The Tancook islands ferry is out of service yet again because of a failed port engine.

The William G. Ernst will be out of service for about two weeks.

The breakdown comes just two weeks after the 32-year-old ferry underwent three days of maintenance.

Transportation Department spokeswoman Sue McKeage said the province has chartered a boat to provide transportation to Big and Little Tancook islands beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The Eastern Points, a whale watching boat that sails under Capt. Walter Flower out of Lunenburg, will shuttle people back and forth to the islands while the ferry undergoes repairs. It will maintain the same schedule as the William G. Ernst.

More than 100 residents of both islands packed into Big Tancooks community centre in late September to discuss problems with their aging ferry.

They complained of an unreliable service in which people got left behind on the dock, food spoiled and work was delayed because home and business owners couldnt get the necessary supplies on the replacement ferry when they needed them.

The ferry came under the scrutiny of Transport Canada in late summer. It reduced the ferrys capacity to 45 passengers from 95 after it failed a stability requirement.

Chester-St.Margarets MLA Denise Peterson-Rafuse is working with municipal councillor Errol Knickle and a committee of island residents in an effort to come up with short-term recommendations to improve the service and longer-term changes theyd like to see.

Read this article:

Tancook islands ferry grounded again