Editors, Vineyard Gazettee;

While the Island was dealing with Hurricane Erin, we traveled off-Island to put down our beloved dog with our off-Island veterinarian. Upon returning, we received a call from the Oak Bluffs harbor master informing us that the bilge in our Whaler in Lagoon Pond was filled with water. They boarded our boat, pumped out the bilge and determined that a missing T-plug was the likely cause.

Upon receiving the call, we were able to obtain a T-plug at West Marine and solve our boat’s problem before a larger problem developed.

We are indeed grateful to the harbor master for noticing that there was a problem with our boat, boarding the boat, identifying the problem and giving us the call.  

We are also grateful to the staff at West Marine, who were willing to stay later than their usual 5 p.m. closing, so that we had time to get to the store and purchase the T-plug.  

Thank you.

Brian and Fran Van Linda

Oak Bluffs