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Rough weather, annual maintenance and a mechanical issue played havoc with ferry services to Kangaroo Island over the past week.
But being trapped on beautiful, sparsely-populated island off South Australia's coast is not such a bad thing.
I don't have a tourism-reliant business, commodities to ship or somewhere to be on the mainland.
Rather I enjoy the peace, tranquillity and nature of island life, and suggest that is what island life should really be about.
That is why the tourists come after all.
At least that's what I think, but islanders on Kangaroo Island sometimes get upset when the ferry doesn't run, which is understandable.
Ferry service provider SeaLink this August 2022 is down to a single ferry, with its Sealion 2000 vessel undergoing its annual maintenance at Port Adelaide, due back by end of this month.
Ferry service halted briefly last Friday morning, August 5, 2022, when the remaining vessel Spirit of Kangaroo Island developed a steering issue.
Still ferry company SeaLink says on average, over the last three years 2019/20 and 21, it had less than 0.031 per cent of departures cancelled due to weather
Yes island living does come with a price - not only transport woes but our fuel costs are normally at least 10 or 20 cents per litre more than the mainland.
Regional Express or Rex airlines meanwhile also pulled out of Kangaroo Island, leaving us with only Qantas service four days a week.
Better news is SeaLink says two new, more capable ferries will be in service by 2024, while the state government also plans $37 million port upgrades at Penneshaw and Cape Jervis.
And Qantas has promised to up flights once the warmer months arrive and tourism picks up.
The Kangaroo Island Council meanwhile is convening a roundtable to discuss issues regarding reliability of ferry services.
The council plans a roundtable of key stakeholders, including the KI Business and Brand Alliance, the KI Tourism Alliance and AgKI, to discuss ferry services into the future.
Mayor Michael Pengilly said SeaLink started on KI and although it is only now a small part of their multinational business - "it remained our lifeline and critical service to residents and businesses on the island".
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