Boat Line Ready to Vote on Fast Ferry

By JULIA WELLS

An abrupt announcement by Steamship Authority managers early this week that they will convert the passenger ferry Schamonchi to a private operation led to another abrupt announcement yesterday: A license agreement with a private operator who wants to run high-speed ferry service between New Bedford and the Vineyard is now set for a vote next week.

The boat line governors will take a final vote on the license agreement at the monthly SSA meeting on Nantucket next Thursday morning.

Said Jack Davies: "It doesn't rain on the Chilmark Road Race."

Bad communication between the bridge and the deck contributed to the ferry boat accident that nearly drowned a crew member a week ago. A top inspector with the U.S. Coast Guard, Lieut. Joshua Pennington, told the Gazette on Friday: "I blame communication overall. There was poor communication between the crew lowering the vessel [rescue boat] and the bridge. Typically they communicate by radio, but they weren't using radios at the time."

Living on the Vineyard is healthy and idyllic but it also comes with headaches - quite literally, as it turns out.

Katama Association president David Finley made it clear Saturday that his association, while interested in the future of Katama Farm, is not a part of the group of aggrieved neighbors seeking to stop FARM Institute from leasing the 190-acre farm.

Amy Bannon is determined to get it right this Illumination Night.