Updated Thursday, 6:30 am.

The All Island Tennis Championship to benefit Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard held Monday raised more than $8,000, and attracted more than 120 players who competed to benefit the Island nonprofit that ministers to those at life’s end.

Most opening rounds were completed on Friday. During the evening cocktail party that followed, players and spectators were entertained by the comedic impressionist talents of Louise DuArt and her inspirational speaker husband, SQuire Rushnell.

On Sunday, the women’s doubles finals matched state champion high school teammates Kelly Klaren and Kat Roberts against Victoria Scott and Elizabeth Williamson. A large crowd watched, issuing many “oohs” and “aahs” as balls were hit back and forth with blistering speed, and players chased down the balls to keep the point going. In the end, Klaren/Roberts were victorious, 6-2, 6-1, but the score belied the closeness of a very entertaining match.

In men’s singles, which was a round-robin tournament, Iain Macleod won first place, with Janis Krums taking second.

The tournament relied on an innovative “Compass/Waterfall draw,” to accommodate more than 120 players. The format allowed players to continue playing whether they won or lost.

Final results: Women’s doubles: Division 1: Kelly Klaren/Kat Roberts def. Victoria Scott/Elizabeth Williamson, 6-2, 6-1; Michelle Bettencourt/Jeanne Holenko def. Lynn Blake/Maya Moran, 6-1, 6-0; Division 2: Natalie Krauthamer/Anne Williamson def. Cara McCormick/Moira Shipsey, w/o; Kim Materese/Linda Trude def. Catherine Linenberg/Lucienne Sanchez, 6-0, 6-1.

Division 3: Susanne Faraca/Sarah Moore def. Dorinda Forde/Susan Staudt, 6-4, 6-1; Beverly Mazza/Jeanne Ogden def. Susan Bernier/Patti Leighton, 6-1, 6-1.

Division 4: Maria McFarland/Susie Mondry def. Suzanne Boyer/Rebecca Haag, 6-4, 6-4; Susan Herr/Susan Peltier, bye.

Men’s doubles: Division 1: Paul Adler/Tim Penicaud def. Connor Downing/Kiric Hallahan, 6-2, 6-0; Howard Honig/Randy Williams def. Patrick Caine/Skip Dostal, 7-5, 6-3; Division 2: Aksel Cooperrider/Nainoa Cooperrider def. Randolph Lindsay/Roland Marquez, 6-4, 4-6, 13-11; Chris Ferry/James Ferry def. William DiSchino/Mark Wissmar, 6-1, 6-0; Division 3: Doug Cooper/Mike Marchand def. Wayne Greenwall/Mark Jenkins, 6-4, 6-4; Fred Krokenberger/Chuck Scott def. Robert Rush/William Santo, 6-0, 6-2.

Mixed doubles: Division 1: Beth Sawyer/Ryan Sawyer def. Kat Roberts/Jack Roberts, 6-3, 6-3; Susan Kimball/Arthur Stafford def. Laura Schroeder/Roland Marquez, 6-2, 7-5; Division 2: Pam Monahan/Ken Monahan def. Lynn Blake/Gene Erez, 6-2, 7-5; Mary Breslauer/Gavin Franklin def. Jan Brogan/William Santo: Division 3: Megan Farrell/Jeff Young def. Kelly Nicol/Scott Nicol, 6-3, 7-6; Liz Peirce/Rob Peirce def. Doreen Rezendez/Sandy Ray, w/o; Division 4: Donna Fernandez/Jeffrey Fernandez def. Barbara DiSchino/William DiSchino, 6-2, 4-6, 10-7; Janice Florin/Don Barker def. Lisa Wissmar/Mark Wissmar, 6-4, 6-1.

An earlier version of this story reported that Chris Downing and Kiric Hallahan were defeated in Division 1 of Men’s doubles. It was Connor Downing and Kiric Hallahan who were defeated.

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I am planning to make an independent film, and I need financial backers. Auditions for lead roles and supporting cast members begin Sunday, the start of the 70th Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby. The title of the film is “Dr. Jekyll and Albie Fisherman Mr. Hyde.”

It will be a remake of the Oscar-winning classic 1931 horror film directed by Rouben Mamoulian that starred Fredric March. The film was remade in 1941, and starred Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, and Lana Turner — what a cast.

IMDb, an online movie database, provides this description of the film: “Dr. Jekyll faces horrible consequences when he lets his dark side run wild with a potion that changes him into the animalistic Mr. Hyde.”

In my modern retelling of the classic tale, Dr. Henry Jekyll, a kindly family practitioner and medical marijuana dispensary director living on Martha’s Vineyard, lets his dark side run wild when he begins pursuing false albacore, a fixation that changes him into the rude, inconsiderate, foul-mouthed, bullying, deranged albie fisherman Edward Hyde.

The movie begins with a close-up shot of a composed Dr. Jekyll relaxing in his 18-foot tin boat on a picture-perfect Vineyard fall day. He is smoking a pipe and chatting with his fiancée Muriel about what a special place Martha’s Vineyard is, and how much he is looking forward to their upcoming wedding.

Suddenly, a pod of albies breaks off the bow. He casts into the fish and hooks up. The albie takes off on a blistering run. He plays the fish, giggling excitedly as perspiration beads up on his brow.

All the while he is playing the fish, his face is undergoing a transformation. After a 10-minute battle, he begins shouting at Muriel to get the net. She stabs the net into the water, but misses the fish and breaks the line. Dr. Jekyll begins shouting at Muriel, then catches himself, realizing a darker side of his personality is emerging.

What is happening to him? As the movie progresses, his behavior becomes worse and worse, and Muriel will no longer fish with him. His clothes are rumpled and filthy. He is Mr. Hyde — Derby badge No. 666.

We next see Mr. Hyde on the Menemsha jetty. A fisherman casts over his line. Mr. Hyde cuts the man’s line. There is a fistfight. Police are called, but Mr. Hyde runs off, shrieking about his lost albie.

One of the scariest scenes is when Mr. Hyde, bug-eyed and veins popping out in his neck, stands in the bow of his boat screaming at another fisherman, a dad with a boatload of children. “You cut me off, you cut me off — I’ll kill you!” Mr. Hyde screeches.

Here is the climactic scene. Forty boats, all at full throttle, race for one pod of breaking fish in Edgartown Harbor. Mr. Hyde, in his new 24-foot center console outfitted with twin Evinrude 250s, is leading the pack. Mr. Hyde, racing to be the first to cast at the breaking school of albies, goes clear over another boat.

That scene will be a recreation of a similar incident I wrote about off Lackey’s Bay, in which one boat did crash into another. In fact, the whole movie will carry one of those standard movie disclaimers: The following is based on a series of true stories. No albies were killed in the filming of this movie, but several fishermen did experience divorces.

Just this week I heard several stories about normally courteous fishermen losing control when the albies appear. In one case, a youngster hooked up to an albie in Edgartown Harbor from the Chappy shore. In comes a fisherman in a boat, oblivious to the kid playing his fish. He later apologized, I am told.

There is no question that hooking an albie, a small tuna, is very exciting from shore or boat. The excitement is addictive. The fish we see in our waters weigh between 6 and 12 pounds, and when hooked take off on line-melting runs.

Albies have keen eyesight, they are incredibly picky about what they will hit, and they move rapidly through the water as they feed, all of which accounts for the frustration they generate among fishermen in pursuit of the adrenaline rush that comes with hooking one fish.

A fisherman may make multiple casts right into the middle of breaking, splashing fish, and still come up empty. The trick is to be where the fish are in order to increase the odds. Some boat fishermen choose the “run and gun” technique of racing over to breaking fish. Other, more patient fishermen cast to unseen fish on the correct theory that the schools are circulating beneath the surface of the water and come up only sporadically.

The problem with run and gun is that it can lead to conflicts when boaters are not considerate or exercise poor judgement. A breaking, splashing school of albies can cause even the calmest fisherman to lose his composure.

Soon after the albies arrived, I received an email from one of the most considerate fishermen I know, a guy I first met at the end of the Tashmoo jetty, who was always happy to share his spot, his techniques, and his flies.

“The albie wars have begun,” he said. “I fell prey to the ravages of ‘albie frustration’ recently, and had words with another angler. Sometimes anger gets in the way of reason, as you may know. After I decompressed and gave it more thoughtful consideration, I came to the realization that we were both at fault in some way. By then it was too late; a family feud had begun.”

His advice? “Remember that we fish for these speedsters for the fun and excitement of it, and should keep that in the forefront of our minds.”

And he added, borrowing a quote from “Seinfeld’s” Frank Costanza: “Serenity now.”

With the Derby about to start, I have put together a short list of albie rules of etiquette. I invite more suggestions.

When in a boat, stay out of casting distance of shore fishermen on the beach or on a jetty.

Do not cut off another boat from a breaking school of fish. Circle around the fish.

When a school comes up near another boat, give them their chance at the fish.

If a fisherman hooks up from the shore or jetty, let him or her play the fish without worrying about your cast going over his line.

Do not swear or shout at other boaters, particularly if kids are in the boat.

Do not carry weapons in your boat.

Do not run your boat into another boat.

Stay away from Mr. Hyde.

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Updated:

Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) literally dropped its season opener by a 20-15 score as the Carver High School Crusaders used four first-half Vineyard turnovers to snatch a win on Friday night at Dan McCarthy Field in Oak Bluffs.

Before kickoff, the half-filled stands stood for a moment of silence to honor America’s victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, then were treated to a first-half highlight, a perfect a cappella rendition of the national anthem by MVRHS senior and Minnesinger Darby Patterson.

After a Carver three and out following the kickoff, Island fortunes turned ugly. The Vineyarders fumbled a kickoff and a punt return, and had an interception and an unforced fumble in the backfield, leading to three Crusader TDs in the first half of Coach Don Herman’s 28th and final season as head coach.

To their credit, the Vineyarders stuffed two of three Crusader point-after tries, and got untracked offensively to score two first-half TDs of their own on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Tucker McNeely to James Sashin and a 56-yard TD burst by running back Curtis Farrell.

The second half, in which the Crusader offense dominated play, was scoreless against a bend-don’t-break Vineyarder defense which included two goal-line stands. Before the season, Coach Herman expressed concern about injuries to a squad he described as talented but undermanned.

Two-way senior starter Austin Chandler missed the opener, awaiting results from an MRI on a knee injured in a scrimmage last week, and key defensive big man junior Lucas Davenport did not play the second half as a precautionary measure after tweaking an ankle in the first. Go-to running back Jacob Cardoza played sparingly in the second half after being shaken up.

The Vineyarders netted 114 rushing yards in the non-Eastern Athletic Conference contest. Senior quarterback Tucker McNeely was 5-15 for 85 yards, and Ben Clark rushed for 88 yards in a gritty performance.

“I was not pleased, not happy with the way we played, particularly in the first half,” Mr. Herman said. “Four unforced turnovers, three in the first quarter, led to us losing the ballgame, in my opinion. We looked disorganized and missed some opportunities to win it even after the early mistakes,” he said.

“I think part of the problem was that some kids who hadn’t played before were a little shell-shocked when the lights went on,” he said.

Mr. Herman then looked at the glass half-full. “Ben [Clark] had a phenomenal run for the touchdown. Curtis Farrell made a nice play on the touchdown pass. We played well defensively in the scoreless second half. We were in a position to win the game. I saw some things to build on, to help us get better. We need to get the ball in the hands of the playmakers more often,” he said.

The Vineyarders got standout defensive play from junior Elijah Matthews, the DeMattia brothers (Andy and Jimmy), and Mr. Clark. Diminutive sophomore Zach Moreis made a strong debut against an aggressive Carver team which showed multiple looks and a solid passing game.

While Austin Chandler’s knee injury will sideline him for more two weeks, the Vineyarders will have Jacob Cardoza, Lucas DeBettencourt, and tackle Joe Burchell back for Friday’s contest at Bourne High School. The Vineyarders and Canalmen kick off at 6:30 pm. The junior varsity tilt begins at 3:30.

“We’re challenged; no question we’ll miss Austin. But we have to work hard and balance the work with staying healthy,” Coach Herman said.

While the Vineyarders easily handled Bourne twice in 2014, Coach Herman expects a challenge this week. “They have completely revamped their program. They’ve become much more athletic, and they beat Monomoy 36-6 in the season opener. So we need to be ready,” he said.

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Kevin Bouchard-Hall from Wadhams, N.Y., won the second annual Martha’s Vineyard’s Triathlon held Sunday, presented by Goodale Construction, with a world-class time of 4:13:08.

The main event was a 70.3-mile race that began with a 1.2-mile open water ocean swim, continued with a 56-mile bike ride, and finished with a flat 13.1-mile run along State Beach.

In addition to the main race, there were a sprint, a kids triathlon, an aquabike, and a 70.3 relay. Race results are available here. For more information, go to vineyardtriathlon.com.

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The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School girls and boys cross country teams hosted nearly 500 harriers from 19 schools Saturday in the ninth annual Vineyard Invitational.

Vineyard rival Bishop Feehan swept to team victories in the girls varsity, jayvee and freshman races; while Barrington, Rhode Island did the same on the boys side.

Bishop Feehan’s Abigail Long won the girls varsity race in 18:19.44. Fellow Shamrock Andrew Pearl won the boys varsity 5K in 16:20.35.

Three Vineyard runners made the top ten in their respective races. Aivaras Gedvilas placed fourth of 94 runners in the boys varsity race, crossing the line in 16:48.45. Owen Porterfield took second in the boys 3K freshman event, clocking in at 11:06.03, five seconds behind Barrington’s Brian Donohue. Isis Burt finished ninth in the girls freshman race, completing the course in 13:25.09.

Emma Riemer had the best Vineyard time in the girls varsity race, placing 60th in 24:57.52. Lila Norris led the Purple in the girls jayvee race, finishing 45th of 97 in 27:14.88, while Ryan O’Malley (27th, 20:14.48) and Otto Osmers (28th, 20:18.42) paced the hosts in the boys jayvee race. Nate D’Angelo ran to a solid 22nd place finish in the boys varsity race with a time of 17:28.99. For complete results, visit ma.milesplit.com.

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Apres, a J/120 skippered by Steve Besse, was the winner of the 2015 Moffett Race held Saturday. This was his second Moffett win, the first being in 2009, which resulted in a significant five-year handicap. With hobbles removed, a combination of local knowledge, shrewd strategy, and a bit of luck was the recipe for victory.

The start is divided into two divisions, and after observing the first few minutes of the B Division race, Steve decided to take a different tack. A very strong ebbing tide developed over the hours of the race. At the same time the wind, albeit very light, backed around from the north to the southeast during the afternoon. From the start off East Chop, the course took boats across to a mark off Waquoit Bay, and then back to a buoy off the Oak Bluffs side of East Chop. Because of light wind, the race was shortened, and this mark became the finish. The strategic question was how to make it back to the second mark with up to a three-knot current pushing boats down the Sound to the west.

In a bold move, Steve decided to sail all the way back into Vineyard Haven Harbor, using a part of the current in crossing, and then to tack back out and around East Chop using the strong outflow along the western shore of East Chop. From there he hugged the eastern shore going toward Oak Bluffs to stay out of the strongest ebb. His margin of victory was one of the largest ever recorded.

Light wind in a strong current favors larger boats. Second place was taken by Aileen, a Sparkman and Stevens sloop sailed by Brian Roberts. Next was Eleda, a Gannon & Benjamin 45, built and sailed by Ross Gannon. Tango, Phil Hale’s J/100, took the fourth spot, and Juno, a 65-foot Gannon & Benjamin schooner sailed by Scott DiBiaso, came in fifth. Juno made use of a “fisherman,” a high-flying staysail placed between the fore and main masts, a lovely sight. Strategies varied, but some followed Steve’s tactic, while others hugged the far shore before tacking home.

While George Moffett might have been heartened by the turnout of enthusiastic sailors for his namesake race, he would have found the desultory winds disheartening indeed. Just 24 of the 35 starters were able to finish, and for some it took five hours for an eight-mile course. The breeze did pick up a little in spots in the afternoon, giving a push to some while punishing others, something no sailor can predict, regardless of skill. At the same time the strong current and failing breeze resulted in travel in unforeseen directions. Sometimes sailors will even anchor and wait until a change in circumstance, an impractical tactic in the middle of Vineyard Sound!

A bit of history: George Moffett was instrumental in the formation of the Holmes Hole Sailing Association, and when he died in 1977 his wife Lucia established a trophy in his name for a race to be held in September. Any boat between 15 and 70 feet was welcome. The inaugural race was in 1978, and there were 20 entries. Over the years the race has gained in popularity, attracting boats of every description. When the number of participants reached 45, the start was divided into two divisions for safety reasons. Now the Moffett is always held on the Saturday after Labor Day to allow lingering summer sailors, as well as year-rounders, to take part.

Handicapping is particularly challenging for the race committee. While the Holmes Hole handicaps are derived from past performances under various conditions, many boats enter the Moffett as their first and only race of the season, and several come from far away (the Cape), trailing no history. High-performance boats compete with wooden schooners and smaller-keel boats, making handicapping a more than daunting task. However, every year there is, in fact, a winner, and this year it was Apres.

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The Holmes Hole Sailing Association (HHSA) announced its 2015 awards at the always lively potluck dinner held in Vineyard Haven on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Memories of various races, conditions, roundings, mishaps, and good fortune were all discussed at length at this gathering. After dinner, with Commodore Jerry Goodale presiding, Roger Becker, race officer and handicap guru, read the 2015 results.

In the A Division, Masquerade, a Morris 36 sailed by Michael Loberg, won for the June/July series, and Tom and Laurie Welch took the August/September award with Escape, a J/100.

For the B Division, the Vineyard 15 Tyche, sailed by Katie and Bow Van Riper, won the June/July series, and Isabella, a Gannon & Benjamin Bella skippered by John and Lisa Stout, won the August/September series.

The overall winners for the season were Masquerade for the A Division, and Isabella for the B Division.

The Jewett Award is given for the best overall performance, and was well earned this year by Masquerade. Congratulations to Michael Loberg, who so often single-handed Masquerade to victory!

Intrepid HHSA sailors will continue racing Thursdays and Sundays in Vineyard Haven Harbor for the Schwarz Cup until their hands start freezing to the tillers.

Thank you to Lisa Stout for providing the HHSA weekly reports. — Ed.

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On Saturday, Sept. 19, Vineyard sailors will honor the memory of Francis (Pat) West Jr. with the 27th Pat West Gaff Rig & Schooner Race to benefit Sail Martha’s Vineyard (sailmv.com), a nonprofit that promotes sailing for Island young people.

The skippers’ meeting will be held on Friday, Sept. 18, at 5 pm at the Gannon & Benjamin boatyard. Registrations will be accepted up until the meeting. The entry fee is $40. An awards ceremony will follow the race, at the Gannon & Benjamin boatyard.

For complete race information, including race courses, go to

gannonandbenjamin.com and click on current events.

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Have fun, and don’t drink all the beer before everybody gets back. That’s the acquired mantra for the “Thirsty Thursday” group run, a weekly summer event started by the Amity Island Running Club, a group of Martha’s Vineyard running enthusiasts.

The club began in May 2013 after several Islanders ran the Cape Cod Ragnar Relay together. “Those members decided that more people needed to experience this same type of torture,” according to the club website. “After a few months of scouting, recruiting, and meeting, the AIRC was officially founded.” The name was inspired by the movie “Jaws.” Amity Island is the fictional town menaced by a giant white shark.

The next step, a group run, seemed obvious to club leaders.“We had so many people asking about the club, and T shirts and where they could get them, and when they could run,” Kara Shemeth, the club’s founder, said Friday in a phone call. “So we decided to start a group run.”

A group of five to 20 runners meets at 5:30 pm every Thursday at Bad Martha’s Brewery in Edgartown to go for a run along the ocean on Beach Road. Afterward, they stretch out, relax, socialize, and drink some Bad Martha’s brews.“We approached the then manager at Bad Martha’s, and asked if we could use that as a meeting spot,” Ms. Shemeth said. “And it kind of just took off from there. We started in June, and we’ve met every week since.”

Early in the summer, Ms. Shemeth and some of the other runners went out and measured from the Brewery down Beach Road, and marked off every mile up to 3.5.

Runners go their own pace and distance, some as individuals, others in groups. She said the group this summer has been mainly Islanders, there’s a core group of “regulars,” but they encourage everyone to show up and participate.

“I would say if you’re even thinking about starting running, it’s a step in the right direction,” she said. “This is a group to start off a new life goal, or if you’re just looking to get moving, come join us. We’ve got people who run 7-minute miles to 15-minute miles.”

The group run will end when Bad Martha’s closes in October, but the club is already considering ways to extend the Thursday tradition. They’re also finding ways to expand the group and get more involved in the community.“We always try to have a few of our runners representing at some of the Island races. We help out with those when we can,” Ms. Shemeth said. “We did a ‘Jingle Jog’ last year, right around the morning of Christmas in Edgartown. We might try to do that again.”

They also will be taking over the reins of the Scoops 5k next year. “And that will be an interesting adventure,” she said.

But for now, she’s just pleased with the success of the first summer of “Thirsty Thursdays.”

“I really am happy with the way it turned out this summer,” Ms. Shemeth said. “Our main goal is really to get people moving. We’re not a competitive group. We just want to get people out running or walking and having a blast.”

Thirsty Thursday

On a recent Thursday, about nine runners showed up to take a run along Beach Road in the hot, 85° sun.

John Wilson of Edgartown, who has attended every Thirsty Thursday since the second week, said that was a pretty typical showing for the group.

“There’s probably a core of about 10 people, and other people come and go, but there’s a pretty solid group that comes every Thursday,” he said.

Chris Edwards of Edgartown, deemed the “rabbit” of the group by Mr. Wilson for his quick pace, said the group dynamic varied from week to week.

“It’s been a mix of Islanders and vacationers,” he said. “We get people who see it in the newspaper. They look up running activities, and they come check it out.”

Mr. Wilson said the biggest group, about 20 to 25 people, was on July 2. He had a guess about why there were some members missing on Thursday.

“A lot of the regulars are teachers, and I think that they are probably enjoying their last few days of non-teaching, which is why I think they’re not here,” he said.

The exception was Justine DeOliveira, who changed in the Brewery bathroom in order to be there on time after spending the day getting her classroom ready. She was there with her husband, Paulo, her two kids in a jogging stroller, and two friends visiting from Boston.

“It’s been a ripple effect,” she said. “Kara started, then my husband joined in, then I was like, ‘Well, if everyone else is doing it …’”

“And the kids have no choice,” Mr. DeOliveira joked.

“We go back and forth pushing the stroller,” she said. “And Mateo actually runs the bridge when we get there. He hops out and crosses the bridge to Oak Bluffs.”

Ms. DeOliveira’s friend from Boston, Alicia Agnoli, said she would be looking for the 1-mile mark.

“Justine was like, ‘Why don’t you come for a run and beer?’” she said. “I was like, ‘Well, I like the beer.’”

Mr. Wilson said that’s what it’s all about.

“Just show up, grab a beer, look for people wearing running shoes, and you’re good to go,” he said.

And with that, a few clicks of running watches, and a quick motivational speech, they were off, running down Beach Road in the blaring sun to earn a Thursday-evening beer.

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The 70th Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby began with a false albacore. Aidan Gates of Tisbury was first in the weigh station line when longtime weigh master Roy Langley slid open the wood door of the small, weathered building overlooking Edgartown Harbor and rang the school bell that signifies the start of five weeks of fishing madness that annually washes over the Island.

Aidan caught his fish, one of four species that hold the key to Derby glory, just 15 minutes prior to the 8 am opening of the first official weigh-in. Not far behind was John Casey of Edgartown holding a 24.82-pound striped bass he caught fishing with brother Ned Casey in the wee hours of the morning. Many more fishermen will follow in their footsteps from 8 to 10, each morning and evening.

The weigh station will close at 10 pm, Saturday, October 17, when Roy Langley next rings the Derby bell and slides the weigh station door closed.

No matter the age or choice of tackle, the fisherman who catches the heaviest bonito, false albacore, bluefish or striped bass from shore or boat will be named the grand leader.

Accepted Island wisdom is that anyone who plans to fish at any point over the course of the next five weeks join the Derby. One cast and some luck is all it takes to claim one of the grand prizes, or one of many other smaller prizes.

I am counting on lots of luck. So far, all Tom Robinson and I have to show for our effort is lots of weed harvested while bait fishing with squid off the south shore.

Those new to the game are reminded that fishermen must possess a Massachusetts recreational saltwater fishing permit. There are some exceptions. For more information and daily results go to www.mvderby.com.

More important than Derby prizes is safety. I think every fisherman should always wear a PFD. I have a comfortable inflatable. The following story, I received in an email from Bob Lane, Derby committee member, illustrates the necessity.

“I took my son and his father-in-law out in a 22-foot Whaler, “Good Karma II,” for some fishing in the late morning,” Bob said. “We crossed over to the Woods Hole eastern approach area to look for signs of fish. The water in the sound was choppy and we had to go easy. When we got to the shallow area on the east side of Woods Hole my guests noticed a man fishing from a kayak and they asked if that was safe. I told them that fishing from a kayak has become very popular and that kayakers are careful to take precautions when heading out.

“Now, people who have been in emergency situations on the water will almost always say that when things go wrong on the water, they go wrong quickly. So, no sooner had the words left my mouth when the kayaker near us was in the water along with half his gear, and was waving us over for help. The man looked to be around 40, so this wasn’t a youngster with limited experience. To my surprise, he was not wearing a life jacket, nor was there one on the kayak.

“He held onto our swim ladder, handed us the loose gear and then climbed into our boat, somewhat embarrassed but about as thankful and apologetic as anyone who has just seen their life pass before them could be. We tied a line to his very small kayak and towed it to the beach near the WHOI dock and put him safely ashore there. I’m not sure, but as we pulled away it looked like he was kissing the beach!

“As we brought the kayaker to the shore, he and I discussed what had happened. He readily admitted that he had made a couple of bad decisions: setting out into choppy waters in too small a kayak, one meant for a pond was one; paddling near a busy channel where other boaters might not have seen him was another; and especially not wearing or bringing a life jacket, this was the biggie. I didn’t want to lecture him, but I did want to make it a teachable moment, so I related a couple of stories of people I had known who didn’t wear a life jacket on the water and paid the ultimate price for that lack of judgement. He was very quiet and pensive as he realized what had almost happened.

“On top of everything else, he also did not have any form of communication other than a cell phone in a sealable plastic bag, which of course had a leak, so the phone was out of commission as soon as the water got to it. A waterproof, floating, handheld VHS marine radio would have been a much better choice. I can also attest that I have had a LifeProof case on my cell phone and it has survived a dunking in salt water. It doesn’t float however, but if it’s in a pocket you will have access to it.

“Well, all’s well that ends well, but with anglers anxious to get out and fish, especially during the Derby, this should be a reminder to all, whether fishing from boat, kayak, or from shore that to use sound judgement and to err on the side of caution will greatly increase the odds of a safe return. If a person doesn’t do that for themselves, then they should at least do it for the ones they love.”

Good advice worth heeding.

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The Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby Kids Day outing provides a welcome respite from the intensity of all-out fishing competition. For a few hours, the goal is not to climb the piscatorial mountain in pursuit of glory and prizes. The object of kids day for all the Derby committee members, moms and dads, uncles, aunts, and grandparents present — many who wake before sunrise — is to make sure the kids catch a few fish and have fun.

Standing on the Oak Bluffs Steamship Authority dock Sunday morning after several hundred kids had departed, many with prizes and all with a T shirt and a Mad Martha’s gift certificate for a free ice cream, committee member Paula Sullivan summed up the general view: “This is the best part of the Derby.”

“I had a ball,” Derby chairman John Custer said about the morning. “I always have a good time.”

Longtime kids day committee chairman Cooper “Coop” Gilkes is the embodiment of the bumper sticker that reads, “A bad day fishing beats a good day at work.”

For Coop, there is no such thing as a bad day fishing. Asked about the fishing, Coop pronounced it mediocre, but quickly added, “But who’s complaining? The sunrise was gorgeous.”

I was interested in the tally. Most of the winners caught sizeable black sea bass, one of the tastiest fish available in Island waters. Unfortunately, the season is now closed, but fishermen who go in search of sea bass next season from shore might want to note the kids day tally. Numerous fish in excess of the 14-inch minimum state size limit came over the rail. Although the SSA pier is off limits, the adjacent state fishing pier provides a very convenient spot to fish for a variety of species.

On Sunday, all of the kids received a T shirt with a custom design by fourth grader Elena Giordano of the Oak Bluffs School, winner of an Island-school-wide competition.

If years of writing about kids day have taught me one thing, it is that kids are a tough interview. Art Linkletter, who parlayed his ability to get kids to spill the beans on mom and dad into a career, knew that.

I asked Elena about her winning design.

“It was a person fishing on the pier and it says Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby,” Elena said shyly.

Where did you get the idea for it? I asked, prodding her for some deeper insight while making sure to avoid a yes or no question.

“I’m not sure,” she said.

A few days ago, Tom and I had come off the beach. A car was parked near our vehicle. Two women and a guy sat on the tailgate and one of the women was involved in a serious monologue about her insights into her id, life, and her psyche. Her discourse continued the entire time it took us to get out of our waders and get out of there. It was so refreshing to gather Elena’s uncomplicated insights.

I asked her if the girl in the drawing was supposed to be her. Is that you, I asked, violating my yes-or-no guideline, and getting the one-word answer it generally elicits.

“Yuh,” she said.

I asked her why she picked a little girl instead of a little boy. The answer was as refreshing as it was innocent. There will be time enough to be pulled into the gender wars.

“Umm,” she said. “Because I’m a girl.”

Over the years, I have sought Derby guidance from all corners. I asked Elena where she thought I ought to fish. She recommended the nearby Oak Bluffs jetty.

If I don’t win the Derby, will you be sad for me? I asked, shamelessly playing for sympathy. She demurred, too polite to say no, but obviously finished with the interview. Art Linkletter would have understood.

Kids Day Derby results

Biggest scup of the day: Leah deBettencourt of Oak Bluffs (age 7), 13.25 inches.

Biggest fish of the day: Hannah Gibbs of Oak Bluffs (age 12), 17-inch black sea bass.

Through 8 years old: 1. Jackson Munson (age 7), 16.50-inch sea bass; 2. Jack Scarborough (age 5), 15-inch sea bass; 3. Leah deBettencourt (age 7), 15-inch sea bass.

9-11 years old: 1. Henry Coogan (age 9), 16.5-inch sea bass; 2. Chelsea Bouchard (age 11), 16.5-inch fluke; 3. Riley Sylvia (age 11), 16-inch sea bass.

12-14 years old: 1. William Herman (age 14), 15-inch sea bass; 2. Jackson Pachico (age 13), 12.75-inch scup; 3. Owen Steenkamp (age 12), 12.50-inch scup.

Each young fisherman received a gift certificate for a Mad Martha’s ice cream and a T shirt with a design chosen in a school-wide competition. The T shirt design contest winner was fourth grader Elena Giordano of the Oak Bluffs School. Honorable mentions went to: Eli Bryant, Grade 2, West Tisbury School; Henry D’Andrea, grade 5, Edgartown School; and Ella Keene, Grade 4,  Chilmark School.

Art of fly tying

Fly tying in all its facets will be on display this Thursday and Friday in the Pebble Gallery at Featherstone Center for the Arts off Barnes Road in Oak Bluffs, just a long cast from the herring run. The Art of Fly Tying will feature Bob Popovics, Page Rogers, “Bonito” Ed LePore, Tim Allan, Jamie Boyle and Karen Kukolich, who will be tying flies and sharing their considerable skills and insights. Art pieces from Ben McCormick, Tim Allan, Alison Shaw, Janet Messineo, Mike Laptew and Edley Oliver which also be on display and on sale.

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An eclectic mix of Island art and golf was the central theme of the fifth annual Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard Golf Classic held at the Mink Meadows Golf Club on Sunday, Sept. 20.

The artwork of Anne Grandin, John Holladay, and David Wallis served as a perfect backdrop for the golf work of Rusty Hitchings, John Rancourt, Wendy Reagan, and Bob Reagan, team winners of the tournament with a gross score of 63. All three artists contributed their work to the raffle that followed the event, which raised a princely sum for the charity.  

Mr. Wallis, a longtime fixture at the Granary Gallery, is well known for his Vineyard landscapes, including his image of the 14th hole at Farm Neck, which overlooks Sengekontacket Pond. The signed prints he provided for the Hospice raffle of another painting, “The Dunes Hole,” had some elements of the real golf hole, but with a more mystical feel to it.  You could have been in Scotland as easily as on Martha’s Vineyard.

Mr. Holladay, born and bred in Iowa, got his start doing sports posters and cartoons that centered on Big Ten football. When he moved to the Vineyard many years ago, he was drawn to the seaside images in and around Menemsha, where he became known for his work in watercolor at the Louisa Gould Gallery. But cartoon figures remain a part of him. And when Donald Trump surged in the polls, Mr Holladay couldn’t resist drawing images of the Trump hair blowing in the wind as he stormed into Massachusetts shouting “Hurricane!” Mr. Holladay donated three of those cartoons, and they were a much-sought-after raffle item.

Ms. Grandin, who lives part-time on the Vineyard when she isn’t looking for images of peace around the world, has her roots in Native American spirituality. She contributed a limited print of her work “Granary,” a serene barnlike scene, which proved popular with the golfers, who are always looking for serenity in their golf game.  

The foursome that did find some serenity was Lisa Mathieu, Rene Mathieu, Joe Krautkramer, and Jane Shigley. They had the best net score of 63.0.  Second best net was a 63.37 by the foursome of Gil Williams, Mike Rasmussen, Peter Lemieux, and Ron Crampton.  

Hospice volunteers contributed a homemade lunch and some much-needed cheer when the round was over. Seventeen Island businesses and families were tee sponsors, contributing nearly half of the gross revenue of $16,000 to the Island charity.

Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard is a free service to all Islanders, which relies on donations to meet its annual budget. For more information, call 508-693-0189, or go to hospice.vineyard.net.

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The Oak Bluffs public fishing pier is a popular spot, but the height presents an obstacle to landing a fish. The Martha’s Vineyard Surfcasters Association, with some help from Dick’s Bait & Tackle shop in Oak Bluffs and Larry’s Tackle Shop in Edgartown, placed a specially designed pier landing net at the end of the fish pier.

The circular net is attached to a long rope, and used to haul up fish. These nets are common in Florida, where pier fishing is popular.

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Last Thursday night, the Oak Bluffs Fire Department took home the trophy in the inaugural annual Island firemen bowling competition at the Barn Bowl and Bistro in Oak Bluffs. Firemen and their families bowled for free and drank plenty of beer during the friendly competition, meant to bolster a sense of community among the departments.

The idea, conceived only two weeks prior by general manager Mike Sawyer, is the first in what Mr. Sawyer

hopes will be a series of community outreaches for the new business, which will operate year-round. The Barn has been open since May.

“We want to set up all these fun events, and we’re kicking it off with this,” said Mr. Sawyer.

During planning, Mr. Sawyer reached out to Oak Bluffs fireman Jimmy Maseda, who acted as a public relations liaison to the rest of the Island departments.

“He asked me if I could help get all the towns together to do this, so I notified someone from each town and asked them if they could get a team together,” Mr. Maseda said.

Mr. Maseda said the departments are often called to assist one another at emergencies, but said that they didn’t have any type of regular social event where they could congregate and relax.

“This is a way to get us all together and have fun,” he said.

The games on Thursday featured a twist: Each lane had a gold pin in the shuffle that, if randomized into the front pin, upped the ante.

“If that happens, and the firefighter rolls a strike, we’re going to donate or give away a $10 gift certificate for The Barn,” said Mr. Sawyer.

The West Tisbury fire department was the first to land such a strike, and the team cheered with their hands in the air.

Moving forward, Mr. Sawyer intends to organize similar competitions among other Island groups, namely the police departments. He’s also tossing around ideas for school bowling competitions, as well as competitions among restaurant staffs.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly said that Mr. Sawyer gave away gift certificates to the bar. Mr. Sawyer gave away gift certificates to The Barn.

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The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School varsity boys soccer team defeated Somerset Berkley 3-1 on Tuesday afternoon behind a hat-trick from senior Jason Lages.

It was a testy game from start to finish; the Vineyarders were victims of some aggressive Somerset play. Standout forward Jason Lages was again electric, skirting through the Raiders defense. He frustrated the

defense, and in retaliation Somerset Berkley began to use their hands more often than not, pushing and pulling Vineyarders on the ball. The game eventually settled down, and the Vineyard looked in control from the first whistle to the last.

Junior goalkeeper Julian Carter had a great afternoon, and made some key saves while the Vineyard were up 2-1, keeping the lead intact. Nainoa Cooperrider had a solid game defensively, and was able to push up into the Somerset half to attack the goal. Gabe Bellebuono also had a great game defensively.

Falmouth travel to the Island on Thursday to take on the Island boys at 4 pm at the high school.

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Updated 1:30 pm, Friday

In some ways the Pat West Gaff Rig & Schooner Race, held on Saturday, Sept. 19, evolved into two separate contests. The conditions, quite unusual for September, were very like those for the Moffett Race, held last week in challenging wind conditions much of the day.

It was a sparkling day, and after a bit of jostling, 20 boats started at 11 am with a serviceable southeast 7- to 10-mph breeze to the first mark east of Hedge Fence. Halfway back to the second mark, the wind died completely, and the slower boats caught up with the leaders.

Sailors waited for two hours or so out in the middle of Nantucket Sound for the wind to reappear. Four times a tantalizing lift began, moving everyone a couple of hundred yards, only to fade away. Carrying a growing load of frustration, a boat can become really small. The strong flooding tide pushed boats east, while the next mark was to the west.

Juno and Brilliant, the two largest schooners, anchored for over an hour once they started going backward. Finally, a fine southerly breeze filled in at exactly 3 pm. Whoops of joy were heard as the race was on again. The smaller, slower boats finished a course of 10.3 miles, the larger, speedier ones a 12.6-mile run. But most of the entries finished together, regardless of size. As Scott DiBiaso, principal race officer, put it, “It was almost like a second start” after the midcourse halt. When the wind came up, bringing everyone home from the same area, any previous advantage was lost. The results were remarkable: The top five finishers, all smaller boats, were within three minutes of one another on corrected time; the longer-course boats ditto. The larger boats are often more than an hour ahead of the smaller ones in this race. The group finish was testament to excellent handicapping, as well as fluky conditions.

The Pat West Race is a benefit event for Sail Martha’s Vineyard. Nineteen of the 20 boats were wooden. A large proportion of the fleet has traditionally been associated one way or another with Gannon & Benjamin, and most of the shipwrights from the yard were sailing, either as skippers or crew. Juno, built at G&B and skippered by Scott DiBiaso, was the largest vessel in the fleet at 65 feet. Matt Hobart’s Heart’s Desire, a 44-foot schooner that he restored here on the Island, completed a fine race sporting a topsail with a red heart on it. Wind Rose was sailed by Duncan MacFarlane, who makes the bright green 31-foot double-ender his home for most of the year. Lyle Zell, son of Ross Gannon, skippered Incandesa, a 41-foot schooner.

From off-Island and far away, Brilliant, an endowed Sparkman & Stephens 63-foot schooner built in 1932, made the trip from Mystic, where she is used for adult sailing programs and other educational purposes. Sailing side by side for the first time, Juno and Brilliant played out a rivalry born in series racing in Maine. Alas, Brilliant finished ahead of our Juno.

For the schooner class, Brilliant won the award for the best corrected time, with Heart’s Desire one minute behind. Juno was third, again just a minute later. And only one more minute after that was Malabar, in fourth. Amazingly, Cara Mia, a gaff rig New York 30 built in the early 1900s, and probably the oldest boat in the fleet, had the best corrected time for boats that sailed the longer course. No award for that, but certainly worth noting.

The award for the best corrected time for the gaff rig class was collected by Wilbur, a 24-foot sloop that skipper Billy Bennett built here on Martha’s Vineyard. In second place, by just one second, was a G&B 21-foot Bella, Isabella, sailed by John and Lisa Stout. Julia Lee, a catboat skippered by Woody Bowman, came in third less than a minute later, with Wind Rose close behind in fourth position. In fifth place, Corineus, a black 28-foot gaff cutter with Jeff Craig, a second race officer, at the helm, finished one minute later.

Saturday was the 27th annual Pat West Race, named in honor of Francis (Pat) West, an intrepid, talented, beloved Vineyard sailor and storyteller who loved gaff rig sailboats. An engineer and problem solver, he worked for the Sperry Gyroscope Co. for 30 years. He died at age 96 on the Fourth of July, 2002. His memory endures.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Lyle Zell as Lyle Gannon and Duncan Macfarlane, as Duncan Macfarland, The photo of the boats shown racing away from the finish line misidentified the boats.

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On Sunday, Sept. 20, Rising Tide took seven athletes and two horses to Smithfield Farm in East Falmouth to compete in the Equestrian Special Olympics, the third year that Rising Tide has participated in the games.

“This event is a favorite for Rising Tide,” said Kara Thibodeau, instructor and program director. “Our riders work really hard over the course of the year, and can’t wait to showcase their talents. Some have already been asking what the date is for next year’s event.”

For more information on Rising Tide, visit risingtidetec.org or call 508-693-1185.

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The Martha’s Vineyard U-10 boys travel soccer team beat Sandwich Saturday on the Cape, their second win of the season. Porter Moehnke scored twice and Anderson Andre, Ishaun Rogers-Thomas and Padraic Mullin each scored once. Coaches Brian Cioffi and Drew Cathey said all the kids did a great job.

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The Vineyard Haven 5K for the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Library fundraiser attracted 62 runners and walkers Sunday morning.

The course began at the Vineyard Haven library, went along Greenwood Avenue, down Franklin Street to West Chop, then looped back toward the library. First-place finisher Rene Da Silva needed only 17 minutes and 42 seconds to complete the course.

Before the race, kids took part in the fun run, an around-the-block sprint for anyone too little to race in the 5K.

Here are the top 10 results: 1. Rene DaSilva, 29, Vineyard Haven, 17:42; 2. Reaan Steenkamp, 48, Vineyard Haven, 19:21; 3. Jimmy Condon, 15, Brant Rock, 19:36; 4. Joel Graves, 35, Edgartown, 21:06; 5. Mike Goldsmith, 53, Oak Bluffs, 21:39; 6. Kim Gustafson, 35, 21:52; 7. Nate Story, 9, Vineyard Haven, 22:49; 8. Catherine Cherry, 14, 23:08; 9. Christine Ferrone, 44, Tisbury, 24:03; 10. Katie Condon, 20, Brant Rock, 24:04.

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The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School football team beat a hard-nosed and creative Coyle and Cassidy team, 28-21, at Dan McCarthy Field in Oak Bluffs on Friday night.

The Vineyarders were led by two rushing touchdowns from Jacob Cardoza, a rushing TD from Ben Clark and a key score on a blocked Coyle and Cassidy punt that was returned for a TD by defensive standout Elijah Matthews in a penalty-plagued contest.

The Eastern Athletic Conference victory raises the Vineyarders season record to 2-1. The Vineyarders beat Bourne High School 48-14 last week at Bourne after losing their season opener 22-15 to Carver high School. The Vineyarders take on Bishop Feehan High School next Friday at 6:30 pm at Dan McCarthy field.

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