A Coast Guard ship is expected to bring much-needed fuel to Beaver Island Wednesday, weather allowing.
Island officials say bad weather prevented a fuel delivery last fall and now the island is dangerously close to running out of fuel.
Steve West is with the Beaver Island Chamber of Commerce. He said the Coast Guard vessel, the Mackinaw, will help bring the fuel.
“What the Coast Guard is going to do is escort a barge from here on the island full of fuel to us.”
West said the fuel emergency comes with the territory.
“It’s part of living on an island, these things happen. There’s a lot of great reasons to live here: it’s a beautiful place, the crime rate is just about zero, and it’s a wonderful place to visit in the summer but hey there are some challenges too.”
West said an ice cutter needed to cut through to the island out so that the barge could get the fuel to the dock.
He said the fuel will last the island through the rest of the season.