The chair of the local ferry committee says COVID restrictions and limited ferry service are affecting tourism potential on the remote south coast of the island.
Paul Trickett owns three holiday homes in Rencontre East, a Fortune Bay community accessible only by ferry.
Trickett says his homes are booked up for the summer, but he’s afraid that COVID restrictions on board the Terra Nova—which runs between Bay L’Argent, Rencontre, and Pool’s Cove in Fortune Bay—could mean guests will be left on the wharf.
That’s exactly what happened last year, says Trickett.
The Terra Nova is a small vessel—only 100 feet long—and has a capacity of just 30 passengers when there are no restrictions in place. When COVID hit, that capacity was reduced to 15 but that has since been increased to 19.
Trickett says the community needs and welcomes guests, but the service is unable to meet the current demand. He suggests that capacity be increased to include family bubbles, or an extra vessel be added to the run for the summer months to accommodate local tourists.
