OUCH!

So, that’s what it looks like when a propeller blade snaps off. WSF posted this photo back on 28 September when the Walla Walla was moved into drydock. “Throwing a blade” was not all that uncommon back in the day, but that was with propellers where the blades were bolted to a center hub. It’s very unusual for this to happen to a “solid state” prop. However, it should be noted that this was the end of the ferry that touched bottom when the Wally lost power and went aground in April. A diver was sent down to inspect the propeller, but it might have been impossible to see any fracture that may have occurred.

Speaking of which…

There’s a fungus among us.

Or, at least there was. The fuel contamination that caused the ferry to lose power and go aground was caused by a nasty black sludge made of bacteria and fungus. Which just goes to show that you can get something to grow just about anywhere, including in a sea of diesel fuel in the bottom of a tank.

Meanwhile, in Canada…

The government has come up with a great idea for B.C. Ferries missed sailings: fine them.

Forget for a moment that B.C. Ferries is a “private” company whose sole owner is the B.C. Government (so, in essence, they’re fining themselves, a “solution” only a politician could come up with)–how is it the political leaders who came up with this harebrained idea don’t see that any fines the company has to pay are going to come down on the very people they’re supposedly issuing fines for–the users of the ferry system. (Can we say “higher fares” to offset fines? Just wait for it.)

There is a worldwide shortage of maritime workers. This is established fact. Every ferry system in North America is feeling it. No one wants to miss sailings due to staff shortages, but it hardly seems logical to fine the company for something that is largely out of its control. Perhaps making jobs at B.C. Ferries more enticing to attract workers, like paying a little closer to what the private sector pays?

Instead of getting creative or doing something meaningful, it looks like they went for the look of “we’re doing something!” rather than making a move to solve the problem. We’ll see how long this idea lasts.

In a perfect demonstration of the misinformation presented as fact on social media, the Alaska Marine Highway had to do damage control when an internet rumor popped up that said the company was abandoning the stop at Prince Rupert entirely.

It wasn’t true, and the officials had to field calls are reassure people at the Canadian port that the service there wasn’t going away any time soon.

It may seem like all you ever here about is the hard landings WSF has, but it happens to other ferries too. In this instance, out at Martha’s Vineyard, a runningmate of our old Kulshan had a hard landing when a combo of wind and tide caused the Nantucket’s stern to swing over and smack a concrete pier.

The accident cause a three-inch crack in a seam above the waterline. The ferry was taken out of service, repaired and returned to service the next day.

Skagit County, meanwhile, has now opened bids for a new electric ferry to replace the 1979-built Guemes. A far more realistic service model, Skagit County is replacing the 44-year old vessel before it becomes any more of an antique.

Also in Canada, the concerns about derelict vessels in Canadian waters is continuing to grow, and now the Canadian Coast Guard is involved.

Much like Washington State’s list, the CG came up with a list of hazardous vessels, which included the famous “McBarge” and the Queen of Sidney. Both have since been removed. In the case of the concrete-hulled McBarge, one can see the point, but saying the Queen of Sidney doesn’t present a hazard is a bit of stretch given there’s oil floating around down in the hull and the one of the reasons she was retired in the first place if memory serves is that there is still asbestos in the engine room.

Somewhat sad to note in all these news reports, seldom, if ever is the San Mateo even mentioned. She’s referred to as the “remains of another vessel.” Sad, ignominious ending for the the last steam powered ferry in North America.

Here she is in better days:

Someone recently asked me the status of the old Ocean City, which has been moored in Oro Bay on Anderson Island for over 30 years. I found this photo on Reddit, which shows that the old ferry is not in good condition and is now on the bottom of the bay, flooding with the tides.

The ferry is currently listed on the Derelict Vessel Inventory for removal.

And lastly, 100 years ago this week, courtesy of the Anacortes American:

Oct. 4, 1923

Joshua Green, head of the Puget Sound Navigation company, came over on the Mount Vernon Wednesday noon from Victoria and announced that his company had exercised an option of purchase on the Anacortes-Victoria ferry route and had also purchased the ferry steamer Mount Vernon from the ferry company, and the vessel will be turned over to the Puget Sound Navigation company on November 1. At that time it will be taken off the run and laid up at Seattle. The City of Angeles, operated on this run this summer, is owned by the Puget Sound company, and was under charter to the ferry operators.

At Victoria announced that the ferries City of Angels and Mount Vernon will ply, as in the past, between Anacortes and Sidney, The ferry Puget will be operated between Bellingham and Sidney, and the Sioux will run from Port Angeles to Victoria direct.