Vineyard Conservation Society Squibnocket walk
Published: January 15, 2009
The vista along Squibnocket Ridge is dynamic, with the pounding surf of the Atlantic to the south, and the sprawling Squibnocket Pond to the north. On Sunday, a group of 25 walkers braved cold and windy conditions to participate in the first of the 2009 winter walks arranged and led by the Vineyard Conservation Society (VCS).
Photos by Susan Safford
Known locally as the Hornblower estate or, simply, Squibnocket, most of the private property was subdivided in the 1980s.
With the permission of property owners, Brendan O'Neill, VCS director, led the walk, with Jay Walsh, property manager of the Squibnocket Association, filling in the details.
Two conservation groups - The Trustees of the Reservations (TTOR) and Vineyard Open Land Foundation (VOLF) are involved in the management and ownership of some of the property.
The limited development took 15 years of planning and only allows building on small areas on the lots, which range in size from 4 1⁄2 to 28 acres. There is a further requirement that an archeological study must be conducted before any excavation is done.
Snow, ice, wind and cold did not deter the group from completing its two-hour looping tour along Squibnocket Pond, with a brief stop at the beach, returning along the ridge. Although there are a few large homes on the property, it felt more like this was a walk in the wilderness, especially when looking at the extensive development across the pond.
The next VCS walk is scheduled for February 8 at the Edwin Newhall Preserve.
