Welcome. Edgartown News was born from the simple fact that I have ink and Dektol in my veins and I need to write and photograph more than I need air or food, and from my love for this little town where I grew up and raised my family, the town I have left a few times but can't quite shake for good. Here you will find the wanderings and musings, photographs and commentary; the people, places, and happenings - past and present - of a small island town: my home town.

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Devoid of Life

My typical end-of-day routine during the summer (and the reason I put up with the madness) is to bike the mile-and-three-quarters up to the Bend in the Road, swim a 1/4 mile, walk back to my bike, chatting along the way with people I know (or don't know), and bike home; my mini-triathlon. On Saturday I decided to do a little snorkeling, partly to get a better view for some underwater photography. So I flippered and snorkeled, face down, my usual 1/4 mile stretch. Okay, I didn't love wearing all the stuff, and I now know that swimming without having things strapped all over my body is much  more enjoyable, but what was most distressing was the fact that in that 1/4 mile swim I didn't see one living creature.

When I was a child, and when my own children were young, these waters were teeming with ocean life: minnows, pipe fish, whelks, spider crabs, sand crabs, hermit crabs, horseshoe crabs, and more. Many a happy beach day was spent collecting specimens for our salt water aquarium. 

My first thought was that the preponderance of swimmers had driven everything out. 

And then I remembered the mountains of sand that line this beach many recent winters - spoils from the dredging of nearby Sengekontacket - from the Bend down into Cow Bay, otherwise known as "beach replenishment." 

Yes, unfortunately, those mountains of sand have washed down into the water and smothered the ecosystem. Not just in the immediate environs, but all along State Beach, assisted by the daily tides. 

Why is this allowed to happen? Killing off an entire ecosystem, for what? And not only is the ecosystem at State Beach deader than a doornail, but this is stage two of a destructive process, stage one being the dredging up of entire shellfish beds in the pond and leaving the once living grasses, shellfish, worms, and other micro-organisms to rot in a pile of sand.  

Why, why, why?

Does anyone even care? (besides the shellfishermen I've spoken to, whose concerns are mostly ignored)

File this under Poor Martha.   

State Beach, Bend in the Road, marine life, beach replenishment
An underwater view off of State Beach. Deader than a doornail.

State Beach, Bend in the Road, marine life, beach replenishment
These striations must be mineral deposits of some kind. 

State Beach, Bend in the Road, marine life, beach replenishment
Nothing lives here. So sad. 

State Beach, Bend in the Road, marine life, beach replenishment
These mountains of sand are surely the culprit (file photo from January 2014). 

State Beach, Bend in the Road, marine life, beach replenishment
Mountains of sand as far as the eye can see, all the way down to Cow Bay.
A nice sandy beach, but at what cost?

Friday, July 23, 2021

Let the Light Shine

Edgartown, historic district, lanterns

Edgartown's historic replica lanterns get cleaned once a year. Today was the day.

Four Minutes on Church Street

 What the VTA has done to the historic district in downtown Edgartown is a disgrace, and if you think things will improve after they have installed their precious charging pads and developed the visitor center, you are delusional. Shame on everyone involved with this boondoggle. 


Saturday, July 17, 2021

More Street People

 

Testing new lens and focus method, day two. So far, so good.
Edgartown, street photography, people, BW, summer streets
Works well for walk-by shootings (though not entirely undetected).

Edgartown, street photography, people, BW, summer streets
Smitty and John, headed home after dinner out.

Edgartown, street photography, people, BW, summer streets
Edgartown, street photography, people, BW, summer streets
Newlyweds Rob and Meghan, apparently all is well, one month in. 

Edgartown, street photography, people, BW, summer streets
Fellow traveler, John.

Edgartown, street photography, people, BW, summer streets
Edgartown, street photography, people, BW, summer streets
All styles welcome.

Edgartown, street photography, people, BW, summer streets
Waiting, and thinking about next month's credit card bill no doubt.

Friday, July 16, 2021

Thursday Night and Music in the Square

Thursday night downtown was packed. I can't remember the last time I've seen so many people in town. Fun times on a gorgeous summer evening.

 

Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
First, a few tunes with David on the porch.

Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Then I headed down to the plaza at what was once the Colonial Inn to check out the scene, eager to try out my new 35mm RF lens and continue to delve into back-button-focus. 

Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Deb and Jim

Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, still at it and still making people smile...

Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
...and dance...
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Albert Lattanzi and young cooking protege, Alex.

Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing
Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Music in the Square, Edgartown streets, summer streets, dancing

Monday, July 12, 2021

I Love People

 

How wonderful to see the human face again. One thing I know for sure: people need people.

Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Mr. Tom Kent. "Want to go for a boat ride?" "Where to?" "Oak Bluffs." Next time, please, but let's just make it a tour of the harbor?

Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Getting ready to do some magnet fishing. Never heard of it. The next big thing?

Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Owen and his scup.

Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Robin, Lulu, Sophia, and Mike. I photographed Robin and Mike ten years ago when their dog, Truman, was their only child. 

Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Debbie and Louisa, fresh from their show at Old Sculpin.

Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
"Hi, beautiful people. Are you husband and wife?" (nervous giggles) "No, girlfriend and boyfriend." Oops, I always manage to say the wrong thing.

Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Love these juvenile bicycle marauders. 

Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Go big or go home. Why have one tattoo when you've got an entire body to cover, as Caitlyn is well on her way to do. Impressive.

Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people
Edgartown, street photography, Black and White, faces, people