First Day of A-Z in April Challenge!

For the start of the A-Z April Challenge, and the letter A, I'm writing about one of my favorite places in the world, the town of Aquinnah on the island of Martha's Vineyard.

Aquinnah is at the westernmost point of the island, and is known for its beautiful beach and spectacular cliffs. The name is a Wampanoag word that means "land beneath the cliffs," and the area is a sacred spot to the Wampanoag tribe. When you're there, it's easy to see why.

I visited the Vineyard last summer, as I have for so many summers of my life, and spent a good deal of my time on the beach beneath the cliffs. It's always one of my favorite places to visit, as there is nothing I love more than sitting on the beach and listening to the roar of the waves. On the last day we visited, the sand was especially cool and welcoming on our bare feet, and the ocean was such a bright shade of blue that it was hard to tell where the ocean ended and the sky began.

The highlight of this trip, as with any other trip to Aquinnah, was the cliffs, with their colorful mix of red, brown, and white clay.

I love walking the length of the beach to the edge of the cliffs, and the tip of the Island. It is undeniably beautiful, but it is also quite raw and somewhat intimidating, as you almost feel as if you are at the edge of the world, with nothing in front of you but the Atlantic Ocean stretching out for countless miles. Sometimes I've seen a boat way out on the horizon and I find myself wondering, who is out there? In my head I try to imagine who they are, and I've often thought one of these far-off boats could provide great inspiration for a story.

I think one of the reasons I have always had an interest in and affection for Aquinnah is that my great-great grandfather was the lighthouse keeper for the town in the 1850s. His name was Samuel, but everyone called him Squire because of his ability to read and write, skills that were uncommon in those days. Squire lived at the lighthouse with his family, and whenever I am there I can't help but wonder what it must have been like for them at the top of those cliffs in the middle of a fierce storm, with the wild ocean raging below.

Photo courtesy of wikimedia commons

The house is no longer there, but the red brick lighthouse remains, and it is still a working lighthouse. Even now, the cliffs and the beach are pitch black at night, and only the rotating beacon of the lighthouse penetrates the darkness. I took a tour of the lighthouse back in the 1990s, and it was a thrill to climb to the top and get a 360 degree view of the sea and surrounding area.

Photo courtesy of wikimedia commons

I'm not sure when I'll go to the Vineyard again, but I know that I will at some point, just as I always have. And I know when I do, Aquinnah and the ocean will be there to welcome me back.

Happy April everyone, and to all who are working on the A-Z Challenge, I wish you luck and I look forward to reading your posts!

(Unless otherwise noted, photos courtesy of my niece, Melanie.)