical stripe and so the "de facto" version of the flag.
Dave Martucci, 17 April 2011

Nantucket Sailing and Wireless Association

image by Mason Kaye

Located in Siascouset, Nantucket, MA. Established in 1972. The blue pennant is bordered by red, and a yellow map of Nantucket is in the center of the pennant.
Source: Peter Edwards
Mason Kaye, 14 June 2004

No scalloping flag

The last photo (photo captured) on this page signals "no scalloping" at Nantucket, Mass., US (quote from 18 Dec 2009 post) at www.nantucketbayscallopcompany.com

" If the ambient temperature is below 28 before 10 a.m. there is no fishing for the day. The idea behind the rule is that when you pull the Nantucket Bay Scallops out of the water this also includes the babies (know as spat) or 1 year olds. The cold weather could potentially kill the baby scallops hurting the fishery. (...) The photo below is the flag in front of the Harbormaster's office that indicates 'no scalloping today.' "

The flag is a plain red flag - but is it a pennant, pointed or truncated?

Jan Mertens, 23 May 2011

Good morning, it is a simple 2x3 solid red flag flown at the Town Pier in Nantucket Harbor and in Madaket at the public landing when the temperature is below 28 degrees. This is because the seed (undersized) scallops freeze on the culling board while the fisherman are fishing. So scalloping is prohibited.
Dave Fronzuto, 25 May 2011
Harbour Master of Nantucket

Souvenir flag

image located by Esteban Rivera, 12 October 2016

One of several souvenir flags apparently designed and produced by Destination Flags.
Esteban Rivera, 12 October 2016