The Island is wrapped in the quiet of December. Shortened days are cast in mild drizzle with fleeting breaks of sun through a low ceiling of gray clouds. Long nights are inky and blustery beneath starry skies splashed with meteor showers. Is the sky higher overhead at night? It seems so. Main streets twinkle and smile with hundreds of tiny white lights, while the more rural reaches of the Vineyard are marked by an occasional burst of cheer in the form of a lone tree, mailbox or fenceline decorated for the holiday.

On behalf of a little baitfish that’s not consumed by humans, it was amazing to witness 350-plus fishermen gathered in a Baltimore hotel conference room on Dec. 14. The 15-member Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) had come together to decide, at long last, whether to regulate the annual harvest of Atlantic menhaden. Over 150 people from eight states, including 18 from four Massachusetts fishing organizations, were on hand.

It is now public knowledge that our family has received an offer for a 12.9-acre parcel of land at the end of Flat Point Farm on Tisbury Great Pond. The land is currently in open pasture and grazed by the farm’s cattle and sheep — a view that we, other pond residents, boaters, painters and walkers enjoy.

Few had knowledge of the waters surrounding the Vineyard like Capt. Bob Weiss. With years of experience he could keep his clients and guests busy catching fish and listening to a lifetime of stories. He was gifted at doing both. As fellow captains and mariners we were always kept on our toes with Bob’s quick wit, humor and common sense advice. Bob had knowledge about many things boating and otherwise and was also willing to share with anyone who would listen. We were lucky to be among those who did.