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| If Senate President Shawn-Michael Malone has her way this Alaskan ferry will become a St Croix - St Thomas ferry boat |
You know those sayings 'don't look a gift horse in the mouth' or 'there is no such thing as a free lunch'? Well, If the US Virgin Islands Senate President gets her way we might just get the Alaskan equivalent of that 'free lunch'. And, will it be really free? Time will tell.
It turns out that the Alaskan Bourough of Matanuka-Susita was given the brand new $278 million ferry, which was built with federal dollars as a Navy prototype, in a deal that called for the borough to test it while shuttling people to Anchorage, BUT, the borough soon found that free was not free since they were saddled with the monthly maintenance costs of $90,000! Consequently, the Alaskan Borough officials are exploring giving it away. Our Senate President recently responded saying that the ferry might just be perfect for the US Virgin Islands. The brand new 200' long ferry can carry 20 cars and 120 passengers. The ferry is described as "highly agile and able to say smooth in swells". Another great attribute that might not get much use is that it is also great in ice and can lift 2 feet of ice and snap it over its bow! If we get it, will we be grateful or will we, like our northern brethren's, look the 'gift horse in the mouth'? Again, time will tell.
Should be interesting to watch since both Alaska and the US Virgin Islands also are both home to 'a bridge to nowhere'. The Alaskan bridge is between Gravina Island and Ketchikan; do you know where ours is in the Virgin Islands???