Beaver Island Michigan

David Broder is one of my favorite editorial writers and I was very pleased to read his article about the security fences at the docks both at Beaver Island and Charlevoix. It is good to know that this article was printed in the Washington Post since Homeland Security is short on funds.Beaver Island, aren't you glad you are now one of the safest places in our country? Dorothy

Hi Dorothy,

What issue is the column in, please?

Thanks,

Laura

Hi, Laura.
The" Homeland Security on Beaver Island" article, by David Broder, was in the NorthernIslander issue, October,20, taken from the Washington Post. Dorothy

Hi cousin!

Right you are. I read the article and thought it was in jest, til I saw updated pictures of the dock. Far cry from the "old days" (and I'm 24!) when you could wander out on the dock as the boat was arriving, and fish off the end at the end of the day. The mighty South Shore was a great attraction for those little fish!

Consider the statistics though... on the best of days, the Emerald Isle can haul 600 people to the island in one day.

On the flip side, Mackinac Island, 3 of Arnold Transit Co's boats are EACH capable of handling 605 people on ONE trip. Regularly in the summer, a single Arnold Line catamaran can haul 3,000 people. With three of those running, traditionals, and the other two ferry lines running up to 5 boats at a time, where is the greater security risk? With fast ferries, a vital bridge and an island filled everyday with people vacationing from all over the globe, it is a nice "target."

It used to be rough weather and ice that kept people from the ferry. Now it's a big iron gate. *sigh*...progress!

S

Please don't let the fence people in on the Mackinac Island possibilities....... let alone the terrorists. You are right, cousin, we can only smile remembering the good old days as children, when we could hop on our bikes and go freely down to meet the Beaver Island mailboat as she docked. World War Two was on during my childhood and chocolate bars were hard to come by. My cousin, Grace Marie, and I were quite happy when my dad would bring us an Almond Joy from the mainland. As captain, he was allowed an allotment of snacks for passengers now and then.
Family and friends waited eagerly to greet a soldier or sailor, home on leave, as they walked through the gangway or they sadly watched them return aboard the mailboat.... sometimes never to see their loved one again. Beaver Islanders can be so proud of all the young people who left the Island to serve this country. Dorothy