It was the night before the big three-day Vineyard Cup and sailors and friends of sailors were out in force. But they weren’t on the water. They were at the 24th annual Seafood Buffet and Auction to benefit Sail Martha’s Vineyard.

There are a few months to go before the fishing derby, but David Gagnon, 12, reeled in a winner last week in Menemsha: a 23-pound, 42-inch striped bass.

I’d like to talk about anchoring. And I’d like to talk about garbage. The topics are related since the anchoring skills of most boaters are, um well, garbage.

“If there is one thing that brings Vineyarders together, male and female, rich and not-so rich, across ethnic and social lines, it is and has been basketball. That is Martha’s Vineyard’s best-kept secret.”

Every summer they come together not just to form a team and play baseball, but also to form a family. And a functional one at that. The Sharks opened their season with a string of victories, and are currently in second place in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League.