THIS ANNOUNCEMENT FROM the state ferry system today:
SEATTLE — The first new ferry in Washington state in more than a decade will make its inaugural sailing Sunday, Nov. 14, between Whidbey Island and Port Townsend.
The 64-vehicle MV Chetzemoka, named after the late Klallam Chief Chetzemoka, will be christened by Gov. Chris Gregoire and recognized by the Klallam tribes.
Chief Chetzemoka was known as a peaceful man and a wise diplomat who was believed to be about 80 when he died in 1888.
The governor, legislators, state and local officials and an estimated 300 invited guests from communities on both sides of Admiralty Inlet will board the vessel at the Whidbey Island Coupeville (Keystone) terminal following ceremonies.
They will take a one-hour cruise to Port Townsend where representatives of the Klallam tribes will conduct a
ceremony aboard the Chetzemoka.
Afterwards, the 750-passenger ferry will be available for public viewing in Port Townsend. Many people from the North Olympic Peninsula and Whidbey Island are expected to attend the events at both terminals.
A more detailed schedule of the inaugural-sailing events, which are sponsored by Todd Pacific Shipyards, will be announced soon.
The new ferry will begin its regularly scheduled service between Port Townsend and the Coupeville (Keystone) terminal on Monday, Nov. 15.
“The Chetzemoka provides an important link between communities on both sides of the inlet,” Gov. Gregoire said. “The inaugural sailing is truly a big event, and I’m thrilled to be able to share in the excitement of
the occasion.”
An inaugural sailing was originally scheduled for August, but was delayed when excessive vibrations were discovered in sea trials and later resolved by the shipbuilder.
“I want to commend and thank all the men and women from Todd Pacific Shipyards, Everett Shipyard, Nichols Brothers Boat Builders and Jesse Engineering for building such a magnificent vessel,” state
Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond said.
“The Chetzemoka is the first in a series of vessels that provide vital transportation links
throughout the Pacific Northwest.”
David Moseley, assistant secretary of the Ferries Division, said two other Kwa-di Tabil Class ferries are under construction to replace some of the state’s aging ferry fleet and provide safe, reliable and
efficient service.
Total cost of the Chetzemoka, including construction, contingency and construction management, is $76.5 million.
With the launch of the Chetzemoka, the state will stop using the 50-vehicle Steilacoom II, which it leased from Pierce County for nearly three years.
For more information about the new ferry, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Ferries/64CarFerries.
———-
THIS EARLIER STORY appeared in today’s (Oct. 8) Peninsula Daily News:
By Charlie Bermant
Peninsula Daily News
PORT TOWNSEND — Hopes of combining the inaugural run of the MV Chetzemoka with a Halloween celebration were shattered Thursday with the announcement that the first sailing on the Port Townsend-Coupeville route will occur closer to Thanksgiving.
“We are moving forward with crew trials that we expect will take us into mid-November,” Washington State Ferries spokeswoman Marta Coursey said in an e-mail.
The newly built ferry, which will take over the route from the 50-car MV Steilacoom II leased for the past three years from Pierce County, was conducting trials loading and carrying heavy trucks between Ed monds and Kingston, Coursey said.
The lease for the Steilacoom II, originally set to expire at the end of October, has been extended, Coursey said.
“We have a lease until Nov. 13th on the presumption that we will have an event within that time frame,” Coursey said.
The inaugural sailing ceremony is scheduled to take place in Keystone Harbor. Gov. Chris Gregoire is expected to attend.
After the ceremony, the ferry will sail the route to Port Townsend, where another ceremony is planned.
The two ceremonies originally were planned for Aug. 29, the original sailing date, but were postponed after excessive vibration was detected during ferry sea trials in July.
The vibration has since been fixed.
Port Townsend city officials said they will need about two weeks of planning for ceremony, which is expected to include using the vessel for the Port Townsend Family Photo.
The ferry is stationed now in Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island, and is scheduled to conduct trials involving Tahlequah, Edmonds/Kingston and Port Townsend over the weekend.
“We are completely focused on finishing the outfitting and testing operability to ensure an early November delivery date,” Coursey said.
“We are still planning to put the vessel into immediate service once the inaugural event is done.”
________
Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
