Robert Riemer is getting to know his crew and looking forward to learning the ropes of Island life. His career in the Coast Guard has spanned Alaska, Woods Hole and Puerto Rico, along with several assignments at stations in New York.

They rode on creatively crafted floats, walked, danced, rollerbladed and drove antique cars, trucks and bicycles. Children raced to collect candy hurled into the streets. Fire trucks sprayed water to cool down the crowd. And the Fourth of July celebration in Edgartown was declared a great success.

The Vineyard was lashed with wind and drenching rain and ferries were cancelled Friday evening as Hurricane Arthur passed offshore. By daybreak Saturday the storm had passed. Fourth of July festivities will be held in Edgartown tonight.

The Martha’s Vineyard Sharks snapped a six-game losing streak Tuesday in an away contest against the Worcester Bravehearts, but fell 5-1 to the league-leading Brockton Rox on returning to their home field the next night.

The Vineyard Gazette’s special coverage of coastal erosion last summer has won a first-place award for best investigative or in-depth story or series from the National Newspaper Association.