| Our plan to wake-up early in the morning so that we could catch the 9:00 a.m. ferry was canceled because it felt so good and warm in bed instead of the wind outside. I was too lazy to move. But, we had to hurry, because the next ferry was at 10:30 a.m. After checking-out from the hotel, we drove to Falmouth Harbor where the ferry is located. When we arrived, there were many people waiting to go to the same destination as us, Martha's Vineyard. The ticket fare is US$10.00 each person for round trip. Sail away to the storybook island of Martha's Vineyard aboard the Island Queen (name of the cruiseship).....hmmm...... relax with sea and sky and wind on a delightful 35-minutes cruise across the waters of Vineyard Sound. Known in earlier days as Nobnocket to the Native and Holmes Hole to the Plymouth colonists, Vineyard Haven is actually incorporated as the Town of Tisbury. Her bustling business district lies nestled against the island's only year-round port of entry, and thus serves as the center of daily island activities. Tisbury has historically epitomized Yankee Independence and resilience: In Colonial times, her residents demanded freedom of worship long before the rest of the colonies and supported the American Independence movement in it's early stages. As a result, a British noval force occupied and pillaged Tisbury in 1778. A century later, the Great Fire of 1883 destroyed 73 buildings on both sides of Main Street. Nevertheless, Tisbury continues to thrive and serve as the island's hub, and is home to almost one-third of the island's residents. When we arrived, we rented a motorbike which is called a moped for US$35/a day to explore the island. We discovered a gentler civilization, miles of beaches and dunes....marshes.... ponds and forests, fishing villages from another century......Oak Bluffs..... where we landed, with its Victorian gingerbread cottage colony, Edgartown, one of the whaling capitals of the world, preserved as it was then. The Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association continues as a tribute to the Christian Revival Meeting that began in 1835 and continued through the Civil War era. Thousands flocked to the meetings and soon they erected Victorian cottages where they once pitched tents. The outdoor Tabernacie and the park like grounds are still open to the public, as they were to Harriet Beecher Stowe and President Grant over a hundred years ago. Oak Bluffs, known as Cottage City, until 1907 celebrates it's seaside Victorian heritage throughout the year. It's busy harbor serves pleasure boaters and serious tournament fishermen. There's swimming, sailing, golf, tennis, fishing, hiking and bicycling on specially paved trails that go almost everywhere. Edgartown In 1642, Thomas Mayhew and other settlers set foot on the shores of Great Harbor which, until then, had been called Nunnepog (Freshwater Place) by the Native Americans. In 1671, captain Jethro Daggel's Apollo, became the first ship from Edgartown to engage in whaling. The Old Whaling Church, brick side walks and acres of Federal style homes carefully preserve a sense of the whaling era of old New England. We took lunch here at the restaurant called The Wharf. Eating while looking out at the beaches and sailing boats...so wonderful!! After lunch, we went around for awhile, and I was surprised to find some Indonesian crafts in stores, but the price...gosh.... makes me want to "puke" because it is so expensive:-). We took 3:45 p.m. ferry back to Falmouth Harbor. Then, drove our car, and arrived home safely. What a wonderful romantic holiday that we had!! |
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| Martha's Vineyard Massachusetts U S A |
| August 28, 2001 |
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