We have a final design! This is how the new as-yet-unnamed class of ferries will look. And again, please no “Electric Olympics” or something lame like that. They different enough from the Olympics (which, I’m sorry, for me when I hear “Olympic Class” I’m always going to think of the White Star Line trip of Olympic, Titanic and Britannic. Sorry, but White Star got there first.) I suppose you could name the class after the first vessel–there’s precedent for that after all, with the Issaquah Class, Evergreen State Class, et al. That would mean we’d end of up with a (sigh) Wishkah Class. As that would mean a “stinking water” class, maybe not.

I suppose there are lots of “green” names that could be used. (Not “climate pledge” though. That’s been done.) Maybe something like electric animals of the sea? Stingray Class perhaps? Electrophorus Class? That’s the electric eel. Let’s see, what else. Huh. I did not know that the platypus uses electroreceptors to find prey. That’s pretty cool! Much as I might like a Platypus Class, not electric in the same sense as an eel or skate, and while aquatic, not something that one thinks of when pondering electrified animals. That leaves the spiny ant eater out too, which utilizes the same electroreceptors that the platypus does. I’ve never heard of the “stargazer” aka Uranoscopidae, but that’s kind of a cool name–Stargazer Class.

I will say there is legit criticism as to the uninspired design of the ferries. WSF has been building the same boat since the Evergreen State in 1954. While not a huge fan of some of the newer vessels in the B.C. Ferries fleet, they do have a more modern look than, well, any of our ferries. I realize there are certain parameters any design for WSF, like the picklefork deck which, as far as I know, is unique to WSF, but…I don’t know. Something a little different in the sweep of the deck or the pilothouses? And why oh why are the smokestacks so d@mn tall again?

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out…

My distaste for the Elwha is well known. Having worked on the boat, I got to know her well enough to know she had habits I didn’t like. I’ll do a completely write-up on that later–but when she leaves on Monday, I will not be shedding any tears. I do hope the artwork on her has been pulled off. She has some lovely Salish art prints in the cabin.

I will miss the Klahowya, which was a very good vessel, with a long and pretty uneventful career. 56 years at Vashon Island alone, her service had a few minor incidents, but nothing like the laundry list of traumas the Elwha had. I know islanders particularly enjoyed her service as the inter-island ferry, where she was working when this photo by Dietrich Menzer was taken several years back. Farewell, Klahowya.

Egads, a fire!

I generally stay up-to-date with the goings on of west coast ferries, but somehow it completely escaped my attention that the Malaspina has been officially decommissioned. First I heard of it was that the dowager had caught fire.

Alaska, it seems, is in–ha–the same boat as WSF when it comes for the need for new vessels.

That’s a sucker bet!

So I was told when positing the question as to who would get their new ferries first–WSF or B.C. Ferries.

Well, they have a point. The procurement process for B.C. Ferries from start to finish seemed to take about six months from my figuring, though it might have been a bit longer. WSF has finally put their bid process out and it’s going to take six months or more just to get the bids in. Meanwhile, having awarded the contract, the yard building the new boats to replace the Queen of Oak Bay seen here when practically new back in 1986, have already begun cutting steel.

Of course, B.C. Ferries can do what we can’t, which is put the bids out to overseas builders, which is exactly what they did. WSF can at least go nationwide, which they’ve done–but I wonder if there is any contingency plan if 1. no one bids on the boats or 2. the bids come in higher than WSF wants to pay. Time will tell, but meanwhile the hourglass running on the Tillikum, Kaleetan and Yakima continues to run perilously close to out…

Here, there and Everywhere

They’re not exaggerating when they say there’s a world-wide shortage of maritime workers. Ferry cancellations are happening in Washington, Canada, and on the east coast. I haven’t checked to see if it is happening in other countries as there’s a limit to what I can keep track of, but this is a problem that isn’t going to go away any time soon.

Everything old is new again

It’s like they don’t remember that before there were bridges, there had to be some way to cross Chesapeake Bay.

Oh, wait, there was! Here’s the proof! Yep, that’s our own beloved Rhododendron back in the 1940’s on Chesapeake Bay sailing under her original name Governor Herbert R. O’Conor. Seems that there is interest in starting up some kind of service again, much like happened on San Francisco Bay. And, just like San Francisco Bay, these would be passenger only boats.

As they say, stay tuned.

From the Vault

The only Super I ever really liked, the Hyak back in 1992. She’s still weathering away at Kingston, but perhaps not for too much longer.

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