MARGARET KNIGHT
508-627-8894
One week after the blizzard, the white layer that swept in and covered the island had mostly receded. The warm temperatures and rain on the weekend caused the land to miraculously reappear. The only signs of winter’s precipitous arrival were the bigger snowdrifts and the piles from the snowplow, some topped by sod with the green grass sticking up.
If you lose power during future extreme weather conditions like the past blizzard, and need a place to warm up, the Chappy fire house will be open and heated. It has a propane gas generator, so there is hot water, and bathrooms, a fridge, and a stove to cook a meal. Sometimes the problem is getting there, though, so a backup heating system is a good idea. There are simple gas heaters on the market that don’t use electricity or just use a battery.
The On Time III is back in service. The III’s engine makes getting into the slip easier for the drivers, which is helpful with the stronger currents since the most recent enlargement of the Norton Point opening. It also means less waiting time since the boat fits three contractor-sized trucks.
Many people, including several extended families, arrived at the community center on Christmas Eve to enjoy a feast prepared by lots of different Chappy cooks. The food was delicious, and people ate a relaxed dinner in front of the fire while enjoying each other’s company and the decorations from the Holiday Tea that had been snowed out.
On Sunday, Dec. 27, the Welch/Potter/Slater clan traveled from far and wide to Chappy. They gathered at the community center to celebrate the birthday of Ruth Welch, who moved back from Switzerland this spring. She is living in the Webquish cottage on Pimpneymouse Farm.
The next potluck at the community center will be on Wednesday, Jan. 6 starting at 6 p.m. with appetizers and 6:30 for dinner. The Gruners, who are spending their first winter on Chappy, will be hosting. All are welcome.
The potluck after that, on Jan. 20, will be a special one to which the ferry captains and crew are invited as honored guests. Besides lots of tasty food, the evening will include a screening of the famous Aquabiking video, starring Peter Wells, and also memories and tall tales about the Chappy Ferry through the years. Mary Spencer, who became president of the community center board this past summer, had the idea for the potluck to thank the ferry crew for their dedication in taking us back and forth, day after day. Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these (to borrow from a quote often cited about the U.S. mail service) ferry captains. Sometimes seaweed does, though, when it piles into the slip and gets tangled in the propeller. But generally speaking, for an island, we are fortunate to have such a reliable way to get home.
The Chappy Path steering committee reports that this winter Northeastern University senior engineering students will do a real life exercise in design and planning to address the issues of safety for bikes, walkers and cars on Chappaquiddick. According to a recent path update, they will use existing survey information including field-gathered data, and input from the Chappy community to specifically answer questions about how best to address the problems of mixing multi-use traffic on a narrow island road. At a public forum in late February the students will present their findings and several possible scenarios, and determine community preference. In April they will present their completed work. The path committee is asking for help in raising the $2,500 needed for student travel and accommodations. You can send your tax deductible donation, payable to Northeastern University, to Jonathan Harris, 147 Snell Engineering Center, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington avenue, Boston, MA, 02115. Indicate that your donation is for the Chappy Project. The committee would appreciate an e-mail to Chappybikepath@aol.com to let them know the amount of your donation.
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