It’s been a lovely autumn to start (and the 14th was about as gorgeous of a day on Puget Sound as you can get) but as the month has progressed, it’s gotten progressively wetter and stormier. As I write this, a good-sized “atmospheric river” is headed toward the PacNW with winds in the lowlands gusting up to 50 MPH.

At Washington State Ferries…

It’s been a busy time. The Wenatchee returned to service after ironing out some problems with her propulsion system. According to WSF, these problems were not due to the conversion to electric power. As WSF said, “Upgrading a 27-year-old ferry is no small feat. The Wenatchee now has a modern propulsion system, new ship controls and hybrid-electric power,” Washington State Department of Transportation wrote. “This was an engineering challenge few have attempted on a vessel of this size.”

The problem as it turned out was the control system’s communication wires were unstable, causing the motors to shut down.

After completing sea trials, the ferry went back into service on the Seattle-Bainbridge run and has been running without problems ever since.

The Tokitae had a bit of history added on, with the addition of one of the Elwha‘s old steering wheel. This used to be located on the shelter deck of the Elwha after the ferry was converted back in the 90’s from telegraph control to pilot house control. (The Elwha is now a floating office/warehouse at the Everett Shipyard.)

Even though we knew this was going to happen, it is going to take a little longer to get the first of the new ferries on the water. (I’ve been saying 2030 for the first one for the last two years. There was no way anyone was going to get the boats by 2028-29 given how bloody long it took them to award the contract. This is not a unique situation to the hybrid-electric boats, either. The AVERAGE length of time it takes to get new ferries built in this state, from concept, design, awarding the the contract and getting the ferries built is seven to ten years. There are serious, serious problems with the entire designing/contract award/building in this state that needs to be seriously overhauled.) There’s a number of reasons for the delay, not the least not being that this is the first hybrid-electric ferry of this size to be built. (And say your prayers that the Florida panhandle doesn’t get hit by a hurricane for the next several years.)

As a result, the retirement dates for the Yakima, Kaleetan and Tillikum are up in the air right now. It’s very likely the Tillikum is going to see her 75th birthday with Washington State Ferries. Whether the remaining Supers make it to 2034 is anyone’s guess, as they have problems the Tilly doesn’t, much of which can be traced all the way back to their construction in 67-68.

As they say, “Stay tuned.” And remember, even with these three new boats that hopefully will start construction next year, with the retirements, that gives us a net gain of 0.

It looks like WSF is honing in one plan to replace the Fauntleroy dock. The current dock, which was built circa 1958, does not meet current earthquake standards and a whole host of other issues. The best news is the new dock will hold almost double the current amount (155 as opposed to 80 cars.) That means which means a whole boat load on the dock, a big improvement. Plus, the whole thing won’t collapse into the Sound in the event of a large earthquake.

Oh, ferry up there that you can just make out in this very old photo of the Fauntleroy dock is the old Washington, the former Lake Washington ferry.

Finally, in addition to ever-increasing performance statistics, kudos to the crew of the Wenatchee who rescued two kayakers who had gone into Puget Sound when their kayak overturned. The two were pulled from the water by the Wenatchee’s crew, cold but not hypothermic. Puget Sound only varies in temperature a few degrees between summer and winter and is normally around 46 F-54 F degrees at any given time.

Meanwhile, over at Kitsap Transit…

They too will be experiencing a shortage of vessels that will be resulting in disrupted service this fall and winter.

According to the transit agency:

M/V Commander: The 250-passenger vessel which normally runs the Kingston/Seattle route is currently at the shipyard for repairs. Kitsap Transit expects to have Commander back in service by the end of November.

M/V Solano: The 250-passenger vessel which normally backs up the Enetai on the Southworth/Seattle route is out of service for work and is expected to return in early February of 2026.

M/V Rich Passage 1: The 118-passenger vessel runs the Bremerton/Seattle route. It is due in the shipyard on Oct. 29 2025 and is expected back in service by the end of November.

Meanwhile, at B.C. Ferries…

Two old timers at B.C. Ferries, the Powell River Queen and the Bowen Queen, retired some time ago, are being broken up at the Esquimalt Graving Dock by Marine Recycling Corporation.

Meanwhile, following an unpleasant trend south of the border as well, B.C. Ferry workers are reporting a increase in confrontations, with the ‘vast majority’ reporting they have been threatened by passengers.

Take a deep breath, folks, we’re all just trying to make a living and make our way through each day as best as possible.

A return to Prince Rupert?

Officials in Canada are all for it, but it seems to be less so on the Alaska side.

Prices are going up everywhere…

And at the Steamship Authority, fares are going up, too.

Meanwhile, citizens are seeking to have the way things are governed at the Steamship Authority changed. Term limits are one of the changes under consideration.

A word on the retirees…

Nothing new on the Hyak or Klahowya, though apparently there have been several interested parties. One of the Hyak‘s telegraphs is now being used by the Kracken to start the game.

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