The crossing of water is an ancient rite, a putting behind of cares and a welcoming of refreshment, and as we all know, the Vineyard is a place apart. There are no skyscrapers here, no four-lane highways. We do have miles of sandy beaches and clean ocean water, we have thousands of acres of forever-protected forests and fields that are open to all, we have warm days and cool nights, we have a diverse population and traditions of civility. If that sounds attractive, well, it is.

The breeze rarely stops on Martha's Vineyard, and the salt air is clean. The Island offers all that and more, and the sum is much greater than the parts. As generations have discovered, the Island is a state of mind, a return to ancient delights and a simplicity of pleasure that is all too elusive in the ever-accelerating race of the world.