_{A gorgeous twilight photo of the Samish taken by Brandon Swan in November 2019.}

CLASS: Olympic

BUILT: 2015, Vigor Industrial, Seattle, WA

OFFICIAL NUMBER: 1251777 CALL SIGN: WDH7552

L/B/D:  362 x 82 x 18 GROSS/NET TONS: 9292/3633 PASSENGERS/AUTOS: 1500/144

PROPULSION:  2 diesel engines, variable pitch propellers, 6000 HP SPEED: 15 knots

NAME TRANSLATION: Named for the Samish tribe, which means “giving people.”

FINAL DISPOSITION: In service, 2024.

HISTORY

The second Olympic Class ferry was christened Samish in November of 2012. The name continues century-old tradition of naming ferries on Puget Sound with Chinook/Native American names, but also honors the Samish Tribe.

Construction of the Samish began in December 2012 at Vigor in Seattle, and was completed in early 2015.  After several weeks of sea trials in Anacortes, a lavish open house was held on 20 May 2015.  The vessel was formally christened by Washington First Lady Trudi Inslee, and a tribal ceremony by the Samish Indian Nation was held on board.

The Samish started service as scheduled on the first day of the new Summer sailing schedule.  Fulfilling all expectations, the Samish has proven a very good fit in the San Juans, and a more than worthy, superior successor to the ailing Super Class. In early 2016 a hole was discovered in the hull. Divers were sent down and found not only the hole, but that corrosion issues had arisen along the keel cooler of the vessel, which was apparently not properly installed. The Samish was immediately sent to into drydock at Dakota Creek for repairs. After several weeks of warranty repairs, the vessel was returned to service, taking the place of the Tokitae so that similar issues on that vessel could be repaired as well.  The mistake was caught and not repeated on the Chimacum.

As with any new class of vessel, there is a certain learning curve and a period of breaking in when certain issues arise and are repaired. Since this early, somewhat serious event, the Samish and Tokitae both have proven to be very reliable vessels, liked by crew and commuter alike.