SEATTLE — Several state ferry routes have changes in place prior to Memorial Day Weekend.
For instance, the Port Townsend/Coupeville route will have one boat service only, instead of the two ferries in use in the past. Reservations are recommended. Schedules for all routes are available at wsdot.wa.gov/ferries.
Adjustments may be made for the holiday for some routes, Washington Sate Ferries said in a press release.
The state ferries system also encourages customers to sign up for ferry email alerts, check terminal conditions and review COVID-19 travel updates.
Face coverings are required on all vessels and in terminals in compliance with the Transportation Security Administration’s face mask requirement.
People in vehicles are strongly encouraged to remain in their cars. If they must exit, they are required to wear face coverings. To maintain physical distance standards, the state ferries system will enforce reduced occupancy in terminals and on sailings for walk-on passengers.
Most routes will operate on timetables different from Memorial Day weekends prior to COVID-19 for multiple reasons: One of the state’s largest ferries, Wenatchee, is unavailable due to a fire and subsequent investigation and repair, continued coronavirus-related crew challenges for quarantines and vaccinations, as well as a few ongoing service reductions in place since the start of the pandemic.
Other route information:
• Seattle/Bainbridge Island: One smaller vessel.
• Seattle/Bremerton: One smaller and slower vessel requiring cancellation of a midday round-trip and some adjusted departure times.
• Mukilteo/Clinton: One smaller vessel.
• Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth: Two-boat schedule instead of three using one smaller vessel.
• Anacortes/San Juan Islands: Schedule like previous late June through late September timetables, without a fifth vessel for international service to Canada.
At Seattle’s Colman Dock, the vehicle holding lanes and turnstiles for Bainbridge Island and Bremerton departures swapped places recently to accommodate the smaller vessel on the Seattle/Bremerton route. The Seattle/Bainbridge Island run is temporarily operating out of slip 3 at Colman Dock with Bremerton out of slip 1.
The busiest sailings are expected to be in the westbound direction today and Friday, then eastbound Sunday and Monday.
