Ah, the final days of summer in Aquinnah. A mixture of rain, fog and temperature as high as 90 degrees and low into the 50s at night. The crickets make a steady sound heard throughout the night. There have been several barn owls in the neighborhood with their distinctive sound. Two beaches up Island will open to the public as of Sunday. Parking will be available at Lobsterville during the 72nd annual Bass and Bluefish Derby. Cliffhangers will have Ellen Biskis, Tauras Biskis, Chris Carroll, Don Groover and guests entertain on Friday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. rather than on Thursdays until the end of the season.

Nipmuc author Larry Mann will be at the Aquinnah Cultural Center on Sept. 15 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to talk about his newest book, Drumming and Dreaming: Algonquin Tales of Eastern Woodland Native Americans.

Thea Akins returned to her home on the west coast recently after her annual visit to her family home. Her mother, Cynthia Vanderhoop Akins, celebrated a milestone birthday with dinner at the Outermost Inn. Cynthia will remain in town through September.

Best of luck to Antonio Budim as he returns to his native Zagreb, Croatia this week after a quick detour to Texas teaching martial arts. It has been a pleasure having him in our midst for the third year in a row at Cliffhangers.

It was a delight to see Ms. Nancy Hare at the cliffs as we had not seen each other for a few years. Nancy was here with her family at their home on Lighthouse Road.

Douglas and Linda Vanderhoop and their family will return to their winter home in Utah today after spending the past two and a half months at their Aquinnah home.

Across Menemsha channel on Sept. 5, with an overcast sky and absolute quietness in Menemsha, five members of USCG Station Menemsha received their pins as they have advanced in rank. Senior Chief Justin Longval and Chief Robert Parent, Executive Officer of the Station presented Adam R. Smith of Pennsylvania a triple chevron insignia of Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class. Adam was pinned by his wife Meghan Smith while he held their almost one-year-old daughter Elliana May in his arms.

USCG Auxiliarist Wayne Iacono and former member of USCG Station Gay Head, pinned the double chevron of Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class on Joel Behr of Pennsylvania. Amber Brubaker pinned the double chevron of Boatswain’s mate 2nd Class on her significant other, Joseph Belladue of Plymouth. Chief Longval and Chief Parent pinned Leanna M. McKenna of Plymouth with her double chevron of Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class. Chief Longval and Chief Parent pinned Travis Dessonneck of California with his double chevron of Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class.

Chief Longval informed everyone that the ceremony being held had the most recent advancements in District One which extends from the Canadian border to the south of New Jersey and that this was very special.

At the ceremony, MK3 Joshua Hughes of Georgia and FN Christian Ortega-Santiago of Puerto Rico received their Boat Forces Operations Insignia for having demonstrated a commitment to the service of the boat force and achieved a level of qualification, knowledge and experience that includes both practical and operational components.

On Sept. 7, the crew of CG47318 launched at 1,530 for a cruise ship Star Pride with 351 passengers and crew aboard that had lost power on Chickadee Ledge north of Buzzards Bay channel just southeast of Westport. Star Pride had originated in Iceland and was headed to New York. The Menemsha Station crew included BM2 Joseph Belladue, MK2 Jason Breau, MK3 Joshua Brooks, BM2 Montgomery Buffington, and SN Daniel Gonzalez-Respeto. A host of agencies from the Buzzards Bay Task Force responded to the incident. The ship anchored and eventually regained power to continue on their journey. The Menemsha crew was televised on national stations.

Happy 25th anniversary to Glenn DeBlase and his bride Diane (Dilly) Douglas DeBlase who celebrated on Sept.11. Happy 14th anniversary to our Aquinnah tribal medicine man Jason Baird and his wife Jessie Little Doe as they celebrate on Sept. 14.

Happy 19th anniversary to Jim and Nancy Benoit as they celebrate on Sept. 18, preparing to move into their new home.

Happy 31st anniversary to Ted and Sarah Howes as they celebrate on Sept. 19.

Happy birthday wishes this week to Janet Singer Finger Maine as she celebrated on Sept. 12; Mary Alley parties on the 13th; Christine Duetsch Katilus parties on the 14th and shares the day with Geraldine Brooks; Captain Brian F. Vanderhoop celebrates on Sept. 15 and shares the day with Lewis Emmett Moore; Jason Baird celebrates on Sept. 17; Diana Lees will observe a milestone on the 18th and shares the day with Nadia Aiguier and Nicole Ferguson; Susie Fischer will celebrate on Sept. 19 as will Kevin Devine; Kathlyn Deak will party on Sept. 20 as will Amos Tacknash Sauer who will be 10 years old.

Aquinnah news can be sent to junemanning152@gmail.com.