Is there a finer place to be in July than Martha’s Vineyard? That’s a loaded question for someone who has spent every summer of her life on a small island in Maine.

I arrived on the Vineyard earlier this year to become publisher of this magazine and its venerable older sister, the Vineyard Gazette. I had visited the Island a dozen or more times – as a student of town government, a journalist, and a weekend guest – before opting to move here full time with my family.

We were prepared to like it in the off-season. Tired of fast trains and instant messages, we embraced the concept of slow food and were happily surprised to discover some people still write notes in longhand. We love the winter, and the long cool spring was filled with unexpected pleasures: the last of the season’s sweet bay scallops, the drama of a circling osprey, the sudden burst of daffodils beside a stone wall. Reminded gently that we were – and would always remain – wash-ashores, we were nonetheless warmly welcomed by natives and newcomers alike.

Summer...that’s another matter entirely. With my first season still unfolding, I’m keeping my own counsel. But if July on Martha’s Vineyard stands a chance of rivaling the same month in Maine, it will be all about the water.

Thumb through this magazine, and you’ll see what I mean. From the tranquil ponds to the pounding ocean to the bustling harbors, water on the Vineyard manifests itself in an endless range of forms and colors. You can gaze upon it, wade in it, sail on it, motor through it, cast into it, and – most tantalizing for a Mainer – you can actually swim in it.

Ask me later what I think of July on Martha’s Vineyard. If I’m smiling like the girls on this cover, you’ll know my answer.