Edition #6, 17 December 2007

Hello, my name is Cynthia. I am a mermaid from the waters of New England. Thank you for visiting my collection of articles on coastal New England. A new article will be posted here every other Monday.

If you missed any of my previous articles, you can find links to them here.

Take a ferry from Woods Hole to Vinyard Haven or travel to The Vineyard by air. Martha's Vineyard Airport is located in the center of the island. The smaller Katama Airpark is located to the southeast.

As expected, there is plenty to do here. Shop for antiques, clothing, books, and jewelry. The back roads may hold the key to a handmade treasure. Over thirty art galleries await your visit including the Dragonfly Gallery and the Island Art Gallery.

For those looking for action and adventure, take an aerial tour of the island, charter a boat, or go canoeing or kayaking. Fishermen will enjoy the fishing charters, and there are golf courses for the golfers among you. The children will enjoy the carousel and game room in Oak Bluffs. There are plenty of biking and walking trails as well.

Martha's Vineyard offers a variety of beaches for swimming. Those with small children will like the calm warmer waters of the harbors. Nantucket Sound offers cooler water and some waves. The more adventurous, and my mermaid friends, will enjoy the ocean beaches. Beware of the undertow, however.

The island's historical sites include Seamen's Bethel Museum, Old Schoolhouse Museum, African-American Heritage Trail, West Chop Lighthouse, East Chop Lighthouse, and the William Street Historic District. There is plenty of history here.

Aquinnah, formerly known as Gay Head, is home to the Wampanoag Indian tribe and Gay Head cliffs (see photo). Aquinnah means "land under the hill" in the Wampanoag language.

With the name Martha's Vineyard, you would expect there to be a vineyard, and there is. Chicama Vineyards of West Tisbury sits on approximately 11 acres, and has been producing wines since 1971.

In your travels on the island, you may run into the terms "up island" and "down island". Up island refers to travel in a westerly direction, toward Aquinnah for example. Down island travel is to the east.

Further information on Martha's Vineyard may be found at www.marthas-vineyard.com and www.mvol.com. Put yourself in the mood for a trip to The Vineyard, MVOL also features a collection of desktop wallpaper.

Until next time, have a safe and happy holiday season!

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Love,
Cynthia