Hurricane Hasson Descends on the Vineyard

On Wednesday I awoke with my lovely girlfriend and was soon out the door after a light breakfast. Our dear friend Kara was staying on Martha's Vineyard for the week with her father and brother and we were extended an invitation to join them. Having never been to Martha's Vineyard, I was very excited at the opportunity to explore yet another corner of our great New England region. My only problem was I had to work on Thursday at 3:30 PM. So, the plan was this: take the New Bedford fast ferry at 9:30 AM on Wednesday and arrive at Oak Bluffs at 10:30. Enjoy the day at the Vineyard. Enjoy a great evening with Kara and her family at the vineyard. Wake up, have a light breakfast, and catch the 10:50 AM ferry back to New Bedford.

The trip was awesome. We arrived at Oak Bluffs at the same time as another ferry from Cape Cod, so the area was bustling with activity. There was a bunch of traffic laced with walkers and bikers. Oak Bluffs is a beautiful town set against golden sand beaches with rows of "gingerbread" houses lined against an expansive lawn. It was definitely an area I enjoyed being around. We spent the rest of the morning and much of the afternoon at the house Kara's dad was renting. I was able to meet her brother and father, who I had briefly met before at Saint Mike's, as well as her friend Justin. Justin is an awesome guy with a welcoming spirit and in him I found a new friend on the island.

Our time at the house grew longer and we eventually decided to bike to the beach on one of the island's many bike paths. Upon arriving to the beach, Justin, Kara, Sarah, and I were able to enjoy sandwiches and snacks with one another. I was able to take a quick dip with Justin before we had to leave to head back to the house to prepare for our evening activity: a sun set cruise on a catamaran!

The cruise was from 6 to 8 and it was magnificent in every way. Kara's dad prepared an assortment of snacks including crackers with an Amish blue cheese, grapes, and a great guacamole with chips. Along with all this he bought a bottle of white wine for us to share together. Throughout my short time on Martha's Vineyard, one thing that never ceased to amaze me was how I felt I had known Kara's father for years. He was so incredibly welcoming and generous during my stay on the island.

The cruise left Edgartown and tacked up the island towards Chapaquittek. It was amazing to spend time with Justin, Brendan, Kara, Sarah, and Jim. Upon returning, we stopped at a family-style restaurant to pick up a couple pizzas, drove home, and spent the evening watching the classic "Jaws", which happened to be filmed right on Martha's Vineyard!

The following morning, as any hurricane does, I left the island almost as quickly as I came. When I arrived at the ferry terminal I was shocked to learn the ferry would not be leaving until 12:30! It was stuck in New Bedford because the hurricane barrier locked it in the harbor. And so, before leaving I was able to spend some more quality moments with this group of beautiful people before returning to the mainland.

Sarah decided to return with me, so we walked up to the second deck of the fast ferry together. We sat on the open deck, felt the salty wind whip our hair, and soaked in the sun. We cruised through the cape islands, through Wood's Hole, and back to New Bedford. As we raced along the coast, with a bright sun in the sky, I couldn't help but look over at my beautiful girlfriend and think, my God, what I life I live!!