From the Feb. 25, 1972 edition of the Vineyard Gazette:

A northeast storm of unusual viciousness struck the Island on Saturday during the early hours, raging for the greater part of the day and disrupting life to an extent seldom known. Actual damage, however, appeared to be less than might have been expected. For the entire day, though, the Island was isolated, with no boats operating, planes grounded and several roads between towns blocked by breaking seas and flooding from torrential rain. The tide rose to an estimated three feet above normal, making the beach drive between Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs and Edgartown impassable. Among buildings flooded was the Martha’s Vineyard Shipyard, to a depth of two feet, inundating motors, electric and gasoline tools and other equipment.

At the Black Dog Bakery, devoted workers continued to knead and bake their dough although they were standing in a foot of water. Baking operations only terminated when some of the bakers, expected back from a trip off-Island were unable to return because of the lack of boat service. “There was a little silt on the floor when the water receded, but that was the only damage,” according to Allan K. Miller, its manager, who said that in installing the bakery machinery it had been taken into account that the building stood at one of the lowest locations in the area, and flooding was a possibility, so all machinery had been placed high enough to protect it.

The interruption of boat travel was the most serious in years. The ferry ran only at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. after having been kept in Woods Hole by the heavy seas and the storm tide.

The peak of the storm and tide Saturday occurred at the eastern end of the Island about noon. At this time the barometer stood at 29 degrees, not much above hurricane level. The Coast Guard reported readings up to 55 knots, or more than 60 miles an hour. Rain was descending in torrents, and in Vineyard Haven the intersection of Beach and Water streets was under more than two feet of water, virtually all rain, and Hine’s Point was inaccessible because of water. East Chop drive was flooded in the vicinity of Sunset Lake and many front yards in Eastville suddenly seemed to have sprouted their own ponds. The state highway between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown was thick with sand which the breaking seas drove across the paving.

Island brooks overflowed. Many trees, especially fire-killed pines, fell. The action of wind and waves at Squibnocket Beach so tore at the bulkhead that, in the interests of safety, it was entirely bulldozed down and an immense mound of wood and debris — rather like a preparation for a bonfire — filled the center of the parking lot.

Prof. and Mrs. G, Robert Strange who live along the Squibnocket bluff top were out on Sunday to survey the undermining damage of the waves to the cliffs. It was reported that at least one home, that of the late Mrs. Charles L. Langmuir, was, in one section, now less than five feet from the cliff edge. Already, erosion has twice required that the house be moved.

At Edgartown’s South Beach, the cottage of Leslie Moeller was knocked askew on its dune by the waves and the shingles of both it and the neighboring cottage of John D. Donnelly had been chewed at by the waves as a giant dog might gnaw, leaving raw, unweathered wood where the shingles had been torn off.

Although there were fears that Vineyard Haven’s Herring Creek might have suffered considerably in the storm, Francis West, whose home is on Lake Tashmoo, reported minimal damage. “As a matter of fact,” he said happily, “the last southwest gale we had here deposited a lot of debris near our place, but then this easterly took it away, and it’s as if our whole front yard had been vacuum-cleaned.”

He did add, however, that Herring Creek Road was flooded at high tide, and Shangri-La, the curious, handmade houseboat-raft of the Macy family that ordinarily bobs in front of their house on the lake but which had been broken in the earlier southwest gale, was smashed into many pieces by this storm. Boston University student John Macy, here for the long weekend, had to remove it from Herring Creek Road to make the road passable.

Gay Headers said little damage seemed to have been done by the storm there, except for the ceaseless washing away of more clay from the cliffs.

On the cranberry bogs, beads of ice glistened like diamonds on twigs and stems. Along the shore, congealed thick foam scudded and beach grasses had been beaten down into rush mats.

Chappaquiddickers reported that there was a near break-through at Wasque and that the conformation of the beach was greatly altered.

In the early afternoon the sun came out and the sky cleared, with the brooding calm associated with the “eye” of circular storms. The clearing continued, after another shower or two had passed, but the high tide was slow and receding, contrary to the usual quick emptying out after such storms.

Compiled by Hilary Wallcox
library@vineyardgazette.com