Cruising Vineyard Sound: Images of Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts

Martha's Vineyard stands off the coast of Cape Cod and the Elizabeth Islands comprising Vineyard Sound and Nantucket Sound.
The open Atlantic ocean is seen along much of the island's southern exposure.
Her other shore faces east to Nantucket, across miles of treacherous sandbars and shoals.
A number of towns share the island, each with a distinctive identity.

Along the north facing coast, across from Cape Cod, one finds Vineyard Haven in Tisbury, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown.
These towns are the core, always bustling with activity any time of year, each with a distinct personality.

Beyond these are the towns of Aquinnah and West Tisbury. Farmland, and open rural vistas are a special part of this secluded area.
Villages such as Menemsha and the Squibnocket region offer distinct views.
These are rural regions where privacy is cherished, and sweeping ocean images are found around each turn of the road.

In my youth I worked the steamships that served the islands; the Islander and Nobska, both bound from Wood's Hole, both gone now.
Such wonderful memories of that time. Such wonderful memories of an era past here on the island.
A simpler time when children dove for coins alongside the steamships, as passengers tossed them in with glee.

Today my Cape Dory sloop sailboat is moored in Tisbury, on Lake Tashmoo. From that vantage point I can watch the world go by, and photograph it,
often venturing out onto Vineyard Sound in pursuit of the perfect shot.
The currents are swift, and adequate planning must be made before sailing into the shipping channels with currents that can push a boat backwards under full sail.
And each time I sail beyond the jetty, I find incredible images that beg to be captured.
What a beautiful island.