Island Light: Labor Day
End of the season at Ocean Park.
End of the season at Ocean Park.
Pulled ashore on Chilmark Pond.
Pulled ashore on Chilmark Pond.
Cooling off on the waning days of Vineyard summer.
Cooling off on the waning days of Vineyard summer.
Darting over the surface of Duartes Pond.
Darting over the surface of Duartes Pond.
Catching up on comings and goings at Squid Row.
Catching up on comings and goings at Squid Row.
Docked yacht spends the night in Vineyard Haven.
Docked yacht spends the night in Vineyard Haven.
Meeting the neighbors.
Meeting the neighbors.
Pigs take shelter from the sun at Katama Farm.
Pigs take shelter from the sun at Katama Farm.
Stonewall criss-crosses the Chilmark countryside.
Stonewall criss-crosses the Chilmark countryside.
Stars over South Beach.
Stars over South Beach.
Mermaid Farm tractor.
Mermaid Farm tractor.
Stream meanders through Chilmark.
Stream meanders through Chilmark.
Approaching the great pond through the woods in Edgartown.
Approaching the great pond through the woods in Edgartown.
Edgartown Great Pond.
Edgartown Great Pond.
Taking flight.
Taking flight.
Fishing boats in Menemsha.
Fishing boats in Menemsha.
Season's bounty.
Season's bounty.
A peck of peppers.
A peck of peppers.
Vintage Edgartown.
Vintage Edgartown.
Labor Day weekend sneaked up this year and caught the Island unawares. There we were, blissfully ensconced in the heat, the rush and the clamor of summer, still savoring beach days and ice cream cone nights, when over the shoulder the silent marauder appeared and — poof — September arrived.
Suddenly it was time to say goodbye to summer friends and house guests, time to send college students packing, to ease the jitters of high school freshmen, and to think — but only just think — about fall things like fishing and football and fires in the fireplace.
In a resort community such as the Vineyard, Labor Day is a time of transition, a time to look forward to the quieter season ahead and to look back at the season just past. Tomorrow the traditional summer exodus begins, and all roads lead to the Steamship Authority where the lines are long and the boats are sold out in one direction only: to the mainland.
And Islanders are smiling, because they love September.