The remnants of Hurricane Noel lashed the Island this past Saturday, bringing down power lines, sinking at least two boats and tossing several others ashore. Although no injuries were linked to the storm, a number of Vineyard homes were without electricity for well into Sunday. Steamship Authority ferry service to the Vineyard shut down at noon Saturday and didn’t resume until Sunday morning.
Tropical storm Hanna kicked up seas, brought wind and rain, but had a lot less punch than anticipated. Harbor masters and shipyard owners were relieved following several days of preparations. By the time the storm arrived Saturday, the forecasted heavy rains and high winds were somewhere else.
Vineyard property owners concerned about sky-high insurance premiums now have company; the Massachusetts Attorney General mounted a claim last month that faulty computer-generated hurricane models have contributed to unnecessarily high home insurance rates for property owners across the commonwealth.