We left the dock at Woods Hole bright and early, catching the 6:15 AM ferry for the 6 mile ride across to the island and then had a three hour guided tour of all the villages. We didn't actually stop at any of them but enjoyed the running commentary of our guide along the way. I was once a tour guide on the island but with a full sized bus that couldn't comfortably access some of the small roads we traveled today in our large vans. (Our group of 16 divided into two vans for the trip around the island.)
The ferry dropped us off at Vineyard Haven and after taking a brief ride around the Haven, our guide headed off to Tisbury, Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, (almost) to Chappaquiddick (there's no longer a bridge to this little town and it's become an island all by itself), through West Tisbury, Chilmark, over to the cliffs of Aquinnah, through Menemsha and back to Vineyard Haven in time for lunch.
Terry and I had lunch in the restaurant no part of the hotel I once brought guests to back in 1974. It's long been improved and the name has changed to The Mansion. Looks much, much fancier today than it did back then.
I found I recognized very little of the island despite the fact that very little has changed. Oak Bluffs and Edgartown are still the beautiful little villages they were back then with a combination of small and quaint and big and impressive. The difference is today they are all expensive. (Oak Bluffs was a religious camp meeting town back in the 1880s and is the center of the Afro-American community on the island. Edgartown was once home to whaling captains galore when Martha's Vineyard ruled that particular industry.)
Our tour guide pointed out the number of celebrities who have homes on or who have vacationed on the island. Nearly all the politicians mentioned seemed to be Democrats and nearly all the actors, singers, performers named I seem to remember as being of the progressive bend.
We gathered at the dock to catch the 2:15 PM ferry back to Woods Hole on the Cape and then head back to our campground.
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I haven't taken many pictures this trip, but here are a few to give you a feel...
The 2010 Alaskan Crew
The Ferry arrives at Vineyard Haven
The Ticket Office at Vineyard Haven
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
Part of the Village of Woods Hole from the water.
More of the Village of Woods Hole from the water.
1 comment:
Glad you're having a good time - looks like fun!
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