1 of 9

Down-home music is the Sunday draw on the back porch of Menemsha Texaco. Delaney Pickering, Brad Tucker, and Georgie Gude play for contributions. — Peter Simon

A close-knit group from the tennis club at the airport clap enthusiastically as the sun goes behind the horizon line. All of them live here year-round, and represent each town on the Island. —Peter Simon

Susan Dickler and Sig Van Raan enjoy takeout supper at the Home Port with Emily Hoppe, and Mie Levin. — Peter Simon

Marisa Levinson shares her cone from the Galley with her beloved Mac. They both live in Aquinnah. — Peter Simon

The appreciative audience at Menemsha Texaco, from right, Jane and Conrad Neuman, Shirley Wilbur, and Robert Roy. — Peter Simon
Last Sunday evening I decided to check out Menemsha sunset madness. To my mild surprise, the whole scene was much mellower than I had anticipated. When I asked a few of the locals about what was going on, they all said the same thing: “The first two weeks after the Fourth are always like this. Wait ‘til August.” No thanks! Far from the maddening cries of the real world, folks seemed to be really having fun. Even though the sunset itself wasn’t spectacular, the round of applause was robust!