Ten veterans and their families are participating in the sixth annual American Heroes Saltwater Challenge, hosted by Bob and Sarah Nixon. The veterans spend their mornings at sea, afternoons golfing and surfcasting. The challenge is full of gestures both large and small from the Vineyard community.

The kids are all right, at least as far as the derby is concerned. Seven-year-old Mason Warburton has held the top spot since the second day for his boat-caught false albacore.

Rising sun, rising tide
Rising fish, rising spirit
The birds in the sky
Start to chirp, can you hear it?

Beautiful October weather and the Holmes Hole Sailing Association fall racing series continued in lock step last Sunday. Eight boats came to the line to take on a sunny Harbor Course 1 in a building westerly breeze.

Vineyard runners took home top medals in the second annual Gay Head 10K held Sunday morning, beginning with Edgartown native Jamie Smadbeck who crossed the finish line first with a time of 40:18. Mr. Smadbeck and his fiancee ran in memory of her mother, who recently died of lung cancer.

At its halfway point, the 69th Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby is going strong, with 2,793 contestants and 1,481 entries as of Thursday, including 468 in the week ending Saturday.