Here All Year

Marshall Carroll, who owns and operates the , has the kind of job that epitomizes the dynamic of working and living on Martha’s Vineyard.

During the summer season, his business is jamming.

Situated right in the center of one of the Island’s busiest tourist spots as well as the only Up-Island commercial dock, Carroll and his crew are gassing up cars on one side and boats on the other side from open-to-close.

Yet, his is one of a handful of businesses that stay open through the year.

If you’ve only been to Menemsha in the summer, come down to the Texaco station in the middle of winter. You will never believe it’s the same place.

Carroll was gracious enough to be the first of our “Here All Year” profile, a series where we will catch up with a living, breathing, working Islander and talk about what year-round living is like.

Martha's Vineyard Patch: How long have you lived on Martha’s Vineyard?

Carroll: All my life … well I’m not dead yet, so technically, not really all my life. I was born in Oak Bluffs, I’m learning in Menemsha and I refuse to grow up.

Martha's Vineyard Patch: What is your favorite thing to do in the off-season?

Carroll: Visit with family because I hardly see them when season’s cranking. The season is getting longer and longer and that's good for business, but it means less and less time with my family. I hear people talk about going on vacation, I don’t want to go on vacation. I just want to go home. Go home and actually sit down, hold a fork and eat something warm.

Martha's Vineyard Patch: What is your favorite thing to do in the summer?

Carroll: Because of my job I guess it would be to see how the fishing’s going. I don’t get to fish, but I get to hear all about what’s happening out there. We had no bass this season, but we did have mackerel show up and Squid Row was definitely Squid Row this year.

A few years ago, my son started a touch tank on the dock and we’ve had so much fun with that. People on vacation tell me the first thing their kids want to do is see what’s in the tank. I love to watch the different reaction of people when they see the tank. Some of them want to put their hands right in and others, even adults, don’t want to go near it.

Martha's Vineyard Patch: What is the hardest thing about living here year round?

Carroll: I’ve never lived anywhere else, but the hardest part for me is that you get invited to a wedding or some kind of event that’s off island and you can’t enjoy it because you’re always looking at watch worrying about having to catch the boat.

Martha's Vineyard Patch: What is the best thing about living here year round?

Carroll: You don’t have to go anywhere, the world comes to you.