Fogo Island ferry out of service at least another month

Fogo Islanders will be waiting another month at least before their ferry service is back to normal.

The Earl W. Winsor is currently being repaired, and its replacement can hold only half the number of vehicles.

The resulting long lineups prompted government toadd an extra run to the daily schedule.

Tourism Minister Derrick Dalley,the MHA for the area, said the service will be running smoothly in time for the tourism and fishing seasons.

"We're optimistic at this point that we'll try and get something done by the middle of May, at which time of course the Fogo Island Co-op will be fully operational and it'll be a busy time," Dalley said.

"It would be a good time to get her back, so we're doing all we can to get her back in service as soon as possible."

Dalley says the province is about toapprove designs for a new vesselto serviceFogo Island and Change Islands.