Beacons of History

They stand tall and straight on the horizon, an enduring symbol of the Island’s long and rich maritime history. Viewed from a distance, the Edgartown and East Chop lighthouses convey a sense of strength and of purpose.

Until recently, however, closer looks would have inspired less appreciation.

In the nineteen eighties, the Coast Guard stopped funding the maintenance of the lighthouses. Soon time and weather took their toll on the old cast-iron structures.

Friday, Oct. 5: Warm and mostly sunny. Temperature rises to the high 70s. Southwest wind picks up in the afternoon. Steady breeze by sunset. A thick bank of fog rolls in over Aquinnah and Chilmark in the early evening. Maritime damp, an evening of sipping hot cider.

As I knew Lenny Jason he was a working man’s man, a man of strong opinions which he aired freely to anyone who would listen. He always had the working man in mind and especially the fisherman. I remember when Lenny first came to the Island to Menemsha, a town he loved, and made it his home. Lenny was the most ambitious man I knew of. He bought a couple of old hotels in Oak Bluffs that were for sale and to be removed.

My father in law Bernie Cournoyer died two weeks ago. A few days before his death, he asked about his garden, wished us well and shook hands. It was sad to see him go, but his body gave out on him. Not his mind.

The Lash House is for sale. For a small group of people, that single sentence carries paragraphs if not pages of meaning.

Here is a sobering fact: we live on an Island and the sea is rising.

The consensus among coastal scientists is that our children or grandchildren will see a sea level rise of about one metre in this century, an estimate that does not even take into account the rapid rate of melting glaciers. The New York Times reported last week that “the arctic ice cap melted this summer at a shocking pace, disappearing at a far higher rate than predicted even by the most pessimistic experts in global warming.”

Real Estate Testing Will

Come to the Vineyard

Dukes Academy, a real estate school on the Island, has obtained approval for the Vineyard as a licensed test center for the state’s real estate salesperson and broker licensing exam.

The test is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 17. Eligible candidates should get in touch with Dukes Academy to make a reservation by calling 508-696-1900 or sending an e-mail to info@dukesacademy.com. The school will answer questions and assist candidates to select from three given time slots.

Chef Chris Schlesinger of the East Coast Grill & Raw Bar in Cambridge is a self-described purist. His menus feature fish caught in local waters and produce from nearby farms. He offers what is in season and the dishes rotate accordingly. One constant is the oyster.

This evening kicks off the first annual Martha’s Vineyard Harvest Festival, a weekend event celebrating the sea, the farm and the vine. The festival, sponsored by the Edgartown Board of Trade, will showcase Island and mainland chefs using Island-grown produce alongside wines from around the world. “We wanted to create an event unique to the Vineyard that celebrated the shoulder season,” said festival director Debbi Otto.

Island Theatre Workshop, Inc. announces the start of its Island children’s winter drama season. Winter Children’s Theatre (formerly Apprentice Players) begins on Monday, Oct. 22, after school at Grace Church parish hall.