Sports
The thousands of baby flounder being raised at the Wampanoag Tribe’s Aquinnah hatchery will be released late this summer at Clam Point in Nashaquitsa Pond, part of the Menemsha Pond system, according to the lead scientist of the two-year project to raise winter flounder in captivity and release them into safe waters.
Elizabeth A. Fairchild, of the University of New Hampshire, told a gathering last week at Chilmark Public Library that the Aquinnah project, overlooking Menemsha Pond, has been a great success thusfar in raising the tiny fish.
Tea Talk
Tea is good for you. Tea tastes good. But have you ever thought about making it yourself? And we’re not talking about dipping a bag in a cup of hot water here.
On Tuesday, July 10, Holly Bellebuono of Vineyard Herbs is heading to Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury to teach the art of tea blending. Sample some of her teas while learning the secrets of which herbs can help your aching tummy, cure insomnia or stop the flu.
The talk is from 1 to 3 p.m.
Until recently, Janet Messineo never considered herself an artist. Never mind that over the past 25 years Ms. Messineo, the Island’s only taxidermist, has recreated life itself thousands of times over, as evidenced by the glistening fish of all sizes adorning the walls of her basement workrooms. Although there are a few odd birds in one room, and a set of deer hooves lying on a shelf in another, there’s no question about what Ms. Messineo’s speciality is.
Boatbuilders Honored
Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway was honored on Saturday in a tribute dinner at the 21st annual wooden boat show in Mystic Seaport. Nat Benjamin, Ross Gannon and Brad Abbott earned high praise from Jon Wilson, founder and editor in chief of Wooden Boat magazine, who said the boatbuilders “. . . embarked on an enterprise and a way of life that has brought them — for more than 30 years — peerless reputation and world renown. The Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway became much more than a small business.”
Battle of the Islands
Which island is better? In the interest of unbiased reporting, we’ll let the fish do the talking.
This weekend the Martha’s Vineyard Surfcasters soundly defeated the Nantucket Anglers’ Club in the fifth annual Island Cup fishing contest, held June 22 through 24 on Martha’s Vineyard. The catch and release surf casting contest is designed to build friendships and foster friendly competition between the islands. (And what’s better than friendly competition when you win?)
An eight to ten-foot blue shark was spotted meandering the shallow waters of Dogfish Bar in Aquinnah on Saturday afternoon.
Benny Syslo, 20 of Chilmark, was out fishing for striped bass and bluefish with longtime friend Cam Alexander of Vineyard Haven in Mr. Syslo’s 21-foot Carolina Skiff on Saturday. At about 3 p.m., Mr. Syslo spotted the shark swimming close to the surface. The fish came into water as shallow as three feet, he said. They followed it for about a half hour.