Spring ice delays Emerald Isle ferry service

Sources

1. Barb Rahn, "BIBCO is on schedule," Beaver Island Forum, March 26, 2014.
   A participant said she had spoken with the BIBCO office and that the first boat was still scheduled for April 14, with other claims described as rumor. This is a second-hand report of an operator conversation; later BIBCO notices and the Beaver Beacon document the ice cancellations and revised first crossing.
   forum · www.beaverislandforum.com · 07 · t007267
2. Beaver Island Forum, “Biscayne Bay icebreaker heading towards Beaver,” April 8–9, 2014.
   The Beaver Beacon post and local replies identify the icebreaker as Biscayne Bay and record its approach past the cement plant and Bellamy's. These are contemporaneous community observations; they supplement, but do not replace, the Beacon account of the channel-breaking operation.
   forum · www.beaverislandforum.com · 07 · t007298
3. Beaver Island Forum, “April 14,16,18,21,23,25 ferry cancelled due to ice,” April 7–28, 2014.
   Beaver Island Boat Company notices, reposted by Beaver Beacon, document cancellations of the April 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, and 25 scheduled runs because of extreme ice, followed by a tentative first 2014 run on April 29. This is a contemporaneous operator notice preserved in a forum thread; the Beacon remains the stronger source for the later May 3 cancellation and Coast Guard icebreaking account.
   forum · www.beaverislandforum.com · 07 · t007295
4. Beaver Island Forum, “First Ferry Run Date — Predictions on Facebook,” April 1–May 1, 2014.
   The Chamber of Commerce and Beaver Beacon used the forum to circulate prolonged uncertainty about the first run. This post documents public communication, not an independent navigation record.
   forum · www.beaverislandforum.com · 07 · t007284
5. Beaver Island Forum, “9 & 10 TV NEWS Covers First Emerald Isle Run,” April 1–May 1, 2014.
   The forum circulated a media link after the first crossing. This post documents public communication and promotion, not an independent navigation record.
   forum · www.beaverislandforum.com · 07 · t007354
6. Beaver Beacon, June-July 2014, "She Runs!"
   Reports that Coast Guard cutters opened channels through ice up to two feet thick, the Emerald Isle canceled its first three scheduled trips, made a successful April 29 crossing, and aborted a May 3 trip when ice returned. No public copy of this file is known; the archive holds one and can provide it on request.
   data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 2014-07_Beaver-Beacon
7. Beaver Beacon, June-July 2014, held issue PDF, source scan.
   The held June-July issue scan confirms the ferry and ice report.
   data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 2014-07_Beaver-Beacon