Pierce County - Christine Anderson, Steilacoom II

[Kahloke]

Feb 29, 2016 9:24:44 GMT -8 SS San Mateo said:

No service this morning:

Yes, and it made the news, albeit a day late. Anderson Islanders are not happy.

Anderson Island residents fear ferry problems will leave them stranded
BY KEITH ELDRIDGE FRIDAY, MARCH 4TH 2016

ANDERSON ISLAND, Wash. -- Folks living on Anderson Island say they're fearful they're going to be stranded again by the county-run ferry service.

Last Monday both ferries were out of service. One is still out for repairs, which means the shutdown could happen again.

Anderson Island is a welcoming place and seeing the ferry arriving was a welcome sight for the 1,500 residents here. The Christine Anderson pulled into the Anderson Island ferry terminal after being delayed Thursday morning.

On Monday neither of the two Pierce County ferries showed up -- both out of service, said Island resident Steven King,

"So therefore we were stranded on the island all day long," said Island resident Steven King.

King and many of the island residents are angry with the ferry operators. The backup ferry was still in for a month's long repair and Monday morning the primary ferry lost steering.

"Breakdowns and stuff are just continuous. Monday I missed a doctor's appointment and a business appointment," said Beverly Papazian, island resident.

Ferry administrator Deb Wallace said she and her team feel for impacted residents.

"We know how inconvenient this is. We don't take it lightly," she said. "Nothing we could do about it. The timing couldn't have been worse."

Island resident George Theofelis said it's just part of island life.

"If you live on an island you have to go with the flow. I don't get angry with the ferry system," he said.

Those trying to promote life on the island say the timing was tough, with visitors wondering about the ferry dependability.

"It's pretty hard to get people to invest in Anderson Island when you can't even get here," said Island resident John Baird.

Still others say it's best to just "Sit back and enjoy the serenity."

"Even when you're stuck it's nice to stay on the island. Work from home or whatever, so it's not that big a deal I don't think," said Chris Cornell.

But there's a real air of uncertainty for the next few days as the back-up boat waits for parts to get fixed. Should the primary boat have trouble folks will get stranded again. It almost happened Thursday morning with one engine going out. But the Coast Guard allowed them sail with the other engine.

komonews.com/news/local/anderson-island-residents-fear-ferry-problems-will-leave-them-stranded

[PeninsulaExplorer]

Mar 5, 2016 6:41:52 GMT -8 Kahloke said:

Feb 29, 2016 9:24:44 GMT -8 SS San Mateo said:

No service this morning:

Yes, and it made the news, albeit a day late. Anderson Islanders are not happy.

Anderson Island residents fear ferry problems will leave them stranded
BY KEITH ELDRIDGE FRIDAY, MARCH 4TH 2016

ANDERSON ISLAND, Wash. -- Folks living on Anderson Island say they're fearful they're going to be stranded again by the county-run ferry service.

Last Monday both ferries were out of service. One is still out for repairs, which means the shutdown could happen again.

Anderson Island is a welcoming place and seeing the ferry arriving was a welcome sight for the 1,500 residents here. The Christine Anderson pulled into the Anderson Island ferry terminal after being delayed Thursday morning.

On Monday neither of the two Pierce County ferries showed up -- both out of service, said Island resident Steven King,

"So therefore we were stranded on the island all day long," said Island resident Steven King.

King and many of the island residents are angry with the ferry operators. The backup ferry was still in for a month's long repair and Monday morning the primary ferry lost steering.

"Breakdowns and stuff are just continuous. Monday I missed a doctor's appointment and a business appointment," said Beverly Papazian, island resident.

Ferry administrator Deb Wallace said she and her team feel for impacted residents.

"We know how inconvenient this is. We don't take it lightly," she said. "Nothing we could do about it. The timing couldn't have been worse."

Island resident George Theofelis said it's just part of island life.

"If you live on an island you have to go with the flow. I don't get angry with the ferry system," he said.

Those trying to promote life on the island say the timing was tough, with visitors wondering about the ferry dependability.

"It's pretty hard to get people to invest in Anderson Island when you can't even get here," said Island resident John Baird.

Still others say it's best to just "Sit back and enjoy the serenity."

"Even when you're stuck it's nice to stay on the island. Work from home or whatever, so it's not that big a deal I don't think," said Chris Cornell.

But there's a real air of uncertainty for the next few days as the back-up boat waits for parts to get fixed. Should the primary boat have trouble folks will get stranded again. It almost happened Thursday morning with one engine going out. But the Coast Guard allowed them sail with the other engine.

komonews.com/news/local/anderson-island-residents-fear-ferry-problems-will-leave-them-stranded

Next time this happens, they should consider the Hiyu to save the day!

[Neil]

Mar 23, 2016 18:19:24 GMT -8 PeninsulaExplorer said:

Next time this happens, they should consider the Hiyu to save the day!

Also makes me wonder, once again, why in such a small service area you have WSF, as well as Skagit, Whatcom, and Pierce counties providing ferry service, when the more dependable service model would be one provider with comprehensive service and planning capabilities. I just don't get it.

[EGfleet]

Mar 23, 2016 21:56:35 GMT -8 Neil said:

Mar 23, 2016 18:19:24 GMT -8 PeninsulaExplorer said:

Next time this happens, they should consider the Hiyu to save the day!

Also makes me wonder, once again, why in such a small service area you have WSF, as well as Skagit, Whatcom, and Pierce counties providing ferry service, when the more dependable service model would be one provider with comprehensive service and planning capabilities. I just don't get it.

It's a goofy thing with state law.  The major routes served by Washington State Ferries are considered state highways.  The other ferry routes are considered county roads and therefore are not part of the state highway system, and not eligible to be served by WSF.  It wouldn't take much to change that, but I've always heard that the counties didn't want to be part of the state system.

[Neil]

Mar 24, 2016 5:48:07 GMT -8 EGfleet said:

Mar 23, 2016 21:56:35 GMT -8 Neil said:

Also makes me wonder, once again, why in such a small service area you have WSF, as well as Skagit, Whatcom, and Pierce counties providing ferry service, when the more dependable service model would be one provider with comprehensive service and planning capabilities. I just don't get it.

It's a goofy thing with state law.  The major routes served by Washington State Ferries are considered state highways.  The other ferry routes are considered county roads and therefore are not part of the state highway system, and not eligible to be served by WSF.  It wouldn't take much to change that, but I've always heard that the counties didn't want to be part of the state system.

Now that I give it some thought, I believe that you or someone else explained the highway/county road situation before... I should have remembered that.

But why wouldn't counties want the state to take the ferries off their hands? Why would Pierce want to be stuck with maintaining two ferries to use one in serving two tiny communities? Do the counties get some of their ferry expenses covered by the state?

[Kahloke]

Mar 24, 2016 11:05:37 GMT -8 Neil said:

Mar 24, 2016 5:48:07 GMT -8 EGfleet said:

It's a goofy thing with state law.  The major routes served by Washington State Ferries are considered state highways.  The other ferry routes are considered county roads and therefore are not part of the state highway system, and not eligible to be served by WSF.  It wouldn't take much to change that, but I've always heard that the counties didn't want to be part of the state system.

Now that I give it some thought, I believe that you or someone else explained the highway/county road situation before... I should have remembered that.

But why wouldn't counties want the state to take the ferries off their hands? Why would Pierce want to be stuck with maintaining two ferries to use one in serving two tiny communities? Do the counties get some of their ferry expenses covered by the state?

I wonder if it's the other way around?  The counties may be more than willing to turn their ferry operations over to the state, but the state doesn't want them?  I really don't know, but it seems like the state is having a hard enough time keeping WSF afloat, so to speak, and perhaps does not want the burden of additional ferries, and the associated infrastructure that goes with that.

[Barnacle]

Mar 24, 2016 11:27:54 GMT -8 Kahloke said:

Mar 24, 2016 11:05:37 GMT -8 Neil said:

Now that I give it some thought, I believe that you or someone else explained the highway/county road situation before... I should have remembered that.

But why wouldn't counties want the state to take the ferries off their hands? Why would Pierce want to be stuck with maintaining two ferries to use one in serving two tiny communities? Do the counties get some of their ferry expenses covered by the state?

I wonder if it's the other way around?  The counties may be more than willing to turn their ferry operations over to the state, but the state doesn't want them?  I really don't know, but it seems like the state is having a hard enough time keeping WSF afloat, so to speak, and perhaps does not want the burden of additional ferries, and the associated infrastructure that goes with that.

Most likely the counties would be happy to let  WSF take them over as a means of budget relief.  Olympia probably wouldn't go for that.

[FNS]

Toidy issue aboard the CA:

From: Pierce County Ferry Rider Alert <[e-mail]&g...
Subject: New Alert Bathrooms on the Christine Anderson closed until further notice (hopefully by noon 11/9/17); thanks. For www.co.pierce.wa.us

Bathrooms on the Christine Anderson are closed until further notice (hopefully will have tanks pumped by noon 11/9/17); thanks for your patience.

Date: Nov 8, 2017 2:13 PM

Now, where must the crew go when there are no functioning heads aboard?

It's funny the folks at PC call "heads" aboard their ferries "bathrooms".  I guess you don't need a rubber ducky to enter these.

[paulvanb]

Nov 8, 2017 16:21:14 GMT -8 FNS said:

Toidy issue aboard the CA:

From: Pierce County Ferry Rider Alert <[e-mail]&g...
Subject: New Alert Bathrooms on the Christine Anderson closed until further notice (hopefully by noon 11/9/17); thanks. For www.co.pierce.wa.us

Bathrooms on the Christine Anderson are closed until further notice (hopefully will have tanks pumped by noon 11/9/17); thanks for your patience.

Date: Nov 8, 2017 2:13 PM

Now, where must the crew go when there are no functioning heads aboard?

It's funny the folks at PC call "heads" aboard their ferries "bathrooms".  I guess you don't need a rubber ducky to enter these.

Like the days of old, over the side!

[Neil]

Marine Traffic- which is sometimes wonky- is showing the Christine Anderson underway in Budd Inlet just north of Olympia. Can anyone shed any light on that?

[SS San Mateo]

Aug 10, 2018 18:05:50 GMT -8 Neil said:

Marine Traffic- which is sometimes wonky- is showing the Christine Anderson underway in Budd Inlet just north of Olympia. Can anyone shed any light on that?

Construction work at the tie-up slip at the Steilacoom dock, so the boat that is not in service will tie up in Olympia.


www.theolympian.com/news/local/article214925440.html

[northwesterner]

Aug 10, 2018 20:10:18 GMT -8 SS San Mateo said:

Aug 10, 2018 18:05:50 GMT -8 Neil said:

Marine Traffic- which is sometimes wonky- is showing the Christine Anderson underway in Budd Inlet just north of Olympia. Can anyone shed any light on that?

Construction work at the tie-up slip at the Steilacoom dock, so the boat that is not in service will tie up in Olympia.


www.theolympian.com/news/local/article214925440.html

Timely post... presumably the Steilacoom II shuttled emergency response over to Ketron Island tonight after the stolen Horizon Airlines Q400 crash.

[SS San Mateo]

This showed up in my e-mail this morning:

"The contractor for the M/V Steilacoom II dry dock project is in bankruptcy. Included below is the update on this situation that we provided to the Anderson Island Citizen Advisory Board on Thursday, March 14. We also want to share this information with you.

AICAB UPDATE:

We continue to closely follow the bankruptcy filing by our dry dock contractor. There was a court hearing Wednesday, March 13 where the court decided not to convert the bankruptcy into a liquidation. The court refused to convert the bankruptcy into a liquidation based on Pierce County’s request to allow time to complete work on the Steilacoom II. We are cautiously optimistic that the court’s direction will allow the contractor to complete the work.

If the company does convert to Chapter 7, the county already has a plan in place to work with our bonding company and the bank to ensure that crews will still complete our project.

The snow storm and other wind storms in Whatcom County have delayed the project by about three weeks. The project is currently 60% complete. The resurfacing of the car deck and much of the painting are complete. The shafts are with the subconsultant for repair work. The work is monitored for quality every day by our marine engineering consultant.

We anticipate having the Steilacoom II back in May. We regret the unavoidable delay, but are confident the project will be completed to our expectations."

The shipyard is Fairhaven Shipyard, owned by Puglia Engineering.  They filed for bankruptcy last year.


www.bellinghamherald.com/news/business/article209121579.html

[SS San Mateo]

Pierce County has been having staffing problems as well.  Two boat service on weekends has been cancelled every weekend since last month.