Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 22/02) - The Fort Providence ferry is expected to be operating sometime this evening but breakup has taken much longer than usual this year.

The average date of the first ferry crossing of the season over the past 35 years has been May 16.

Les Shaw, director of marine services for the Department of Transportation, says the ice began to shift on Monday.

"And she all flushed out (Monday) night," he said.

Shaw said breakup occurred about a week and a half late this year. Shaw said statistics for the past 15 years indicate the first crossing this year "is the latest in quite a while."

Although the ferry is expected to be running sometime after 5 p.m. tonight, a section of Highway 3 just north of Fort Providence washed out Monday because of rapid spring thaw.

Art Barnes, the Department of Transportation's regional superintendent for the South Slave, said as of Tuesday afternoon the section of the highway at kilometre 44 has been closed.

"We're hoping that we can plug that washout and get things back to normal, but we're not absolutely sure that we can do that in the next day or two," he said.

Businesses affected by delays

Because breakup at the Mackenzie River crossing has taken longer than usual this year some businesses have experienced setbacks, while others have had a profitable spring so far.

Yellowknife Direct Charge Co-op manager John Taylor says the delay in ferry service is not having "too great an impact on business", however the company is having problems keeping some items in stock.

"There's some items that we're having difficult getting in a timely fashion," said Taylor, referring specifically to bakery products.

Instead of receiving products six days a week by truck, Taylor said products are only being flown in five days a week.

"So when you get something like bread that's got a very short shelf life, it makes it difficult," he said.

Taylor said the cost of flying in products means a greater cost for the company, but said customer prices have remained the same. Business is hurting at the Big River Service Station in Fort Providence, according to Troy Patenaude. Ninety per cent of the company's business comes from highway traffic and the delayed ferry operations is negatively affecting them, especially at the gas pump and in the restaurant.

"I've never seen (the ferry delays) go this long before," said Patenaude, adding the delay isn't helping the fact that business has already been down due to the station's fire in January that destroyed the store, restaurant and an office.

The business, run by Patenaude's family, recently reopened its operations.

"We're hoping (the ferry) will be open as soon as possible."

Buffalo Airways is reaping the annual benefits of a delayed ferry crossing.

"The ferry being out is an ongoing business that we do every year," said Joe McBryan, Buffalo Airways owner.

"It's a busy time for Buffalo moving the excess freight and it's very unpredictable when it starts and when it ends." When the ferry is out Buffalo delivers mail for Pony Express, transports mine freight to various camps in the North and also transports individuals and regular freight, including groceries, to and from Hay River.

But McBryan doesn't expect the ferry to be out of service much longer. He predicts it will be up and running by Friday.

"I had a vision ... my vision showed me that on Friday there will be lots of transport trucks and a ferry going across," he said.