KENNEWICK

CLASS: Kwa-di-tabil

BUILT: 2011, Seattle, WA.

OFFICIAL NUMBER: 1229902 CALL SIGN: WDF6991

L/B/D: 274 x 64 x 11 GROSS/NET TONS:  4623/1887 PASSENGERS/AUTOS: 750/64

PROPULSION: Diesel SPEED: 16 knots

NAME TRANSLATION:  Native American for “winter paradise, winter haven; grassy place, grassy slope”

FINAL DISPOSITION: In service, 2025.

HISTORY

In January of 2012, the Kennewick went into service on the Port Townsend-Keystone run. In a somewhat controversial move, the ferry did not go to south Vashon Island as had been announced, the state and lawmakers making dubious claims about keeping consistency on the routes by having the identical sisters Kennewick and Salish on the route, so crews did not have to switch to the Chetzemoka with its different propulsion set up.

Kennewick became the number one boat at Port Townsend, with sister Salish acting as the number two vessel during “shoulder season” on the route (Roughly May through October.) With the COVID pandemic, the route was cut down to one boat year round, with the Salish sitting in when the Kennewick has been out for annual maintenance. Summer of 2025 brought limited two-boat service back to the route, much to the happiness of vacationers and regular travelers on the Port Townsend-Keystone (Coupeville) route.