LaHave ferry to be out of service for several weeks for refit

The LaHaveRiver cable ferry in Lunenburg County is being taken out of service beginning Tuesday to undergo arefit that's expected to take six to eight weeks to complete.

The Brady E. Himmelman ferry will be towed to Meteghanin Digby County for the refit, which is required by Transport Canada every five years to renew the vessel's safety inspection certificate, said a news release from the Department of Public Works.

"This is an unavoidable disruption, and we regret the inconvenience this is going to cause for people in the area," Public Works Minister Kim Maslandsaid in the release.

"We have done our best to schedule this work for when use is lower, and the weather conditions are still good for driving. We appreciate everyone's understanding and patience."

The ferry operates year-round between LaHave, N.S., and East LaHave, N.S., on opposite sides of the LaHave River. The distance between the two boarding sites by road is 36 kilometres, the release said.

A cable ferry is the only suitable option for the crossing because of shallow water, the release said, and a replacement is not available.