Martha's Vineyard

Weekends in May, before Memorial Day, are a great time to visit the New England islands. The weather has turned warm (for our three days it didn't drop below 70), but the post-Memorial Day crowds have yet to arrive. The beaches are empty, probably because the water is colder than penguins like it. Restaurants and bars are generally open, yet reservations are not necessary.

Our base was in Edgartown, one of the main towns on the island. The town is situated right on a beautiful harbor, with a small lighthouse (shown left). The base of sand was actually deposited by a hurricane, reshaping the coastal area. It's now a spit of sand that juts out into the harbor, with docks for yachts and rowboats alike.

Bikes are a great way to see the island. The island is flat, and bikeways are generally available for anywhere you want to go. Rental companies are common, and rent nice equipment. We spent a day biking across the island, from Harbortown over to Vineyard Haven and then up to Oak Bluffs. About a 12 mile ride, enough to exercise the legs and make the photographs feel like they were earned!

The island has a great feeling of calm, peace, and seaside. Clapboard houses, whitewash, and long long stretches of beaches make you want to wander. Oak Bluffs is an old Methodist community, filled with beautiful Victorian architecture and gingerbreading. Circling the Methodist cathetedral is gingerbread village, with every house an extreme example of colors and ornate woodworking. An eerie calm permeates the village, it felt like we were invading as we silently biked around the houses.

The entire island is a blend of old-time whaling culture with modern class. Edgartown is full of galleries, shops, high end restaurants and bed & breakfasts, next door to an 18th century whaling captain's house, in original condition. Restaurants trace their roots back to shipping companies, and you can feel the history of sailors walking the cobblestones with their families.

This last image is a panorma of the main park in Oak Bluffs. To the left in the image is the beach, and surrounding the park are large, beautiful victorian houses. The park green had visitors flying kites, biking, or simply enjoying a day in the sun.