A brilliant writer, E.B. White once wrote, “The sea became my unspoken challenge: the wind, the tide, the fog, the ledge, the bell, the gull that cried help, the never-ending threat and bluff of weather. Once having permitted the wind to enter the belly of my sail, I was not able to quit the helm; it was as though I had seized hold of a high-tension wire and could not let go.”

Friends and family of the late Capt. Robert Douglas took to the sea this past weekend. His memory and Mother Nature brought them gliding in to Menemsha Bight. For those of us on shore, it was almost spiritual to witness. For those on board the vessels it was that and much more. Shenandoah, Alabama, Tabor Boy, Ishmael, Calabash, Malabar and many more dropped anchored and, after a few shots of the cannon, reflective conversations ensued for the night before raising anchor in the morning in preparation for departure.

A little bit of the insiders scoop came from Mariah Campbell and Max Gibb who had the incredible opportunity to sail with Fred and Sarah Murphy on their schooner Ishmael. The sail from Vineyard Haven to Menemsha to was a reunion of sorts with old crew reconnecting over songs and stories. Max was crew back in 2003 and 2004 so it all felt a bit like coming home. And, to top it all off, their dear friend Dominic sailed his restored boat, Raider, alongside them.

Last week I mentioned I’d have more from the 4/5 class about their week of school at sea aboard Shenandoah. Mischa Keene and I had a chance to chat. He reports that having the opportunity to jump from the jib boom into the water was a highlight. Apparently, he did this about “50 times and (I) was always the last one to get out of the water.”

A couple other noteworthy highlights include hand washing before meal preparations and journaling. He will be able to read his journal “50 years from now and remember what a good time we had.”

River Rykowski was also on the trip. Aside from having the opportunity to do a lot more sailing than last year with travels taking them all the way to Mattapoisett, he too thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to jump and swim. How lucky our kids are to have this remarkable opportunity the Chilmark School Outing Program provides.

The derby jetty crew of Sarge, Brad, Brian, Jacob, Owen and more has returned from Colorado, Pennsylvania, New York and beyond for another opportunity to fish, cook, talk, laugh and adventure. Despite the low numbers of fish being caught thus far, their attitudes are eternally positive. The positivity is palpable and refreshing.

Sharon Bialy was in residence at her Chowder Kettle Lane home for a few weeks and looks forward to her return at the beginning of October. Her newest granddaughter, three month old Panina, will join her along with her parents Michelle Berlinger and Chris Zampino. Chris’s parents will travel from their home in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. for their first taste of the Vineyard. Sharon will, of course, make their visit memorable, but we all know Panina will be the highlight.

The quiet that settles in a home after a dog is gone is an unnatural, heavy silence. It is a space once filled with the rhythmic tap of claws on the floor, the jingle of a collar and the soft sighs of a contented friend sleeping nearby. The journey with a dog is a collection of countless memories: the joyful greeting at the door, the shared walks and quiet moments on the couch, and the silly quirks that made them an irreplaceable individual. Though we may have known their life would be shorter than our own, the final goodbye is never easy. My condolences go out to Corrick and Quinlan Slavin and their parents Dardy and Sean on the loss of their beloved Mulligan. And to Sarah and Bob Nixon and their kids Bobby, Maggie and Jack, Flanagan was a tiny, but mighty force. I will miss his impromptu visits to Menemsha.