Leased car ferry begins sea trials across treacherous Admiralty Inlet
By Jeff Chew, Peninsula Daily News
Print This |
Email This
Recent Headlines
To our readers . . . about the Aspire! Quartet’s Singing Valentine program -- 2/10/12 -01:53 PM
Floating luxury home hits the water, now moored at Point Hudson [**Video**] -- 2/10/12 -01:03 PM
Mountain goat population up about 40 percent in Olympic Mountains -- 2/10/12 -12:07 PM
417.9 million bites later . . . (does this video warrant that much attention?) -- 2/10/12 -12:02 PM
Josh Powell had ‘incestuous’ sex images, investigators say -- 2/10/12 -09:32 AM
Then the car-passenger ferry rented by the state from Pierce County picked up some crew for training and launched into a week of sea trials on Admiralty Inlet and Port Townsend Bay.
"We had a very smooth trip, and this boat handles very well," said chief mate Tom Dennis, who briefly stepped off the 50-car Steilacoom II, which sailed up from the Washington State Ferries maintenance yard at Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island.
At Eagle Harbor, the ferry received routine inspections and maintenance.
Port Townsend City Councilwoman Laurie Medlicott, whose second-floor waterfront townhome overlooks the ferry terminal, said she watched warily Monday as the Steilacoom landed at the state terminal vacated by the mothballed 80-year-old MV Klickitat the day before.
"Seriously, I would be interested to see if it can manage in our waters," Medlicott said.
"I'm seriously concerned. It certainly seems small. I have serious doubts that boat will return us to our level of service."
Saturday target date
If sea trials this week are successful, the Steilacoom II could resume car ferry service on the Port Townsend-Keystone route on Saturday for the first time in more than two months.
Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond on Nov. 20 pulled four 80-year-old Steel Electric-class ferries — including the Klickitat — off the route when extensive pitting and corrosion was discovered in the MV Quinault and, later, the MV Illahee.
Steilacoom II, which Washington State Ferries has leased from Pierce County for $760,000, is smaller than the Steel Electrics, which could carry up to about 64 vehicles.
After several landings and drilling at several different speeds on Monday in Port Townsend, the Steilacoom II was expected to test land today in Keystone Harbor at slack tide, said Hadley Greene, Washington State Ferries communications manager.
She said the weather and rough waters are at their worst this time of year, which should give the vessel an adequate test.
VIP ride on Friday
Following a meeting from 9 a.m.-noon on Friday at Pope Marine Building, Water and Madison streets at City Dock, the Port Townsend-Keystone Ferry Partnership group is scheduled at 1 p.m. to take a ride on the Steilacoom II — along with other state lawmakers, officials and media representatives.
The Klickitat, the last of the Steel Electrics to serve the Port Townsend-Keystone route before Hammond ended service, was quietly towed out of its holding slip Sunday at the Port Townsend terminal to Kingston, where it will be temporarily moored.
Green said the Klickitat was moved to make room for the Steilacoom II and the passenger ferry Snohomish, which continues foot-ferry runs between Keystone and Port Townsend.
A state ferries-contracted crew operating a crane barge on Monday was moving a floating dolphin from the ferry landing over to the holding slip at the end of the ferry dock to allow for moorage of the Steilacoom II and Snohomish, Greene said.
Lobbying strategies
While ferry trials and tribulations play out on challenging Admiralty Inlet, city leaders were working with their counterparts on Whidbey Island to communicate lobbying strategies with state leaders for steps to compensate for the smaller car ferry on the run for the rest of this year.
Mayor Michelle Sandoval said she and city Planning Director Rick Sepler were planning to meet today with Coupeville and Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce president Sarah Richards and others at Port Townsend City Hall.
Sandoval and Deputy Mayor George Randels addressed the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce luncheon Monday, both emphasizing the importance of help in compensating for the lost ferry capacity.
"Our highest priority is ferry mitigation," Sandoval said, adding that the city was looking for short-term and long-term solutions — including the state Department of Transportation taking over Sims Way and Water Street as Highway 20 into Port Townsend.
Sandoval said the city was taking the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce's position, asking the state for a Port Townsend-Edmonds car ferry during the Hood Canal Bridge replacement closure in May-June 2009 and assuring that the three new ferries to be built for the Port Townsend-Keystone route are of appropriate size.
Gov. Chris Gregoire has proposed budgeting $100 million for three new ferries that would be modeled after the Steilacoom II.
Port Townsend leaders have hired the Seattle-based firm of Strategies 360 to lobby on the city's behalf on ferry and other issues at the state Capitol.
________
Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: February 04. 2008 9:00PM