| And down she goes... Alaska's first ferry sank in a storm in January. After two weeks on the bottom, she was raised and towed off, likely for scrapping. Former Alaska ferry sinks west of Guemes Island Ferry slip |
| The Tacoma Hotel Pt 2 Picking up where last month left off, here is another postcard of the Tacoma Hotel. Themed rooms were kind of a thing in the Victorian and Edwardian era, whether it be by color or decorative theme. In Downton Abbey, for example, you'll hear them occasionally say "Put so-and-so in the Chinese Room." The Tacoma seems to have drawn on local history and culture for its themes (albeit decidedly European history.) The Mermaid Room seen last month takes its cues from the region's sailing history, and the Viking Room takes its cues from the many settlers (my own family included) who arrived from Norway. Like the Mermaid room, there seems to be plenty of gold and bright colors, including murals of Viking ships fighting the waves. It's only a pity true color photography didn't exist back then, as both this and the Mermaid room must have been spectacular to see in living color. Take a look HERE at the Tacoma Historical Society's online exhibit of that beautiful, now long gone building that once graced the Tacoma skyline. |
| Up in flames. September, 1956. A spectacular fire erupts on the Portland waterfront. Among the many things damage/destoryed...check out the lower right corner of the photo. That's the Malahat, burning up for the second and last time. Check our her whole story here. Author's collection. |
| WSF isn't the only one wanting to go electric B.C. Ferries would like to take their hybrids electric all the way. BC Ferries seeks support for full electrification of hybrid vessels The Island Aurora, courtesy of Paul Van Bukenhaut. |
| WSF to get some help from the feds... (And is it just me, or has this been a gloomier-than-average winter around here this year?) Biden administration to upgrade ports and ferry systems to support a more sustainable maritime ecosystem Photo of the Tacoma appears courtesy of Matt Masuoka. |
| Santa Elena (1933)--One Part of Grace Line's Lovely Quartet Grace Line's ships are largely forgotten today, even though the company had a very long and established career. Designed by William F. Gibbs, who would later build the S.S. United States, the Santa Elena was the last of the Santa Rosa Class, which included the Santa Rosa, Santa Paula and Santa Lucia. The four were built to comply with the Grace Line's mail contract, and carried a great deal of cargo along with passengers. The ships inaugurated the first service from New York to Seattle via the Panama Canal on a 20-day trip. By 1936 the quartet were reassigned to working the route from New York to the Caribbean, making stops at Venezuela, Curacao, Colombia, Cristobal and Haiti. The outbreak of the Second World War saw the ships requisitioned by the Navy. Santa Lucia, renamed the U.S.S. Leedstown was sunk in the North African invasion. The Santa Elena was sunk the following year off the Philippville on the Algerian coast; the Santa Rosa and Santa Paula survived the war and held on as flagships until replaced by new ships of the same name in 1958. You can read more about these and all the other "Santa" ships of the Grace Line HERE. |
| COVID-19 Schedule "Until further Notice" ANACORTES - SAN JUAN ISLANDS YAKIMA - SAMISH - CHELAN SEALTH (Inter-island) ANACORTES - SIDNEY Suspended until at least 26 September 2021. PORT TOWNSEND - KEYSTONE (COUPEVILLE) SALISH MUKILTEO - CLINTON (COLUMBIA BEACH) TOKITAE SUQUAMISH EDMONDS - KINGSTON WALLA WALLA SPOKANE SEATTLE - BAINBRIDGE ISLAND (WINSLOW) PUYALLUP TACOMA SEATTLE - BREMERTON KALEETAN KITSAP SOUTHWORTH -VASHON - FAUNTLEROY KITTITAS CATHLAMET POINT DEFIANCE - TAHLEQUAH CHETZEMOKA IN THE YARD WENATCHEE ISSAQUAH CHIMACUM KENNEWICK TILLIKUM CLUTTERING UP EAGLE HARBOR & ELSEWHERE ELWHA KLAHOWYA HYAK |
| A colorized photo of the Santa Elena taken in 1940. Note the large American flag at her stern, marking her as a neutral ship. Author's collection. |
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