To the editor:

Regarding the March 9 letter titled “If Nichols moves, Freeland thrives.”

I’ve never viewed myself as a boatyard cheerleader, but the letter to the editor espousing the departure of Nichols Brothers Boat Builders seemed a real departure from sanity.

A few points worth mentioning:

1. Freeland is already thriving.

2. Nichols Brothers has grown with our community since the mid 1960s — the business shouldn’t be seen as a problem but a very valuable asset, employing locals who are lucky to be able to live and earn decent pay on this gorgeous island. I’m happy for the company and its employees.

3. The south end of Holmes Harbor has a double cove in it. East of Freeland Hall could be used for the letter writer’s dream of boardwalks and tourist shops. But don’t we already have enough shops of this type in Langley and Coupeville?

4. I drove by the boatyard a few minutes ago to see what’s new. There was a beautiful, big new tugboat that looks nearly finished along with a superstructure for a new ferryboat. I venture to guess I was looking at well over $20 million worth of business. At $1.50 each we’d have to sell more than 13 million ice cream cones to the “out-of-towners” just to match what Nichols Brothers has in the yard right now.

That’s a lot of ice cream!

Jeff Bakeman

Freeland