The Islander, Harbor Point's only passenger ferry to Widow's Cove, returned to full service this week after a repair to its port engine kept it docked since late July — the longest outage in the boat's fifteen years of service.
For the roughly forty year-round residents of the cove, the closure meant relying on private boats or a longer trip through the county water taxi, which runs only twice a week in the off-season.
"You don't realize how much you plan your whole week around the ferry schedule until it's gone."
Harbormaster Ellis Tran said the part needed for the repair — a replacement gearbox — had to be special-ordered from a supplier in Nova Scotia, adding weeks to what was initially expected to be a three-week fix.
The town covered the cost of a temporary water taxi contract during the outage, a $22,000 expense the select board approved in an emergency August session. Some cove residents have asked the town to consider a backup vessel for future repairs.
The Islander resumes its normal schedule Saturday, running four round trips daily through the end of October before switching to its winter timetable.