PORT TOWNSEND — Car ferry service to Keystone resumed on Saturday morning after an almost three month break in operations — and all agreed it was clear sailing.
“So far, it is a good response with no bad weather,” said Susan Harris-Huether, customer information manager for Washington State Ferries.
As of 4 p.m. on Saturday, the state ferries system reported that 154 vehicles had used the Steilacoom II departing from Port Townsend, and 104 had boarded the ferry departing from Keystone on Whidbey Island.
During rougher weather on Tuesday, while the Steilacoom II was undergoing sea trials, a large wave slapped two feet of water onto the passenger deck.
But the journey was uneventful on Saturday.
“It was a good ride,” said Tony Snell of Anacortes who came across to shop for a boat.
“It was dead flat on the way over and it looks good going back.”
Snell said he believed that the ferry was more than adequate to carry vehicles on the crossing.
Greg Flockol also took the ride across to pick up his three children, who live on the Port Townsend side of the crossing.
“It’s a really calm, easy ride,” Flockol said.
Flockol drove from Lynden, north of Bellingham, to use the ferry crossing.
“It’s easy to use it to cross at this point,” he said.
“I’m glad they have it running.”
No car ferry had operated on the route since Nov. 20, when Paula Hammond, state Transportation secretary idled the four 80-year-old Steel Electric car ferries, including the Klickitat, which had served the Port Townsend-Keystone route.
Since then, only passenger ferries have operated between the two terminals.
With a capacity of 50 cars, the Steilacoom II, leased for $760,000 from Pierce County for the next 15 months, is smaller than the 64-car Steel Electrics.
Harris-Huether said passenger response on the first day of operation had been positive.
“People I have spoken to are very excited about the car ferry,” she said.
“We had a number of walk-on passengers as well.
Harris-Huether said that the ferry was operating well, and that the heaviest load of the day had come from a school bus full of children.
“We ask that larger vehicles call and schedule a time with us,” Harris-Huether said.
The phone number is 888-808-7977.
Harris-Huether said that no one had been turned away because of weight restrictions.
The maximum weight allowed on the Steilacoom II is 80,000 pounds gross weight.
The Steilacoom II will operate on the regular winter schedule.
Sailings will leave each terminal approximately every 90 minutes.
