Relative to geologic time, changes occur at Wasque in the blink of an eye. On Jan. 23 enough of the barrier beach at the southeastern most corner of Chappaquiddick was washed away by a northeaster that driving to town “by the beach” was impossible. I drove out to the fisherman’s landing parking lot this past Tuesday afternoon in the middle of an abbreviated blizzard to see if anything had happened since I was there a week ago. The previously missing section of the shoreline has already built back up to the same elevation as the adjacent berm of the beach. The newly fallen snow highlighted dozens of tire tracks spanning the area that had been inundated with foaming breakers a mere seven days earlier. However, not all of the scoured area has been refilled with sand. Still remaining is a triangular water-filled depression midway between the base of the bluff and the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean. From my bird’s eye vantage point at the top of the bluff I would guess that this new pond is about 25 yards across.

I remember small salt pools in similar locations when we were kids. After being in the ocean water for hours our lips were blue, our arms were covered with goose bumps and our teeth chattered. The sun-heated water of the shallow pools was only lukewarm, but to our chilled bones it felt like a hot tub. Once we were rewarmed, the ocean water was no longer attractive and we would goof around in the pools. Most of them had existed long enough to have grown a good crop of bright green wispy seaweed that hid crabs. We knew they were there because of the painful pinches we got if we let our toes touch the bottom. They were difficult to catch with a net since you mostly scooped up seaweed. But it kept us busy until the adults were ready to go home.

The Edgartown Highway Department spent a day last week bringing over the concrete tire stops that will be installed around the perimeter of the newly-graveled dirt parking area at the ferry point. They have many other irons in the fire around town to attend to but I'm confident that by Memorial Day that part of the lot will again be filled with cars.

The Edgartown Sewer Department has blocked off the far end of Dock street in order to install an underground vault to supplement the existing pumping station at the foot of Main street. The project should last only a couple of weeks and won’t affect  Chappy ferry traffic as Mayhew Lane is still fully accessible. If you have your heart set on heading out of town via South Water street you can still swing through the Yacht Club parking lot.

Occasionally this winter there has been sufficient traffic on the ferry to warrant running both ferries for a short period. The building boom on Martha’s Vineyard includes Chappaquiddick. It seems that every new house or conversion of a summer camp to year-round involves a full cellar with very thick walls. During an above average high tide the concrete trucks can each make a couple of trips. Often four trucks will be dedicated to a project over here. Nowadays the machine of choice to dig a foundation hole is an excavator. They are too heavy to ride over on a trailer so must crawl on and off the ferryboats on their own tracks. Some have rubber treads but most have steel cleats that would gouge the non-skid surface of the deck of the ferry if it is not protected. The excavators move slowly by nature. Laying out and picking up the plywood or rubber takes a few minutes. Then the truck and trailer have to get across. It all adds up to a dozen more minutes to make the trip. But they only come at high tide and they wait their turn in line.

If you are considering hosting one of the Community Center potlucks sign up soon as there are only eight more this season and some of those are already taken. Call Lynn at 508-627-8222 to sign up, or put your name in the book when you are at the next potluck. Registration forms for sailing and tennis classes have appeared on chappycommunitycenter.org. It's never too early to start plannning your summer.

Send Chappy news to peterchappyferry@gmail.com.