Last Thursday the sea level rise engineers at Fuss & O’Neill held a presentation and listening session regarding their work so far on adapting the Chappy Ferry and its approaches to rising sea level. The response from the nearly 80 Zoom attendees was positive and encouraging.

The tone of the presentation and of the public input was of the long objective view. If you missed it or wish to see the technical memorandum and conceptual presentation, it can be found on the town of Edgartown’s website. A video of the meeting is also available. It requires a passcode to access. The next meeting of the Chappy Ferry steering committee is on Monday, May 8 at 5 p.m. Find the link and the agenda for the meeting on the town of Edgartown’s website under the agenda heading.

During the thunder squall Tuesday afternoon, reports came in that the gusty southeast breeze sent big surf roaring all the way through the breach into Katama Bay. The sudden downpour seemed to discourage lots of folks from continuing working on Chappy. The waiting line was suddenly out in the road on the Chappy side. It looked like what happens when a sunny summer day turns cloudy and damp, sending beachgoers scurrying back to town.

The Chappaquiddick Community Center board of directors will hold a budget presentation meeting on Tuesday, May 9 at 10 a.m. Find the Zoom link on the calender section of the community center website.

The next community center potluck is scheduled for Wednesday, May 17 at 6 p.m. Bring a dish to serve six. Yoga continues Sundays at the center at 8:30 a.m.

I highly recommend checking the Chappaquiddick Community Center website regularly to make sure that you plan your summer activities around the offerings that the staff has put together. There are lobster dinners, ice cream socials, art classes, author talks, a classical music series, snorkeling with The Trustees of Reservations and, of course, sailing and tennis.

Former Chappy columnist Margaret Knight told me long ago that she always thought of the island folks who are still off-Island and she tried to relay what Chappy looked like at the moment. So, I will tell you yearners that the shadbush, forsythia and cherry are in bloom. The peepers are quieting down after a deafening April. The ground beneath the maples and oaks is littered with catkins. The evergreens have bright green candles of new growth on their branches.

The ospreys are keeping the Eversource crews busy shooing eager nest builders away from atop utility poles. Ants are appearing in kitchens. Skunk cabbage and hostas are sending spears of tightly wound leaves up through last years withered leaves. The seal is back in Edgartown harbor. And tons and tons of mulch is headed over to Chappy every day.

Pollen from all sorts of vegetation is tickling the noses of even those who are not allergic. That might be where the term “spring is in the air” comes from.