On the Eve of Henri

Even without a weather forecast, the two days of hot, heavy, humid air were a clue that a tropical storm was headed our way, and knowing that Henri would be making landfall today, Sunday, I figured that there might be something to see out at South Beach last night. I was not wrong. In my younger years I would have headed up-Island with my surfboard (file this under "things I'm glad my mother never knew about"), but these days I'm content to be a landlubber with cameras (though I might grab the board and take a peak at Squibnocket tomorrow after it has calmed down a little). I was not alone, as several others had gathered to witness mother nature in all her glory - a right festive scene, though a bit nerve-wracking due to at least one clueless off-Islander whose children were flirting with real danger at water's edge, but thanks to my interference (sometimes having a big mouth is a good thing), she skedaddled them up onto higher ground. As for Henri - meh - he headed straight for us but veered left at the last minute - a little rain, a little wind, a big fat nothingburger. Sometimes we just get lucky.

 

Paul Rucker in the Gallery

Last night I was honored with a visit from Paul Rucker, who was here in Edgartown on his annual August visit from Roanoke, VA, USA ("was" because he and the Mrs. were off on the 6am ferry this morning). Paul is a super 5-string banjo picker and singer and we had a lovely evening of banjo and Appalachian dulcimer, banjo and fiddle, banjo and guitar, and great conversation. Thanks, Paul, for fitting me in to your busy vacation schedule. See you next summer!

(No) Jumping or Diving from Bridge

 

I wasn't in the mood to swim today but I was in the mood for exercise and photography so I biked up to the Big Bridge (a/k/a Jaws Bridge) where both categories were easily satisfied. This scene brings back many memories of my long lost youth. I suppose the grandkids will be wanting to do this soon. 

File this under "some rules are meant to be broken" ? I'm not sure what the purpose of this sign is if it's never enforced? To absolve the town of any legal responsibility in case something goes wrong, I guess. The problem with this kind of thing is that it fosters the idea that signs are meaningless. Perhaps "Jump or dive at your own risk" would be more to the point while affording the town legal protection. Just a thought. 
This youngster needed quite a bit of prodding from various family members...
...thinking it over...
....big brother leads the way...
...it's a bit like flying...
...he's up...
...no turning back...
...he's off...
...to the approval of half his family. 

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.   

An underwater view off of State Beach. Deader than a doornail.
These striations must be mineral deposits of some kind. 
Nothing lives here. So sad. 
These mountains of sand are surely the culprit (file photo from January 2014). 
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?

Let the Light Shine

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. 

More Street People

 

Testing new lens and focus method, day two. So far, so good. Works well for walk-by shootings (though not entirely undetected).
Smitty and John, headed home after dinner out.
Newlyweds Rob and Meghan, apparently all is well, one month in. 
Fellow traveler, John.
All styles welcome.
Waiting, and thinking about next month's credit card bill no doubt.