It’s a busy and happy time here in Aquinnah. On the beaches, you will find multiple generations of happy people. The littlest stay on the sand, digging away, while their bigger siblings wade in the water mastering boogie boards, and their even bigger siblings happily sit in the water just outside the break, waiting for good waves on which to surf. Meanwhile, some of the parents and grandparents are on blankets or beach chairs, reading or talking or napping, while others are either strolling or marching briskly along the shore, getting some exercise and breathing in the good air. Some people are looking at shells or searching for beach glass. Others are marveling at the horseshoe crab shells, or waving their hats at the gulls to keep them from their picnic lunches. Up on the Cliffs, the shops are busy, and the tourist buses come and go.
Meanwhile, Gardner Allen and Isaac Taylor finished making the sounds of clanking metal and the hissing of welding torches that had been going on in our barn while they created the railings to go into the Gay Head Lighthouse. Thanks to that happy cacophony and the artistry of their labors, the railings are in, and it is again safe to go up into the top of the lighthouse. There you will be greeted with that extraordinary view, and be given a chance to appreciate the sparkling clean and white housing for our light. The lighthouse is open seven days a week from 10 until 4 pm (Thursday it is open until sunset). Entry is free for Aquinnah residents, veterans and active-duty military, and children 12 and younger. Otherwise, admission is $6 for those aged 13 and older.
While we’re talking about leisure time, remember that your library card has some extraordinary free digital resources available to you. E-books and audiobooks are available. There is a streaming service that features thousands of acclaimed documentaries and films. You can read the N.Y. Times and the Washington Post. There are even Wi-Fi hotspots available to check out for internet access at home or on the go. The library is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 6, and on Saturdays from 11 until 4. Go and visit them, or check out their website, for more information.
I was struck by the comments made by Philippe Jordi of the Island Housing Trust about the realities of the Vineyard’s housing crisis. He pointed out that in the past decade, more than 600 year-round homes were turned into vacation rentals or summer residences that basically stay shuttered during the off-season. This has left us with only 38 percent of our housing stock that is available year-round. I put that together with the heavy load of bumper-to-bumper traffic that we see from mid-June to mid-September, and I mourn for the health of our Island and its people. I know that there are good and smart folks working hard to solve these problems, and I wish them well. What we have here is so precious.
Coming to the grounds of the Chilmark Community Center on August 2 and 3, the 2025 M.V. Book Festival lineup features 30 of the country’s leading authors and a spectacular group of moderators and special guests. The program is free. At 8:50 am on Sunday, August 3, Wampanoag author Joseph Lee will be discussing his book “Nothing More of This Land,” which weaves personal narrative with investigative reporting. Aquinnah expertise will also be well-represented by discussion moderators who include Taylor Smalley and Alisa Levine. Then, on Saturday, August 9, at 2 pm, join Joseph Lee and the Aquinnah Cultural Center at the Town Hall for a conversation about Lee’s book and the publication process. The book will be available at both events, and is also available at his proud parents’ shop on the Cliffs, Hatmarcha.
Have a good week, and don’t forget your sunscreen.