Updated August 7 at 4:52 pm
After several days of travel complications, the passenger ferry Nantucket is returning to service.
The Steamship Authority (SSA) announced on Monday afternoon that the Nantucket had undergone repairs, and is back.
“That will allow the MV Sankaty to resume its freight service, and for the Vineyard route to be back to regularly scheduled programming after a long few days for everyone,” the announcement reads. “Thanks to our crews and our terminal personnel for their hard work and, as always, to our customers for their patience.”
The Steamship sidelined both the Nantucket and the freight boat Gay Head — which was acting as a substitute vessel for the Sankaty — last week for needed repairs. Their absences led to delays and cancellations; multiple trips to and from Oak Bluffs had to be diverted to Vineyard Haven.
On Sunday, the SSA announced that the Sankaty, the vessel substituting for the Nantucket, will only be going to and from Vineyard Haven, not Oak Bluffs, “to better accommodate the additional loading and transit time needed by the vessel.”
The ferry diversions, alongside the absent ferries, impacted at least 12 trips on Monday, up to the diverted 5:20 pm ferry. This change will be in effect during the duration of the “service switch.”
When reached for more information on Monday morning, SSA spokesperson Sean Driscoll said he hopes to have an update on the Nantucket later today. Driscoll said the Gay Head was not currently on the schedule, when asked how long the freight vessel would be out.
“Once the Nantucket is back, the Sankaty will resume its service, and we’ll be back to schedule on the Vineyard route,” he said.
The absent ferries caused the Steamship to cancel at least six trips on Friday, up to the 12:45 pm ferry from Vineyard Haven to Woods Hole; other operating ferries experienced delays as well. “It’s all part of the same issue,” Driscoll told The Times on Friday.
On Wednesday, the SSA reported that “a propeller shaft seal requires replacement” on the Nantucket. The Nantucket is supposed to go to Thames Shipyard in New London, Conn., for repairs. It was unclear at the time how long the ferry would be out.
Meanwhile, the Gay Head is unavailable because it needs an engine turbocharger replaced. Driscoll said the vessel has been sent to the SSA’s repair facility in Fairhaven.
According to the announcement, the Sankaty took over the Nantucket’s schedule on Wednesday at 2 pm, and is expected to do so for the next several days.
The Gay Head was initially activated to temporarily take over the Sankaty’s schedule starting on Thursday morning before it needed work. The Governor ran a 7:45 pm trip from Woods Hole on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday to “help accommodate vehicles that may not have made it on an earlier trip.” Additionally, the SSA will be using the vehicle deck on the Island Home “as we are able to.”
“We have a bit of musical chairs going on,” Driscoll said
Monday is a “reservation-only day,” so the standby line is also not available at the Vineyard Haven Terminal.
The SSA also warned customers that passenger cutoffs may occur on the Sankaty while it fills in for the Nantucket.
ON August 1st the sun set at 7:59 PM and getting earlier every day. We are in the wrong Time Zone. We are in the extreme Eastern edge of our Time Zone which extends to Michigan. If we were in the Atlantic Time Zone we would have that extra hour of daylight. Think of what you could do with it.
Is this all the County Commissioners fault, or the voters?
“A bit of musical chairs going on” says the SSA. Doesn’t look like anyone is enjoying this game!
What does this mean ?
“the SSA will be using the vehicle deck on the Island Home “as we are able to.”
Does it not work ?
Why wouldn’t they be using that feature on every trip ?
It certainly cost a lot of money to design and install it.
I have noticed that only one side occasionally has cars on it, despite the fact that it’s really hard to get reservations.
That’s just a personal observation– I’m not on the ferry that often.
As crazy as it sounds the SSA has made a deal with the residents of Woods Hole only to use the decks in the off season unless there’s a situation like this week. Crazy but true.
John– how does one “make a deal with the residents of Woods Hole”?
Did they have a town hall meeting and agree on this ?
And really–just to be clear— you seem to be asserting that the people in Woods Hole dictated that the SSA could not fill their boats to capacity ?
Please clarify, and provide some verifiable source to verify that is true.
Thanks
It does not sound crazy if you are a resident of Woods Hole, they have the right to control commercial activity in their village.
How many trailer trucks go by your place in the very early morning hours?
The SSA is controlled by the voters of Dukes, Nantucket and Barnstable Counties.
What people in Barnstable County want counts.
It seems like Barnstable County would prefer the SSA just went away.
Crazy but true.
Of course Bristol County would love to have the SSA. Huge trucks 7/24 would be welcomed.
No island is a an island, they need a mainland port. the mainland does not need an island.
Thank you for your self centered, Martha’s Vineyard, point of view
Ok fine mechanical issues arise. We all understand that. But what’s unacceptable is the lack of real-time communication. If we live in a time when you can turn on your iPhone with a fingerprint or face image, you’ d think the SSA could at least have installed real-time digital display updates at the docks to stream updates on ferry status. Having the lot- boss mutter that a freight boat will take 25 passengers, than watch her add 6 cars so that only 2 persons can walk on, and mutter an insincere apology to the front of the line and nothing to the 50 behind them pretty much says “tough luck, you aren’t my priority. Figure it out.”
It’s rude and dismissive and inhospitable to the many visitors coming her for the 1st time , and struggling to make sense of the chaos.
And there’s no good reason or explanation for this appalling lack of consideration.
How much will what you want cost.
I remember when the Island Was Great.
We had mainland time and island time.
Do we need any more rude and dismissive and inhospitable visitors coming hear for the 1st time , and struggling to make sense of the chaos.
I’m very confused about this. The lift decks were touted in the design for offering more car space on the ferry, and I don’t understand why those spaces are not always on offer for reservations on the boat. There have been many instances , at all times of the year, that reservations were full, but the lift decks were not in use, or only used for standby travelers , and usually only one at a time. It’s hard enough to get on and off the Island, not using all available spaces seems just plain wasteful , I think.