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Post by SS San Mateo on Aug 3, 2009 20:39:27 GMT -8
Based on the most recent maintenance schedule (July 7), she isn't available for the 1'st 2 weeks of this month. Hopefully the problem with the Spokane isn't serious enough to keep her out for any length of time.
If they do have to put the Hiyu into service, I'm guessing they will place her in the San Juans and send the Evergreen State to either Mukilteo-Clinton (and send one of the boats to Seattle-Bremerton) or to Vashon (and send either the Issaquah or Sealth to Seattle-Bremerton). Using the Evergreen State on the Bremerton route is definitely *not* an option.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Aug 3, 2009 14:46:39 GMT -8
Good news... Ferry Alert: Edmonds/Kingston-Update"Due to necessary repairs on the 188-car Spokane, WSF will move the 144-car Hyak from the Seattle/Bremerton route to the Edmonds/Kingston route. The Hyak will complete the 4:20 p.m. sailing from Seattle to Bremerton, then the vessel will move to Edmonds to restore two-boat service with the 7:20 p.m. departure from Edmonds." and bad news... Ferry Alert: Seattle/Bremerton-Service Disruption"Due to necessary repairs on the 188-car Spokane, WSF will move the 144-car Hyak from the Seattle/Bremerton route to the Edmonds/Kingston route. The Hyak will complete the 4:20 p.m. sailing from Seattle to Bremerton, then the vessel will move to Edmonds. Seattle/Bremerton will be on one-boat service through the rest of the evening, cancelling the 6:45 p.m. and 9:05 p.m. sailings from Seattle and the 5:30 p.m. and 7:55 p.m. sailings from Bremerton. Please visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries for schedule details. We apologize for the inconvenience. Updates will be provided when more information is available."
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Post by SS San Mateo on Aug 3, 2009 10:12:49 GMT -8
Some good news...
Ferry Alert: Port Townsend/Keystone - Steilacoom II Back In Service
"The Steilacoom II is back in service this morning beginning with the 11:15am sailing from Port Townsend. Thank you for your patience."
I suspect these next two alerts are due to the earlier problems...
Ferry Alert: Clinton Terminal - One Hour Wait
"Vehicle traffic will currently encounter an estimated one hour wait departing the Clinton terminal due to a high volume of vehicles boarding the vessel."
Ferry Alert: Kingston Terminal - Three Hour Wait With Tally System Activated
"Vehicle traffic will currently encounter an estimated three hour wait departing the Kingston terminal due to service reduced to one boat.The tally system has been activated due to heavy traffic. The Washington State Patrol will be handing out tally slips to vehicles in queue on Hwy 104. If a vehicle attempts to enter the terminal without a tally slip they will be directed toward the end of the line. Please see Tally System for more information."
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Post by SS San Mateo on Aug 3, 2009 6:27:34 GMT -8
Ferry Alert: Edmonds/Kingston - 7:05am Kingston Sailing Cancelled
"Due to mechanical issues, the 7:05am sailing from Kingston is cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you."
According to the schedule, the Spokane makes that sailing. Looks like she's on test runs right now according to vessel watch.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Aug 1, 2009 22:00:38 GMT -8
M/V Tacoma
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 30, 2009 20:33:16 GMT -8
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 30, 2009 20:02:05 GMT -8
The nomination process has now ended. Voting will start shortly.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 30, 2009 5:46:48 GMT -8
The nomination process ends today at 9:00 PM PST.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 29, 2009 21:58:43 GMT -8
I'll be limited to doing the Fauntleroy-Vashon route due to a dental appointment.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 29, 2009 21:03:10 GMT -8
The article that mentioned the sale said they were going to be leaving this month, but it sure doesn't look like they're ready for the voyage yet.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 29, 2009 20:24:39 GMT -8
It reached a record 103 in Seattle today, only the second time it's reach triple digits (previous time was 07/20/1994 when it hit 100) since the reporting station was moved to Sea-Tac Airport in 1945 (it did reach 100 on 07/16/1941 when the reporting station was at the Downtown Federal Building). It's supposed to be 99 tomorrow, then it cools down to 86 on Friday.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 28, 2009 7:57:32 GMT -8
In which photo are they visible? I took a look at the Photobucket page and I saw what I thought was a naked mast, sporting only the whistle. This one (only one of the wheelhouses of the Nisqually is visible in the pic): It's a bit difficult to see them, but the radar units on the Nisqually are still there.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 25, 2009 18:07:07 GMT -8
What's your definintion of 'too long'? The Supers can be lifted by Dakota Creek Industries' big drydock, but they hang out the ends like a foot-long dog on a regular bun. I was going by the following quote in the article: "The new 500-foot semi-submersible barge will be able to lift vessels up to 450 feet, while also accommodating vessels that are wider." I didn't take into account the "end hanging out".
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 25, 2009 11:51:54 GMT -8
Ah! See, I wasn't aware of the new drydocks they had coming in. Google Earth's photo is a couple of years old for that shipyard... so they DO have accomodations big enough for the Evergreen State. It's probably the one mentioned in this article: www.bellinghamherald.com/602/story/714378.htmlFrom what I can tell, it would be able to handle any WSF vessel except for the Jumbo Mark II vessels (10 feet too short for those ones).
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 20, 2009 11:54:42 GMT -8
I was looking at the dockside contracts to see there was any mention of drydocking and I didn't see any. Was this drydock work subcontratced?
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 19, 2009 15:18:21 GMT -8
My guess is that they couldn't easily remove the exterior paint (at least on the curtain walls) during dockside work without violating enviromental laws. Several of the recent repaints (Tacoma, Wenatchee, Puyallup, and Issaquah) have all been done with the exterior surfaces done during drydock work and interior surfaces done during dockside work.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 18, 2009 17:38:11 GMT -8
I'm guessing the exterior will be repainted at the next scheduled drydocking.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 18, 2009 14:59:24 GMT -8
Was federal money being used to fund the major updates and maintenance currently underway on MV Spokane, and MV Evergreen State? Yes, part of the federal stimulus.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 12, 2009 20:01:00 GMT -8
Here's one which will hopefully be a little more difficult: Port Angeles.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 11, 2009 18:50:41 GMT -8
OK - here's a location those of you south of the border should be able to figure out: Southworth terminal
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 9, 2009 11:52:27 GMT -8
Point Defiance-Tahlequah ferry service could be cutwww.pnwlocalnews.com/vashon/vib/news/50175217.htmlBy LESLIE BROWN Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber Editor Jul 08 2009, 10:50 AM · UPDATED Islanders who use the south-end ferry — some of whom are already feeling the pinch from reductions in service — may soon see the last run of the day end at 9:30 p.m., 30 minutes earlier than the current schedule. This time, however, the proposed schedule change is due not to budget shortfalls at the beleaguered state ferry system but because of the U.S. Coast Guard’s mounting concerns about the safety of boats operated by tired deckhands. The Coast Guard has ordered the state to end its so-called “touring watches,” 24-hour shifts that require the crew to work an eight-hour evening shift, sleep for eight hours and then work an eight-hour morning shift. According to a five-page letter the Coast Guard sent to the state last year, crew fatigue has been cited in ferry accidents in other parts of the world and is a particularly important issue when operating boats in busy Puget Sound. What’s more, the Coast Guard said, the state has not put in place a program to ensure crews are able to handle these lengthy touring watches, shifts that exceed what the Coast Guard calls “the accepted standard.” As a result, the state needs to cease a practice it has in place on the Tahlequah-Point Defiance run and a few others in the Puget Sound by Sept. 30, the Coast Guard says. To accommodate the federal requirement, state ferry officials are considering making the last crossing to Tahlequah at 9:30 p.m., giving the crew time to return to Point Defiance by 10 p.m. and ending their shift then. Currently, the crew sleeps on the Rhododendron at Tahlequah after the 10 p.m. crossing. But ferry officials could meet the federal rules by instead increasing the afternoon “tie-down,” when no ferry service exists between Tacoma and the south end of Vashon, said Dave Remagen, Washington State Ferries’ service planning manager. This would enable the ferry system to start the afternoon shift later and maintain that 10 p.m. crossing, he said. On the other hand, it would lead to a bigger afternoon backup and thus more commuters missing the ferry and waiting for a later crossing. “There’s already a lot of concern about the midday tie-up,” Remagen said. Ferry officials are reaching out to the community to find out what Islanders who regularly use the south-end ferry prefer. “We need to hear from the community,” said Marta Coursey, communications director for WSF. “Unfortunately, the bottom line is that we have to comply (with the Coast Guard directive) for very compelling safety issues. It’s not an option to not comply.” Vashon’s ferry advisory committee is holding a meeting July 13 to garner input from Islanders. Ferry-service advocates, however, are already concerned about the impact the changes could have on those who regularly use the south-end ferry — where service has already been reduced considerably in the wake of the ferry system’s ongoing budget crises. “We’ve taken so many cuts on that route. ... It’s not acceptable,” said Rep. Sharon Nelson (D-Maury Island), who crosses the Sound at Tahlequah when she commutes to Olympia. “In my opinion, this could be devastating for folks who depend on the south end.” Jack Barbash, who works in Tacoma, concurred. It’s already nearly impossible, he said, for him to go to a restaurant or a movie after work. “This just makes it worse,” he said. Jon Flora, another south-end commuter, said he’s frustrated by the way the south-end route is treated — a kind of poor cousin in the state’s constellation of routes. “The south end has long been a problem,” he said. “I’m convinced they don’t look at Vashon as seriously as they need to.” But Kari Ulatoski, a member of the Ferry Advisory Committee and longtime ferry-service advocate, said she believes WSF officials have worked hard to try to stave off these cuts. For several years, WSF, at its request, has received a waiver from the Coast Guard from having to comply with the requirement. “This is not a state mandate. This is a federal mandate,” she said. “WSF, to their credit, has been hashing this out, trying to find a solution that will not cut service.” She said she hopes that Islanders will let ferry-service advocates know about specific issues the reduction in service will create — including potential safety issues and impacts on families, the elderly and sports teams. “We want to have a good, strong argument,” she said. The Ferry Advisory Committee will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, July 13, at the Vashon Library to discuss changes to the south-end route. Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber Editor Leslie Brown can be reached at editor@vashonbeachcomber.com or 206-463-9195.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 4, 2009 17:44:01 GMT -8
Are we allowed to have old ferries in it too; for example my signature? Yes. As long as at least one of the eligible vessels appears in the picture, it's ok. Also, I added the Island Sky to the list of eligible vessels (I can't believe I forgot that one).
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jul 4, 2009 11:20:36 GMT -8
For this month's banner, the ferry will be the new additions to BC Ferries in the last few years. The following vessels are eligible: - Northern Expedition
- Coastal Celebration
- Coastal Inspiration
- Coastal Renaissance
- Island Sky
- Kuper
- Northern Adventure
(for the last 2 on the list, pictures of the ferry prior to joining BC Ferries are not eligible). The usual rules apply here. Depending on the number of nominations, there may be a preliminary poll.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jun 28, 2009 12:34:21 GMT -8
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Post by SS San Mateo on Jun 26, 2009 21:34:32 GMT -8
Waiting for a ferry at Orcas Island and pondering our incompetenceseattletimes.nwsource.com/html/ronjudd/2009385642_trailmix26.htmlThe threadbare Washington state ferry system is where a mechanical problem on one or, God forbid, several boats at the same time can render the entire schedule a work of fiction. ORCAS FERRY LANDING — "Island Time." It's the logo on T-shirts and hats in a market near the ferry dock. "Island Time: Orcas Island," as if there's some degree of cachet involved. We've been sitting here, living on Island Time, waiting for a ride to Friday Harbor, for four hours. But who's counting? About two hours after taking my place in line, in a car with Emjay and visiting friends from Colorado, the pointed questions began arriving from the back seat. "Where is our ferry?" wondered Connor, with that impeccable logic every 5-year-old possesses. "It's coming, buddy," said Dad, from behind the wheel. And it was coming. Just not anytime soon. I grimaced and launched into The Explanation — the mea culpa I offer every guest who arrives in the Evergreen State and wonders why nothing seems to work around here. "It's a long story," I always say. "We have a fascinating revenue system. Sales-tax driven, boom or bust. When it booms, we don't invest in infrastructure. When it busts, we don't invest in anything. We just close stuff down." Exhibit A: The threadbare state ferry system, where a mechanical problem on one or, God forbid, several boats at the same time can render the entire schedule a work of fiction. That's what happened this week, when the Barbie-sized ferry Hiyu — a proud little 42-year-old boat, but one that carries only 33 cars — replaced a broken-down 90-car vessel, the Sealth, as the "inter-island" ferry in the San Juans. You will get no visible nor verbal warning about this switcheroo when you leave Anacortes — no indication that you'd better allow half a day to cover, say, the 5 minutes of open water between Shaw and Lopez. You'll find out soon enough. Island Time! Just lay back and enjoy it. When the Hiyu finally pulled away from Orcas Wednesday, well past its scheduled departure time, a ferry employee gave those of us stuck on the beach the grim news. "We've reached our quota," she said, explaining the small-boat problem. "You can wait for the next boat [nearly four hours away, as it turned out], or you can come back tomorrow." Tomorrow? Someone asked her what seemed a logical question. When a run's capacity is reduced by two-thirds because of a breakdown, why can't the state just add a couple extra runs for the smaller boat? After all, we've already paid our money — more than $100 for a small car and five passengers to get from Anacortes to Friday Harbor via Orcas. She looked at us like we were from a solar system far, far away, and sighed. "The state," she said through a saccharin smile, "is pretty darn broke." And there you have it. Washington: The No-We-Can't State. Broke and broken, no fix in sight. It occurred to me at that instant that I rarely visit the San Juans anymore, and this trip reminded me why. It's just not worth it, either in terms of money or time. That ratio of three hours in ferry lines for every one hour relaxing tends to stick with you. Who do you blame? Washington State Ferries. The governor. The Legislature. Maybe even yourself, if you've ever voted for a knee-jerk tax measure that pulls money directly away from transportation. But it's not all about money. In a lifetime of ferry riding, I don't recall the system being a lot more efficient back before tax revolts. And what Washington State Ferries has, it doesn't use well. For the half a day we were marooned on Orcas, the ferry slip sat empty for hours. But on the two occasions when one boat actually used it, another magically appeared to wait in line behind it — in one case up to a half-hour — to slide in when it was finished. Have these people not heard of two-way radios? The entire thing reeks of mismanagement. And it's embarrassing. We got in line to go to Friday Harbor before 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Got there right around 9. Big deal? Maybe not. But it's just one example of what seems an enduring trend in these parts. Believe it or not, some of us still have medium- to high expectations of our state government. And one of them is that it should not take five hours to move people from Orcas Island to Friday Harbor. Island Time: A pleasant spin on gross incompetence. Get used to it. And for any of you out there who think life is too short to be living it, two words of advice: Stay home. Ron Judd: 206-464-8280 or at rjudd@seattletimes.com.
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