Hugh Bradford Harmon was born on Thursday morning, April 24, at 6:36, weighing in at six and a half pounds. His big sister Hazel, mother Ashley Hubbard and father Jamie Harmon welcome him with joy and gratitude. Hugh and Hazel are fourth generation children on both sides. Their great-Grammy Harmon died this past January at the age of 99 having summered on Chappy from the 1950s to the 1970s. Their great-Grampy David Plumb died a year ago at the age of 94 having first come to the Island in 1941 with his bride Faith for their honeymoon. Ashley’s parents, Cynthia Plumb Hubbard and Ted Hubbard, built a house next door to the Plumb beach house overlooking the outer harbor. Ashley and Jamie first met on the beach in front of the Plumb and Hubbard houses.

The next potluck dinner at the Chappy Community Center is scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, and will be hosted by Dorothy and John Dropick. Appetizers begin at 6 p.m. with the buffet line forming up at 6:30. After this one, there are only three more potlucks planned for this spring. We take a break from them during the summer months since everyone seems too busy. These get-togethers are a nice way to see who’s here and find out what they’re up to.

The summertime CCC activities start with Mahjong on May 19 and Tai Chi on June 2. Mark your calendar for the annual Chappy Community Center Fair on Saturday, July 19. The book sale is always very popular and due to the great number of donations, and this year the book sale will run from Monday, July 7, through Monday, July 21. If you have books that you would like to donate, they can be dropped off anytime that the front door is unlocked. You don’t want to leave them outside to get wet and moldy. Books must be in good condition. No moldy books accepted. Which reminds me; we already have plenty of board games with a few pieces missing so please, unless a game is in mint condition, keep it and save Lynn the job of tossing it out.

Remember to come to the Chappy ferry public forum on Saturday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to noon at the CCC. You can give me your questions and suggestions ahead of time by leaving a written note in the suggestion boxes at the ferry landings, leaving a text message or voice mail at 508-627-1577 or by emailing me at peter@chappyferry.net, but of course you can also wait until the meeting. The format is informal and all will be welcomed to attend and encouraged to participate. I’ll try to make sure that I’m the only one who feels on the spot.

Out at Wasque, Mother Nature has been trying out some new designs. The sand spit that has been growing offshore in front of the Fisherman’s Landing has extended all of the way to the mid-point of the Schifter’s bluff. It formed a hook and attached itself to the beach right where the old Leland well pipes stick out of the sand. This has created another pond much bigger than its mate back to the westward. None of this should be confused with the closing of the breach and the eventual creation of a new swan pond. All of that is still a little way off in the future. Nevertheless, Norton Point continues to grow steadily eastward towards its rendezvous with the currents of Muskeget Channel and a reattachment at the south end of East Beach.