Summer Vacation - Day 10

[up at 0630 - getting ready - light breakfast before departure for the Cape - left Katie's at around 0745 - got gas in Hanover (0800) - ended up chasing John down to Woods Hole (via MA-3, US-6 and MA-28) - Brenna was using her Google app to try to keep up but then we encountered a major traffic jam - Katie and John eventually got us to the ferry landing - dropped kids off at 0915 but didn't get parked until almost 1000 (tried lots of places until discovering a parking lot in West Falmouth) - kids made it over to the island with Katie, though - rode shuttle bus from parking lot to the ferry with John - barely made it to our ferry (1045) - rode over to Vineyard Haven aboard "Island Dream" (and drank Bad Martha beer on the way) - met locals - we arrived at around 1130 and walked to Oak Bluffs (three miles) - stopped for a couple of beers and light lunch at (Sand Dune Bar & Grille) - Katie wanted us to hurry to meet them, so we finished up and arrived at their location in time to catch the bus to the Jaws Bridge - almost all the kids jumped off (!), following in my footsteps (from almost 30 years ago) - the kids were probably out in the blazing sun (hottest day of the summer so far) for about six hours - meanwhile, I was hiding under and umbrella on a bench (writing a short story) - we eventually caught the bus back to Oak Bluffs and everyone changed out of their wet swimsuits - everyone was hungry by this point, so we explored the area near Nancy's again - prices were very high everywhere - we ultimately settled on the Sand Bar & Grille again - started inside but Katie wanted to move outside - I had sushi, Brenna had clam chowder, and Mollie had the "wicked good grill cheese" (with bacon) - everyone was miserably hot by this point... - afterwards (1800), we walked around in town, window shopping at various stores (including the Black Dog and Vineyard Vines) - we then walked into the Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association neighborhood (gingerbread houses) - Brenna told me she wanted to live in one if the pink houses - we walked over to the Flying Horses (old fashioned carousel) - it was so hot and I didn't want to ride anyway, so Brenna and I took refuge across the street at an ice cream shop (Vineyard's Best Ice Cream) - we got a strawberry, mint and butterscotch sundae - Brenna told me she wanted Jeeves to come pick her up in his helicopter - eventually, everyone else joined us - we then walked over to the Steamship Authority landing - I bought tickets (1945) and waited for the ferry to arrive - Mollie and I went walking on the pier for awhile, watching the fishermen - we also checked out the "fast boat" from NYC - we boarded the ship (2030 - last one of the night) and sat on the fantail as the sun disappeared for the day - evening was very pleasant and the kids explored the ship - lots of lights on the coast and ride was short - caught the shuttle back to the Thomas Landers lot - obnoxious drunk girl on bus (almost confronted her) - we got out of the bus right near our car (2150) and headed back to Hanover (via 28N and a wrong turn back to the south - damn - finally on track via MA-28 to US-6 and MA-3 - arrived about 15 minutes after John and Katie - it was very late and everyone was ready for bed - Mollie soaked her sunburn in the tub - I fell asleep after midnight]