To the Editor:
While thinking this morning about blessings that we, as Islanders, enjoy, my thoughts turned to the Steamship Authority and to the great white fleet. First of all, thanks for the Governor, and long may she continue to carry us off and then home again. She is now my favorite ride during the parts of the year when she is operational. She operates with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of gorgeous views, safely and with comfort (yes, comfort!). She isn’t fancy, but she is practical, and best of all she is double-ended and slips through the harbors without disrupting all the vessels on their moorings.
Second: We all need to express our opinions loudly, clearly, respectfully, and repeatedly that we wish to have a very simple terminal in Woods Hole. Many have commented, and I heartily concur, that the current “temporary” terminal is more than adequate for long-term use. In fact it is close to perfect. It contains the amenities that passengers need, and, best of all, it is close to the staging areas for the ferry lines. We — and Woods Hole — do not need some architectural extravaganza, we only need a place to purchase tickets, to sit inside while waiting, and the rest rooms. Do a bit of an upgrade on that building, do some plantings to soften the appearance, and leave it at that. Please do not waste millions and millions of dollars when a much simpler and cost-effective solution will work just fine.
Third: Improve the preferred reservation status so that it is truly for year-round Islanders and not “drive-by voters” who sign up in order to get the preferred status and the preferred rates while continuing to maintain their actual domiciles elsewhere.
Virginia Crowell Jones
West Tisbury
