Marston

Overview

Marston is the dock manager and lifeguard at Starsand Port in Half-Moon Bay. He is a non-romanceable NPC who takes his responsibilities extremely seriously, patrolling the shoreline with a rulebook and enforcing safety regulations for every visitor and islander. Delphin finds him exhausting, and tourists sometimes grumble that he is too strict, but beneath that rigid exterior lies genuine integrity and a quiet promise to keep everyone safe.

Marston grew up watching his father protect the island's waters and has continued that legacy as the coast guard officer and lifeguard. His two main quests, Starsand Port Construction and Building the Maritime Bureau, are major story progression gates that unlock ocean access, the Merchant Ship, deep-sea fishing, and eventually the fast travel system.

Profile

Location and Schedule

Marston spends most of his time at Starsand Port on the Half-Moon Bay waterfront. His house is in the beach area nearby. He patrols the dock and shoreline during the day and returns to the port area in the evening. During the Beach Festival (Summer 27), the Crab Herding event at 8:00 AM takes place near Marston's house.

To find Marston at any time, open your phone's Social app, scroll to his name, and tap Track. A waypoint line will appear on screen that updates as he moves around the island.

Personality

Marston comes across as methodical and by-the-book, with a genuine commitment to keeping the port and beach safe. He gives off dependable authority energy without being stiff about it. His dialogue focuses on port operations, maritime safety, and community responsibility. He follows in his father's footsteps as a protector of the island's waters, and his motivation is straightforward: keeping everyone safe through consistent vigilance rather than arbitrary strictness.

Starsand Port Construction Quest

This is Marston's first major quest and a main story requirement. Find him at the run-down port in Half-Moon Bay and speak with him. He asks for building materials:

• 15 Stone

• 15 Softwood

Having both materials ready lets you complete the delivery in a single visit. After delivering the materials, the port constructs itself overnight. When it is finished the next morning, several features unlock:

The port is also essential for the Junior Angler Trial, which requires the player to acquire a boat. Without the rebuilt port, boat access and deep-sea fishing remain locked.

Building the Maritime Bureau

After the port is built, Marston eventually offers a follow-up quest: Building the Maritime Bureau. Completing this triggers the "Island Pro" stage of the Island Life Ranking progression system.

Once the Maritime Bureau is finished, Solara approaches you about rebuilding Starsand Station, which unlocks the bus-based fast travel system across the island. The full quest chain runs:

1. Starsand Port Construction (Marston): unlocks port, Merchant Ship, ocean fishing

2. Building the Maritime Bureau (Marston): triggers Island Pro rank

3. Building Starsand Station (Solara): unlocks fast travel

Gift Preferences

Marston accepts one gift per day. Loved gifts give +15 Affection Points and liked gifts give +10. Talking to him daily also gives +5 points. See the Gift Guide for a full comparison of all characters' preferences.

Loved Gifts (+15 Affection)

Liked Gifts (+10 Affection)

Disliked and Hated Gifts

Connections

Known Bugs

• Cannot talk to Marston: His interaction prompt sometimes disappears when he gets stuck in conversation with tourist NPCs. Workaround: take a boat out and return, wait until the next day, or let the season change.

• Port Construction quest skips ahead: Some players report the quest auto-advances after initial dialogue. The port still constructs normally the next day.