Paul Bunyan the lumberjack. John Henry the steel-driver. Giacomo Casanova the womanizer. And Zeb Tilton the schooner captain.

That last name may not be as well recognized as the others, but for many who have heard the stories of the famed mariner, Capt. Zebulon Tilton is the Vineyard’s own folk hero. He was very much real, as was his vessel the Alice S. Wentworth. But in the first half of the 20th century, accounts from newspapers all along the Northeast coast made him out to be larger than life.

The gibbous moon appears late tonight, low in the southeastern sky. The moon follows behind the bright planet Jupiter when it rises. The moon is two days past full and rises after 11 p.m. In the nights ahead, the moon rises even later.

Eva Arrives

Jackie and Bill Giordano of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Eva Antoinette Giordano, on April 4 at the Martha’s Vineyard Community Hospital. She weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce at birth. Eva also is welcomed by big brother Ryan and big sister Elena.

Kaf Warman, professor in Carnegie Mellon’s School of Drama and associate artistic director of Island Theatre Workshop, will offer her popular adult acting class again this summer.

The class will explore personal material in a theatrical context, incorporating movement, mask work, poetry and music. The class is of particular interest to actors, dancers, writers, teachers, therapist, painters and anyone age 16 and up interested in the visual, performing and healing arts.

The latest film from Julie Taymor, Across the Universe, screens tonight at 8 p.m. at Outerland at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport, continuing the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society’s dinner and a movie series at the club.

Habitat to Hold Auction

Habitat for Humanity will hold its sixth annual More Than Art auction and dinner on Friday, June 27, at 6 p.m. at the Harbor View Hotel, Edgartown. Rick Lee and Susan Klein will conduct a live auction. A silent auction also will be held. Individual tickets are $65. Tables for 10 also are available. Funds will be used toward the construction of the sixth Habitat house on the Vineyard. Reservations and more information are available by calling 508-696-4646.

The Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce and the Steamship Authority are seeking volunteers to conduct customer surveys on board the SSA ferries on the Vineyard-Woods Hole route from July 1 through August 23. The goal is to gain customer feedback and market research.

All volunteers will receive complimentary ferry passes at the end of the survey, and their name will be entered into a grand prize giveaway sponsored by the chamber.

By KATE J. CONDE

More than 40 members of the association made the annual trip to our Chappy station recently for the monthly dinner and meeting. Capt. Peter Wells and his crews of Engines 3 and 5 put on a nice spread of meat and vegetable lasagna, Waldorf salad, green salad, and garlic bread. The boys also had a delicious cake in honor of the recent retirement of Capt. Dick Knight.

Holmes Hole Sailors

Begin Summer Season

The Holmes Hole Sailing Association started its summer season of handicap sailboat racing from Vineyard Haven harbor with a tune-up race in the harbor on June 15.

 The weather was cool, with a gray overcast sky and intermittent rain. The wind was east-northeast at about eight to 15 knots. Four skippers posted at the start. The race committee opted for a 5.3-mile course.

Fire Department Benefit

An event to benefit the Tisbury Fire Department is set for Sunday, June 22, at 5 p.m. at Shirley’s Hardware on State Road in Vineyard Haven. The event will include a car show, pig roast and live music. More information is available by calling 508-696-4246.