The newest ferry Captain, Abe Whittaker comes to us from Maine. He was Captain Joel’s boss on the passenger ferries that service the small islands in the Casco Bay area. As some Chappaquiddickers may know, the On Time 2 is less well behaved than its sister ferry boat. Therefore, that is the boat that he is learning on. After mastering the feisty On Time 2, switching over to driving the On Time 3 then becomes a great relief.
As of this Sunday, Oct. 18, there will be only one Chappy Ferry boat in service. The On Time 2, which is the shorter of the two ferry boats, will head to Vineyard Haven for out-of-the-water maintenance and Coast Guard inspection. But before that happens, the On Time 3 will be getting its vehicle deck re-coated with nonskid paint and the yellow guide lines. That will take a couple of days to allow the paint to dry. Then it will return to service and the other ferry boat will disappear to return once all work on it is completed. Luckily, the ferry boat that will be staying in Edgartown is the longer of the two vessels. The wait time for vehicle traffic will be longer than usual. Just to be on the safe side getting to appointments, give yourself twice as much time for the ferry.
A household hazardous materials collection will take place this Saturday, Oct. 17 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Edgartown transfer station near the MV Airport. For folks who aren’t on the Island these days, the fall colors are putting on a grand showing this year. The beetlebungs, maples and blueberries are dressed up in vibrant yellows and reds. The oaks are still lush green so there are no leaves to rake yet. If you are wondering where the poison ivy is growing around the perimeter of your yard, it couldn’t be more obvious than it is at the moment. Its leaves are practically glowing.