Looking across Vineyard Sound from Woods Hole it’s hard to imagine that Vineyarders could have anything to wish for in the coming century.

To the mainland resident, the Island looks peaceful and perfect, a little slice of paradise in the midst of a breezy New England December.

If they only knew.

Just like anyone else, Islanders are looking forward to the new millennium with a mix of trepidation and optimism. The residents of this tiny chunk of land do have dreams for the coming century, albeit modest ones.

The year that began with a historic, emergency birth would be characterized by crisis and history as well, as an Island that has long been immersed in its own past was time and again forced to confront it.

This year may be best remembered as the year Islanders learned just how fragile their bridge to the mainland is. And while the Steamship Authority dominated the news and conversation, it was not the only news.

Reversals of fortune. Institutional turmoil. Environmental stress. This could be a pencil sketch of 2017 in America — and a way to envision the year on Martha’s Vineyard as well.

Ticks and right whales dominated headlines, but 2017 was also filled with quieter environmental stories, from rare plants to visiting birds.

The ouster of Martha’s Vineyard Hospital CEO Joe Woodin and the reaction that followed was one of several Island controversies that occupied the attention of readers over the past year.

Controversy and plot twists made 2016 a year to remember on the Vineyard. For better or worse, it was a time of rallying and resistance — to projects, political candidates, and change itself.

A final August vacation for a sitting president. An Island grappling with the heroin crisis. A community rallies around the family of a fisherman lost at sea. Here’s look at major stories that engaged Gazette readers in 2016.

Looking back at 2015, the Gay Head Light inching back from an eroding cliff after months of intense preparation is a fitting metaphor for the year on the Vineyard.

Hot enough for you? The quintessential New England weather cliche is usually reserved for July, or August, not December, with church bells ringing carols, flip-flops observed and people hanging out on the Island Home’s weather deck.