Just think: How often do you get a chance to NAME A FERRY? The Ear wont even try to guess the odds on that one, but heres your golden opportunity.

Wahkiakum County, Wash., is holding a naming contest for the new Puget Island ferry, that wont even be built until 2014. Even so, the deadline for entries is Feb. 15. The old ferry is pictured.

Want to give it a shot? The application and guidelines are at www.co.wahkiakum.wa.us, or can be picked up at the County Courthouse, third floor, 64 Main St., in Cathlamet, Wash.

From the website: Names should represent such things as: County adopted symbols, tribal names, names of bodies of water, geographic locations, cities, counties, related to nautical heritage, etc. But dont get too esoteric, as they want names with broad familiarity.

With all the artists, historians and maritime folks on the North Coast, the Ear hopes somebody comes up with a snappy (but historically appealing) moniker.

Elleda Wilson