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An article a year ago in the Feb, 2009 Vineyard Gazette wasn’t good news for the beloved ferry, the Islander. The Islander was retired in March of 2007 and had sat idle in New York harbor. She was supposed to travel back and forth between Governor’s Island and Lower Manhattan. But some issues had arisen and the Islander was put up on Ebay. What a sad end for the Islander and for those who loved her. The article starts out saying:
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“Failboat,: Islander Is No Longer Seaworthy, Course Set for eBay”
By SAM BUNGEY
Less than two years after her final Vineyard voyage, the once-beloved ferry Islander is floating unwanted off Governors Island, N.Y. waiting to be auctioned off on eBay like so much attic junk.
She is scheduled to appear on the shopping and auction Web site on the morning before Valentine’s Day. There is no reserve bid.
It was supposed to be a new lease on life for the old girl. When the board of Governors Island stepped into buy the ferry in 2007, some dignified sunset years looked in store for the 57 year-old vessel, plying the few hundred yards of calm Hudson waters between Lower Manhattan and the tiny New York bay island.
But she never even made a single journey.”
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On Feb 23, 2009 the Islander was sold for an estimated $23,600. The new owner was not sure if he would sell it whole or scrap it.
For two years the Islander sat idle in NY Harbor.
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According to an article, ‘SO LONG WE WON’T SCRAP THE MEMORIES’, in the Feb 11. 2011 Vineyard Gazette by Mark Alan Lovewell, the Islander was acquired by a marine salvage company in NJ and is being dismantled and the scrap metal being recycled to various foundries.
In 2008 the Martha’s Vineyard Museum did acquire one of the original lifeboats.
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A sad ending for a work horse of a vessel who, even though not sleek or graceful, for 57 years brought her own special beauty to the waters surrounding the Vineyard. The Islander will continue to exist through paintings, photographs and in the memories of those who loved her. There was just “something” about her.
Yesterday, Feb 19th, Deb and I went on the first northern NJ Yarn Crawl.
We went to 5 of the participating 11 yarn stores.
The Stitching Bee in Chatham, NJ
The Blue Purl in Madison, NJ. Where we met Ann Weaver, the author of ‘Craft Work Knit.’ pictured above with the Blue Purl’s owner. This store is one of the nicest, as are the people who work there.
Lunch
Angelfire Studios in Basking Ridge where we met Kate and Courtney, the authors of ‘Vintage Modern Knits’ which Deb recently reviewed on her knitting website ‘Knitting Scholar’.
Down Cellar also in Basking Ridge was our last stop. It’s in a charming old house and the owner is friendly and nice.
It was fun… we met nice people… Deb got some gorgeous yarn… had donuts… what more could one ask for on a cold, windy February Saturday.
Some links:
I had spent the morning walking along South Beach/Katama with my daughter Deb, drawing in the sand and enjoying the solitude of the beach in May. The waves are higher and more intense on the southern side of the Vineyard…but this day the surf was quiet. We were enjoying the peacefulness when I spotted something out of the corner of my eye. As I approached I saw that it was a large stick, at least that was my first thought. Upon closer inspection I discovered that it was more like a walking stick… it was pretty solid and just the right height.
The top was rounded and well worn, the stick itself was dappled with knots. I wondered where it had come from ? Was it originally someone’s Christmas tree that had been brought to the beach to be recycled. Was it then discovered by a beachcomber and fashioned into a walking stick. If so then why was it lying alone in the sand. Had its owner washed out to sea, been abducted by aliens or perhaps the walking stick had magically walked away to seek adventures on its own.
From time to time I look at it and wonder what its story is, but alas inanimate objects are stubborn in giving up that information.
My sweet tooth was definitely satisfied this past weekend.
On Sunday we had flourless chocolate birthday cake baked by my daughter Deb – and chocolate biscotti’s baked by my daughter Patty.
On Monday, my birthday, Deb and I went to Crumbs in Ridgewood, NJ. There we had coffee and I had a blueberry scone and Deb had a muffin. The reason we went to Crumbs is because when we were in NYC a few weeks ago we discovered their bake shop and their cupcakes, which are delicious with a capital DELISH.
Raspberry filled ~ Cappuccino ~ Boston Creme
Raspberry filled ~ Tiramisu ~ Almond Joy
A little smaller than actual size. Really!!
Hope that Spring will come soon… and Faith that it will
The Tabernacle and Trinity Methodist Church – Campground, Oak Bluffs.
A gray Saturday in February. Too icky to go out, yet looking for something to do. Hmmm, there’s this brand new TV sitting idly by… maybe a movie would be a good idea. What would be more perfect on a cold, wintry, February day than…..
One of the top 4 all time movie classics…
‘Gone With The Wind’ has it all. Romance, deceit, war, unrequited love, more romance, more deceit, end of the war,death, Vivian Leigh, Clark Gable, beautiful cinematography and one of the top movie songs of all time, ‘Tara’s Theme.’
Since it’s a long movie, and it’s on 2 discs we decided to watch disc one in the afternoon and disc two in the evening. I was a looooong intermission. Which was good because shortly after we finished disc one our electricity went out for a few hours and we would have been left wondering what happened.
It was nice revisiting this classic movie after about 25 years. They don’t make movies like this anymore and I hope they never remake this one. ‘Gone With The Wind’ is a classic that, in my opinion, could never be recreated. The shadowy lighting alone in some scenes is mesmerizing, and done with such finesse and subtly that you sometimes don’t realize the impact it has.
For anyone who’s interested… here’s a link (CLICK HERE) to some interesting trivia facts about ‘Gone With The Wind’.
Martha! Martin! New York! Massachusetts! How many aliases and states have claimed this 100 sq mile island? The Wampanoag’s named it Noepe and that stuck until Bartholomew Gosnold came along in 1602.
No one seems to know who the Martin was whose name was once attached to the Vineyard… so let’s move ahead to Martha whose identity is still shrouded in myth. Was she one of Gosnold’s daughters, or his mother, or the name of an English royal. Whoever she was her name stuck and in my opinion has a nicer ring to it then Martin’s Vineyard.
According to the book “The History of Martha’s Vineyard” by Arthur R. Railton, in 1664 Charles II gave NY, NJ and the islands to the east to his brother, the Duke of York. In 1670 Thomas Mayhew, Jr and his grandson Matthew of Massachusetts traveled to NY to ask Gov Lovelace which colony his Island was under… New York or Massachusetts. Gov Lovelace made Thomas Mayhew “Governor for Life” of Martha’s Vineyard and gave him the authority to collect rents from all who lived within its bounds. Voila, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. History lesson over. 
