Island people are the best, and they've been tasked with naming a new ferry.

Matinicus Isle about 22 miles off the Knox County coast has a tiny harbor full of rocks according to the Bangor Daily News. So not just any ferry or boat can fit in it. Only the M/V Everett Libby is small enough to safely dock in Matinicus. But the Libby is 63 years old and next year will be replaced.

Courtesy of Eva Murray
Courtesy of Eva Murray
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But it will need a name. Eva Murray, who is an islander, represents Matinicus on the Maine State Ferry Service Advisory Board and she's got the job of collecting name suggestions. According to the Bangor Daily News, Eva is the island’s municipal clerk, solid waste coordinator, and garbage truck driver and she's been hanging flyers and watching Facebook for suggestions. She's not a fan of Facebook telling the BDN,

Facebook is a terrible place to do business. Some are just wise-asses who want to call it the Slow Boat to China.

Hysterical. She's not wrong about Facebook. There have been other silly names, which I think are just islanders having some fun: A Boat Time, Ship Show, and Ferry McFerryface. That's a spin on a banned name of Boaty McBoatface which was the name 7 years ago from an online poll that named a British boat.

Courtesy of Eva Murray
Courtesy of Eva Murray
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Eva wants the people who will ride the ferry to be able to name it, but there are only about 20 islanders right now and she has to get her suggestions to the advisory board by March 23. Not all islanders are going the goofy route. There are a lot of names suggested for loved ones, island residents, and captains. Eva says that she would even be okay with Everett Libby II. I was emailing Eva about her task and she said,

I figure we’ll end up calling it the "Alabama Slammer" anyway. I looked up what’s in that drink today, with all these silly names flying around. It doesn’t sound very good!

I love islanders. They are a completely different breed of Mainer. Tough, sincere, hard-working, no-nonsense, and funny with giant hearts. I told Eva if I make it out to Matinicus I'll buy her an Alabama Slammer.

 

 

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