Aquinnah Town Column

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—MV Times

I know that ferry cancellations are difficult for lots of folks. I don’t like it when they happen to me. That said, for more than 15 years, I have used those vessels to get me to America whenever needed, and I have never felt afraid, knowing that they would not send us out if it wasn’t safe. I have always been greeted with courtesy, sometimes even with a smile, at the reception sites, and onboard. I have never been on a dirty Steamship Authority vessel. I have sat onshore watching those huge vessels dock smoothly time after time, marveling at the skill of the crew. I have also been astonished at the huge armies of working people who depend on the ferries every single morning, all year long, and the bigger armies of visitors who swarm off the vessels day after day, all day long, all summer long. It is amazing how it all works.

That said, I do have some thoughts for the Steamship Authority board. I am grateful for those who work those ferries and in the Steamship Authority offices, and I wish them to be well-paid, and to be provided with good benefits and respect. I also want the Steamship Authority board to remember that their first job is to provide for the needs of those of us who live on these islands, and that might mean less emphasis on the needs of tourists, and more on the impact that those hordes have on our roads and infrastructure. We need the visitors, yes. But even more, we need our Vineyard to survive, and the number of cars and toilet flushes and trash are simply too much. Maybe the winter schedule should be all year long. Just eliminating a few of those summer ferries every day would be a relief.

As long as we are speaking of relief, we need some relief from the leaf blower noise and air pollution that are everywhere on this Island, from Spring to early Winter. It’s not a jazzy topic, but people are talking about these small gas engines that emit a shocking amount of pollution and contribute far more than their share to the Vineyard carbon footprint. On Feb. 1, from 1:30 to 3 pm at the Oak Bluffs library, there will be a discussion of a planned warrant article on reducing those impacts. Spring town meetings in Chilmark, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, and West Tisbury will all have similar articles to consider. I know that the Aquinnah board of health has had discussions about this issue, but don’t know where it is now. If you want to learn more about this, bring your questions to the Oak Bluffs meeting and join the conversation.

On Saturday, Jan. 25, at 3:30 pm, there will be the third open call for acts to participate in the second annual Aquinnah Variety Show. If you haven’t gone to try out yet, get your act together and head on down to Town Hall. All ages, and all acts, are welcome. Kate Taylor and Laura Jordan Decker are both terrific collaborators, and know how to make a real show come together. If you have questions, contact laurajordandecker@gmail.com.

Birthdays to celebrate this week include Ivan Vanderhoop on Jan. 25, Carl Widdiss on Jan. 28, and David Vanderhoop on Jan. 29. My hat goes off to each of them.

If you have any Aquinnah Town Column suggestions, email Kathie Olson, aquinnahcolumn@gmail.com.