PORT TOWNSEND — The Steilacoom II car ferry could be out of service until Feb. 15 — two weeks longer than expected — because it needs more maintenance than was expected, state ferries system officials said Thursday.
“The level of the work to be done was something that we could not see until it was done,” said state ferries spokeswoman Marta Coursey, who announced the Steilacoom II’s shipyard status.
“We’re hopeful that we can get it back sooner, but we’re being conservative at this point.”
The current passenger ferry service between Port Townsend and Whidbey Island will continue until the 50-car Steilacoom II returns.
Rod Davis, the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce’s executive director, took Thursday’s announcement in stride.
Merchants shouldn’t be dismayed by the delay, he said, noting that most tourists come via highway.
“While not good news, we should bear in mind that 95 percent of the U.S.A. is right down [U.S. Highway] 101 south,” Davis said.
Port Townsend has been touted as a tourist destination by National Geographic, RVWest and Pacific Yachting magazines, he said.
“We are open, and easily accessible,” Davis said.
Washington State Ferries will extend its contract with the passenger ferry service, Mystic Sea Charters.
The Anacortes whale-watching charter service has provided passenger-only service on the 77-passenger Mystic Sea between Port Townsend and Keystone Harbor on Whidbey Island since Jan. 5, when the car ferry was put into dry dock.
State ferries leased the Steilacoom II last January from Pierce County to compensate for the loss of two 80-year-old 54-car Steel Electric ferries, which were deemed unsafe and pulled from service.
Work needed on ferry
Todd Pacific Shipyards repair crews based at Harbor Island in Seattle recently discovered that the Steilacoom II’s keel cooler must be replaced, and work was needed on the propeller shafts and gear box.
“Shipyard crews are working hard to return the ferry to service as soon as possible,” Coursey said.
“The dry dock work at Todd should be done the first week of February, but we will have to do additional work at Eagle Harbor and then sea trials,” she said.
Todd Shipyards is in the process of designing and building a 64-car ferry in the next 18 months that will serve the Port Townsend-Keystone route.
Ferry schedule
A temporary passenger-only schedule will continue, as the 100-foot Mystic Sea continues serving the route.
The state ferries system designed the schedule to coordinate as closely as possible with transit service on both sides of the route.
Customers can receive updates on Port Townsend-Keystone service, as well as other routes, by signing up for free e-mail alerts.
To sign up, and for more ferry system information, see www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/.
The Mystic Sea’s schedule is as follows:
It departs Port Townsend at 6:20 a.m., 8:15 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m., 3:50 p.m., 5:20 p.m., 7 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.
It leaves Keystone at 7:10 a.m., 9:10 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 1:10 p.m., 3:10 p.m., 4:35 p.m., 6:10 p.m., 7:45 p.m., and 9:15 p.m.
Passenger fares are $2.60 each way. Wave2Go multiride cards are accepted.
The vehicle holding lanes at both terminals serve as park-and-ride lots for passengers.
For information about transit connections, phone Island Transit at 360-321-6688, ext. 3, or toll-free at 800-240-8747, or Jefferson Transit at 800-371-0497.
The Mystic Sea is providing service at a daily rate of $5,290, which includes a crew.
The Steilacoom II is the only vehicle ferry presently in service that can operate in the narrow Keystone Harbor. State ferries system officials have said they cannot find a replacement boat anywhere in the world that qualifies for the run across Admiralty Inlet.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
