PORT ANGELES — The Victoria Express will continue long-weekend passenger ferry service between Port Angeles and Victoria through October.
“Due to overwhelming customer demand during their 2010 summer sailing season, Jack and Terri Harmon, owners of Victoria Express, have made the decision to extend their sailing schedule into the fall season,” said spokesman Charlie Comstock in a news release.
Victoria Express usually runs its foot ferry service between the end of May and mid-September.
Comstock said the decision to continue Friday-through-Sunday service until Oct. 31 — plus some Monday service — was based on numbers of people taking advantage of the company’s 20th anniversary promotion, which features a $20 round-trip ticket for adults.
Comstock said the fare will continue for now.
The current sailing schedule was planned to end Sept. 19.
Victoria Rapid Transit Inc., the Harmons’ company that operates the red and white passenger ferry, announced through Comstock earlier this month that it was pondering year-round service.
But Comstock said that for now the season will be extended through Oct. 31.
The schedule runs on what Comstock calls an “extended weekend,” which includes operating Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays through Oct. 11, and Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Oct. 12 to Oct. 31.
Victoria Express shaves a half-hour off the 90-minute crossing time of the larger vehicle and passenger ferry, MV Coho, operated by another company, Black Ball Ferry Line.
Victoria Express leaves Port Angeles at 8:10 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. and departs from Victoria at 9:45 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. each day.
Both the Victoria Express and Victoria Express II have undergone engine changes so they can burn biodiesel to reduce their carbon footprints.
Because of the biodiesel engine, the Port of Kingston is buying the smaller Victoria Express for a new Seattle to Kingston route, and is expected to take possession before the end of the year.
Comstock said he was not sure of the specific date, and Harmon did not return a request for comment.
For more information, visit www.victoriaexpress.com.
