NWP 39. Dan…Dan…Dan…

23-Sept-24 Falmouth, Cape Cod

The last time I was in Falmouth I promised myself I would make the trip across the water to Martha’s Vineyard. A short 45 minute crossing on a knackered old car ferry.  The sort the rich and famous who live on Martha’s Vineyard would avoid. No doubt they use private jets to its small airport.

There’s a surprising mix of ethnicities onboard. Many appear to be workers on the island. Tradesmen and domestic staff.

Was meant to be docking at Oak Bluffs this morning. So imagine my surprise when we dock at Vineyard Haven a few miles along the coast. Strong winds have shut the more open Oaks Bluff quay for the past four days.

Pass large houses with large gardens tumbling down to the shoreline as we enter the small harbour. Clearly a lot of wealth.

About nine hours to kill on Martha’s Vineyard as the only available return ferry is 1930hrs. Leisurely stop in Vineyard Haven for a brew. And to plan what to do and where to go. Put drink order in and give my name.

Stand near the servery. Waiting for a brew. In the queue. Various names called. Various people grab and go.

And then.

It’s Dan’s turn for his drink.

Dan…Dan…Dan…Shouts the barista.

Everyone looks around. Looking for Dan. Who is surprisingly slow at coming forward.

Again.

Dan…Dan…Dan…Shouts the barista.

Nope. Dan is not here.

Barista asks what I ordered.

Milky coffee. Say I.

This is yours she says.

But I’m not Dan.

It’s yours! Says she. Somewhat exasperated.

That’s Dan’s.

It’s yours! As it’s handed to me.

There’s a nice feel to Vineyard Haven. Restaurants. Boutiques. Galleries. It’s that sort of place.

Google Maps shows lots of small roads leading down to beaches and headlands. Should be good for having a nosey at lots of large houses.

Except. As I soon discover. All those small roads. Are actually private roads on tribal lands and private residential estates. With big signs saying. Keep Out. You are on CCTV.

Oh. OK then.

So. Somewhat disappointingly. There’s only really one road on Martha’s Vineyard looping around the centre of the island. With plenty of inaccessible private roads leading off it. Doesn’t make for an interesting drive, dear reader.

Apart from the few small towns. There’s not a lot of houses you can see. They’re all hidden away in the woods. This is where the rich and famous clearly come to hide. You only know how many houses are down a track by the number of letterboxes clumped together by the entrance. None of these letterboxes are secure. Always amazes me that people seem OK with all their post being placed in these. Can be opened by anyone.

And only a few places where you can seemingly reach the beach.

Wend my way to Menemsha. Towards the bottom of the island. Some scenes in Jaws were filmed here. Tiny harbour with small wooden houses and decks over the water. Somewhere to dock your small boat. Right outside your home.

Has fresh fish shacks. Perfect for lunch. Order a lobster roll. Small cob with lobster. $35! Crumbs. Wasn’t expecting it to be that expensive.

The bottom of the island appears to be less wooded and more open countryside. The southern tip is at Aquinnah Cliffs and the Gay Head Lighthouse. Located on tribal land. Belonging to the native Wampanoag people. Built in 1799, the lighthouse had to be relocated in 2015 and moved back 40m due to coastal erosion. It too features in Jaws.

Passing through West Tisbury see statues in a garden. An open air art gallery. White women in various naked poses. Amuses that across the road is the First Congregational Church. Founded 1673. What must the congregation think. Seeing naked women.

At Edgartown is the Chappy Ferry. Short couple of minutes transfer across the water to Chappaquiddick Island. Ferry is small. Very small. Takes four small cars max. Consequence is queues. Can tell queues can be long judging by the separate ‘queue lane’ winding through Edgartown.

Landing on Chappaquiddick Island is more of the same. Basically one road with private tracks off to more large houses.

Chappaquiddick Island famous for Dike Bridge. Famous for the Chappaquiddick incident. When Senator Ted Kennedy drove his car off Dike Bridge. In July 1969. With Mary Jo Kopechne in the passenger seat. Car overturned into the water. Kennedy swam free. Leaving Mary Jo to die. Although he alleges he tried to save her. Any normal person would raise the alarm immediately. He only reported the incident 10hrs later.

The bridge now has thick wooden timbers to prevent you driving off.

Having driven for nearly a mile down a very rough sandy track. Unable to drive further than the bridge. It’s a nature reserve and only vehicles suitable for driving on sand can go further. Not wanting to get the Toyota RAV4 stuck. Walk across bridge to the entrance hut. A lone man sits reading a book.

Quick chat. Has an air of wealth about him. Tanned. Expensive watch. Well spoken. Educated. Intelligent. Funny. Retired. Used to be the Global Marketing Bod for Westfield shopping malls. And a life travelling around the world.

As he says. Been there. Seen it. Done it. Very happy to sit in my hut. Reading. Quietly. No internet. No interruptions. Just me and nature. Peace and quiet.

Yes. There’s a lot to be said for that, dear reader.

He directs me to another nature reserve at the other end of the long beach. More tribal land at Wasque Point. What he omits to say is that it’s another mile of very rough sandy track. Jostled there and back with not much to see.

Unless I get out and walk along sandy tracks to the beach some distance away.

But.

Conscious that I need to cross back on the Chappy Ferry. Conscious that it’s now late afternoon. When everyone will also be wanting to get back to Edgartown. And so it is. Queue in the dedicated queue lane for the ferry. For over half an hour. Inching forward a few cars at a time. Only takes a couple of minutes to cross the water. Three or four cars at a time.

But we get there. Eventually.

Edgartown is nice. Larger than Vineyard Haven. Very upmarket shops, restaurants, galleries. Its Town Hall used in the film Jaws.

But we’re not done yet with Jaws yet, dear reader. The famous beach and bridge where Jaws swims into the lagoon is just up the road. Between Edgartown and Oak Bluffs. Channelling Steven Spielberg you can watch the video below.

Quite stormy by now. Now understand why Oak Bluffs dock is closed. Its floating pier is wallowing in the swell. Exposed to Nantucket Sound with no shelter. Unlike Vineyard Haven which is sheltered away in a cove.

Oak Bluffs is noted for its gingerbread cottages. Well preserved wooden mid 19^th century buildings.

Now 1700hrs. And getting dark with the storm clouds brewing overhead. The only return ferry I could get when booking a few days ago was the 2030hrs. But waitlist request for an earlier ferry brought this forward to 1930hrs. Not particularly wanting to hang around for a few hours. Turn up at ferry and see if it’s possible to get earlier ferry. Instructed to go to line 1 for standby. I’m car 4 on standby.

The 1815hrs ferry starts loading. Fingers crossed.

Standby line starts moving. Yay. Going to get the earlier ferry.

Cars 1, 2 and 3 drive up the ramp. Yep. This is it. Just about to follow when instructed to stop at the ramp. And told to reverse. Cars 4 and 5 have to reverse. To make way for a last minute truck.

Oh flipping ‘eck. Thought I. Sod it. So near and so far.

After a lot of shouting between ferry car deck and car park marshals. In a will they let me on or won’t they sort of way. Finally directed up the ramp and on to ferry. Yay.

Just in time for dinner back in Falmouth.

Glad I’ve been to Martha’s Vineyard, dear reader.

Not sure I’d rush back.