The road to Wasque Point.

This week I’m in Chappaquiddick at my family reunion (read the full saga on 7/26), so every day I’ll be writing about a Vineyard place that I love.

Wasque (pronounced Way-skwee) is at the southeastern corner of Chappaquiddick, about a fifteen minute bike ride from the incomparably beautiful house we rent. On any given morning, somebody is going to be trying to get a group together to head out there.

Okay, who's up for Wasque?

Wasque is where the big water is – huge, roiling waves that pound in wildly, keeping things exciting for the saltwater anglers who stand knee-deep in the surf, being battered in the cause of pulling in some fat striped bass and bluefish.

My brother-in-law Pete, surf-casting on Wasque.

It’s also a geological phenomenon, according to my sister Susan, that is a glacially-deposited landform and part of a terminal marine and granite outcropping running from… well, that’s about when I tuned out. Sorry.

What’s gorgeous about Wasque, beyond the insane waves that only a goofball (like my brother Tom) would attempt to ride, are the trails that wind through the sand barrens, and the chance to see a boatload of birds, osprey, great blue herons, and swans that abound around Poucha and Swan Ponds. We like to ride our bikes there and then take some long walks on the beach, or go inland on the boardwalk — it’s not a beachy-beach, it’s just Wasque-wild and super cool.

Wasque-d Londergans

Wasque is part of The Trustees of Reservations, a Massachusetts land trust organization that sounds arcane, but is actually exceptionally relevant. This conservation and preservation group is hard at work acquiring and maintaining more than 100 irreplaceable and amazingly varied treasures that are sprinkled all throughout the beautiful state of Massachusetts. Their reservations cover more than 25,000 acres and range from strawberry fields to verdant pastures to lush woodlands. (For my full song of praise on the Trustees, see post on 7/26.) And of course, there’s Wasque.

To join me and donate to the Trustees of Reservations, click here. To become a Member (and it feels SO good to belong!) click here