MARGARET KNIGHT

508-627-8894

(margaret02539@yahoo.com)

Most places where people live don’t change and actually disappear at a discernible rate on a daily basis. Life on Chappaquiddick, at the edges, is different. People think winter here is pretty slow, and I guess that’s true in general, but right now there’s lots of action to be seen out at Wasque.

Sidney and I rode our bikes there last Sunday afternoon, during a perfect weather weekend, when the temperatures must have been well into the 50s. As we came out of the pines at the start of the TTOR property, we could look out where Katama Bay used to be. Instead, there was Edgartown creeping across to Chappy, and looking so close that a truck parked at the end of Norton Point looked as if it was on the Chappy side, but it wasn’t.

At the swimming beach area we sat sunning ourselves with our backs against the bank of what was recently the newest parking lot, now part of the beach itself. It was such a mild day, far enough from autumn that you might call it a spring day, but it felt more like a different climate, as if we lived somewhere else. Not far offshore a sandbar continued just underwater from the end of the Edgartown side of Norton Point all the way to Wasque Point. Inside the bar was an area of quieter water, except right in front of us where the tides met in opposite directions — from Wasque Point and from the harbor — and the waves crashed against each other.

The Trustees have cut a new path from the swimming area to Wasque Point’s Fishermen’s Landing, or what’s left of it. The beach between those two places is mostly not passable due to all the fallen trees. The new path goes right under the osprey pole that used to be in the middle of a big field, but which now is not far from the water’s edge.

The beach at the bottom of the stairs at Fishermen’s Landing, which end abruptly, is strewn with big oaks, their jagged roots sticking out in all directions, or broken off through action of the surf. The bluffs next to the staircase where the picnic table used to be are sheared off and stand 15 to 20 feet high.

Here and there on the beach were rounded-edged pieces of peat that had been broken off as a result of erosion. I broke one in half and a distinct smell of methane gas came out of it. It made me understand the concern about permafrost thawing and releasing huge amounts of this greenhouse-acting gas into our atmosphere.

Earlier on our way out to Wasque, Sidney and I met Peter Wells along the road near Geof and Norma Kontje’s house. We stopped to talk and Geof came out to see what was going on. As he approached, Peter said, “We’ve nearly got a quorum!” — of what I’m not sure, but you can speculate. Shirlee Miller drove by and gestured with her hands to ask “What’s up?” that so many Chappaquiddickers would be gathered in one place at this time of year.

We were discussing the question of the week (see below) and looking at the swamps on both sides of the main road. It turns out that Geof has a map of all the Chappy swamps in his head. Across the road from his house is what he calls the Great Chappaquiddick Swamp, which extends back behind Claire Thacher and Roger Becker’s house, and into which many of Chappy’s interior wetlands connect. It seems as if there’s no visible outlet from this massive swamp. But on the east side of Geof’s house, across the road from the swamp, the land drops suddenly at least 10 feet down to a wetland that drains into a little stream that ends up in the Cape Pogue marshes near the Potter’s boathouse. Geof says this stream has water all year long, and he thinks the Great swamp may drain under the road through layers of clay or peat, and down through that wetland to the pond.

It was interesting talking to Geof about wetlands. He has been observing them for nearly 30 years, as his house is surrounded by wetlands on three sides. Preserving them is, no doubt, critical to our island’s ecosystem and our drinking water supply, but how to preserve them is more of a question — other than not building septic systems that drain into them — because they are always trying to fill in. Leaves collect there and convert to dirt, bushes grow and then trees start up. On the assessors’ map tiny lots are marked off showing where people had the right to dig peat for heating fuel. It would be tough reaching the peat at this point, even if the conservation commission allowed it!

The first and third Wednesday of the month potlucks continue at the Chappy Community Center. Last week’s potluck was hosted by Pat Rose and John Ortman. On Wednesday, Jan. 18, Fran and Bob Clay will provide appetizers and something to drink, and they welcome all to bring a main course dish or dessert to share, starting at 6 p.m.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 17 and 18, ACE MV will hold walk-in registration for adult community education classes and workshops from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the MVRHS lobby. For information or online registration, go to acemv.org or e-mail lynn@acemv.org. Also on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. you can get information and register for ACE’s college credit courses in room 115.

The Martha’s Vineyard Democratic Council is excited to present Mary Jane Sorrentino, trained by the Gore Climate Change Project, who will speak about the causes of climate change and how it’s affecting New England, particularly our coastal areas. She will also talk about what responses our communities can make to mitigate and adapt to this challenge — from organizations and businesses to home gardeners! All Islanders concerned with our environment and our coastal community are invited to attend on Saturday, Jan. 14, 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Howes House in West Tisbury.

Chappy question of the week supplied by Peter Wells: In how many places under a town-owned road are there culverts where the water can flow, and in which direction does it flow?

In ferry news, Peter reports that Erik expects to have the On Time III engine that was replaced this past October running by Sunday. That means you can look for her plying the waters of the Edgartown harbor channel sometime next week! She will certainly be welcomed back. They’ve done a lot of work over there under the plastic cover at Packer’s dry dock. Peter says, “Wipe your feet before you come on board.”