Ferries: past, present future
Thanks to an acquaintance living in Florida, I’ve finally seen a news story about the new “Madeleine boat”. I don’t read everything, although I should, because this story contains some actual news. The ship was sailed over from her previous home, and will now undergo the required certification trials before sailing past my window, next month. The predecessor is already out of service, and might be “broken” just down the road. I can’t see why, but the story fits in with local gossip.
Getting a new ferry is a big deal, when part of the local economy depends on such things. Larger, faster, more car space; what’s to complain about? This will be the latest in a list of ships that have sailed the route since I started paying attention nearly fifty years ago. I remember visiting one of the first, the beloved Manic, when it was tied to the wharf in the city. I didn’t fully understand the rules of ownership, then or now. Take it as a basic that the federal government is responsible for giving a private firm the tools required.
Here’s a chronology, with a few missing pieces:
And here’s a photo of the newest in the lineage.
Lovely to behold, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll find enough extra dollars to go over and back in the next couple of years. Now that the route is open all winter (climate change has some good points), it will be easier to schedule into my busy lifestyle. Time to get back over and see how things have changed since my last visit.
