Yakima damaged in hard landing
Washington State Ferries (WSF) announced that the Seattle/Bremerton ferry route is operating with one vessel after one of the route’s two vessels was pulled from service early in the morning on Feb. 8.
The 144-car Yakima sustained damage and began taking on water after a hard landing and was immediately removed from service. The incident occurred at approximately 1:50 a.m. on Feb. 8 as the 12:50 a.m. sailing from Seattle arrived in Bremerton. The vessel was due to tie-up for the evening before returning to service at 6:20 a.m.
The U.S. Coast Guard and Washington State Ferries are both conducting investigations into the incident. Details will be released when more information is known.
WSF sent out alerts that the 6:20 a.m. sailing from Bremerton, 7:35 a.m. sailing from Seattle, and 9 a.m. sailing from Bremerton were all cancelled. Other cancellations were expected until a replacement vessel can be moved to the route.
‘Rogue wave’ damages foot ferry
On Feb. 5, during the 5:05 p.m. ferry crossing from Port Townsend to Keystone, the foot ferry Snohomish encountered a “rogue wave” which damaged the vessel, said Traci Brewer-Rogstad, deputy executive director for Washington State Ferries.
She said a combination of factors contributed to the unusual wave. There were wind speeds between 25 and 28 knots, and pretty good swells caused by a strong ebb current.
As reported in the Whidbey News-Times, while the Snohomish was making the crossing, it waited for a freighter to pass by, which is common because of the long stopping times those vessels have.
The Snohomish encountered the wave when it was traveling through the wake of the freighter. The wave held the Snohomish’s bow down and it knocked down ceiling tiles and soaked the carpet, Brewer-Rodgstad said.
She said the crew checked the passengers and nobody was injured as result of the incident, although they were frightened. One crew member did have some bumps and bruises.
The Snohomish completed its run to Keystone because it was the closest terminal and then started repairs.
The last three ferry trips were canceled on Feb. 1 following the 5:05 p.m. crossing. A United States Coast Guard official came to Keystone to inspect the vessel and it was ready for service the next day.
The weather again plagued the run Tuesday morning when departure times were delayed due to severe weather.
The Snohomish has been serving the Keystone route off and on since November when officials retired the old Steel Electric ferries due to corrosion found in its hulls.
The passenger-only ferry was scheduled to remain in service until Feb. 9, when the replacement car ferry, the Steilacoom II, was ready for service.
The Steilacoom II will operate on the regular Winter Schedule, with sailings leaving each terminal approximately every 90 minutes. Drivers of vehicles over 6,000 gross vehicle weight are encouraged to reserve space for a particular sailing by calling 1-888-808-7977, as space for large vehicles is limited.
Customers are advised to check WSF’s website, http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/, or call 1-888-808-7977 for the latest schedule information.
