We wake up to blue skies and a still day, however hurricane warnings are constantly on the media. We consider ourselves very lucky to have such a lovely day for our high speed ferry trip to Martha's Vineyard. This is the last of the ferry trips for this season - once again we consider ourselves lucky. The trip to MV takes about 50 minutes on a calm Nantucket Sound. As we walk around Oak Bluffs where the ferry docks we feel like we have been transported to another era, one where life is a little slower and a little old fashioned. This is a bit of an illusion as in the summer months, the normal population of this island can grow by up to 100,000 on any one day, but today it is very peaceful. Most of the little shops are now closed for the season with only the hardy types staying open for the last of the tourists like us. It's quite a warm day for late October and we make the most of the sunshine. The shuttle bus takes us to the next village of Edgartown (for $1) where life is a little more upmarket and the houses are spectacularly grand. The typical houses are built of white cedar shingles which turn grey quite quickly in the salt air giving an almost eerie feel to the town. Most have been renovated to their former glory while others have been purposely built in the old style. We walk and walk and walk aiming to get back at the bus stop in time for the 1:25pm bus to Vineyard Haven but somehow I locate the wrong bus stop on the map which is not to scale anyway. Of course by the time I realise my mistake, we have missed that bus but eventually find another one and for $1.50 we are whisked away to the next village of Vineyard Haven. This is where the bigger ferries come in from another part of Cape Cod and with that the shops are trendier and just about all open, surprise surprise. With just a quick look around, we head back to Oak Bluffs and the gorgeous row of historical gingerbread houses here which are what most people come to see.

A late lunch of lobster soup and a pulled pork sandwich (our first of this delicacy) at Coop de Ville completes the day before the ferry trip back to Hyannis. By now the seas are a bit rougher than this morning and a lot of boats have been moored in safe harbour awaiting the impending hurricane. The crew of our ferry is very jovial as this is their last trip after a very long season. Most of them work 7 days per week and are looking forward to a long rest before the next season starts in April.

There are a number of halloween parties tonight and the British pub is no exception, however we get there long before the 10pm start. Already the noise is deafening ....... are we getting old or something? We can't hear ourselves think! After a quick couple of beers and a shared small salad, we head back to our B&B. It is still "warmish" but some clouds are brewing. Let's see what tomorrow brings weather-wise.