The Neebish Island News

Reports are the Neebish Islander II will return to service on Thursday, May 15th.

Labels: ferry

Here's the latest from the Soo Evening News regarding the Neebish Islander - Neebish ferry repair awaits state approval

With any luck there'll be some news this week so the ferry can be dry-docked and repaired before Memorial Day weekend.

Labels: ferry

Below is a story from The Seattle Times about the Border Patrol detaining people arriving on the mainland from islands in the United States but "only" 20 miles from Canada. What's to keep the Border Patrol from doing this as we leave the Neebish Island ferry?

Border Patrol "spot checks" on ferries provoke outrage in San Juan Islands

Labels: ferry

(forgot to post this earlier this month)
SooToday.com - Neebish Island man airlifted to Michigan Soo hospital

The Coast Guard received a call at approximately 11:10 a.m. reporting that a 78-year-old male was experiencing heart troubles and needed to be transported to better medical facilities on the mainland.

Station Sault Ste. Marie deployed an 18-foot Airboat to pick up the man from Neebish Island.

Labels: emergencies, ferry

Soo Evening News - Neebish situation occupies EUPTA

Labels: ferry

Don't count on a regular scheduled for the Neebish Islander any time soon.

The Soo Evening News has a couple of stories about it:
Hull leak sidelines Neebish Island ferry

Airboat service connects Neebish

As does TV 9&10 (with video) - Neebish Island Ferry Out of Service

Labels: ferry

And the salt of Neebish Island, Cliffy, has passed away. And with him a some of the Island's flavor has been lost.

In the Soo Evening News -
TYNER, CLIFFORD, age 80, of Neebish Island, Michigan passed away early Tuesday morning, January 8, 2008 at his home.

C.S. Mulder Funeral Home is handling funeral arrangements.

They have a nice obituary up. I love the reference to ferry time [who doesn't remember getting a phone call that Cliff was making the last ferry run of the season that very day?]:

Traditions he handed down to us were making maple syrup, life according to ferry time, hunting, gardening, storytelling and a love for the outdoors.

Many of us have memories of "Captain Crunch", the 40 year ferry captain of the Neebish Islander I . I remember when he told me after a beaver had downed an aspen tree onto our power line - "ahh, it's a junk tree anyway..." Many people probably have dreams of writing a book about Neebish Island some day; Cliffy's life deserves a book of its own.

Labels: ferry, history, people

The Soo Evening News reports good news for the St. Marys River's ferries - EUPTA reports ferry deficit turnaround

Included in the article is this:

In another report to the board, Rich Hall of South Shore Marine gave a brief summation of that contracted company's improvements at the Neebish Island ferry crossing. Highlights included:

- A new public bulletin board placed on the Neebish Island side,

- A long-range cordless phone hook-up to the ferry when it is underway,

- Fresh paint on a dock house and dock bulkheads and new chafing gear around the Neebish dock,

- A new “phone tree” for notifying island residents of a ferry breakdown or other service interruption, and,

- The impact of a ramp lowering on the Barbeau side that made passage by logging trucks possible.

Labels: EUPTA, ferry

Neebish ferry returns to service

Labels: ferry

The Soo Evening News reports on the new EUPTA budget - EUPTA approves tight budget, studies written policies

For every action there is a reaction - Temperatures go up, water levels go down; energy prices go up, and the number of people traveling by car goes down.

To emphasize continuing ferry solvency worries, [Finance Director] Gordon said through July the three island ferries were running some 18,000 vehicle crossings behind last year. She said the total ferry passenger count is likewise down from 2006.

Dour budgetary talk was not all on the down side at Monday's session. Gordon also reported that rural bus ridership actually increased by 11 percent in July.

Labels: ferry

Via the Soo Evening News - EUPTA to seek second rate hike in year

...the rate increase would have to raise about 10 percent overall on island ferry fares to place EUPTA back in a financially stable condition.

The EUPTA is in a difficult position. Diesel fuel prices are rising and high gasoline prices depress the number of trips people can make to Neebish Island further decreasing revenue.

Labels: ferry