Riding the ferry
17/02/24 01:37
NOTE FOR REGULAR READERS OF MY JOURNAL. If you need more proof of yesterday’s entry, I went to the library yesterday. I intended to just look around for a couple of minutes while we waited for our son who was meeting us there. After writing yesterday’s entry, I was resolved not to get any more books, as I have plenty to read at home. However, I left the library with two more books checked out. One is a collection of short stories by a favorite author. I don’t know how I have missed reading that particular book. And a collection of short stories will be a quick read. The other book is part of an annual program. Every February the library offers “Blind Date with a Book.” Patrons can check out a book, wrapped in plain paper, without seeing the cover or knowing the title or author. They are asked a simple question to determine which book they will be given. Yesterday, I chose “A book for someone who likes interesting people.” I participate in the program every February. It is just too much fun. Last year, I got a book that not only had I already read, but that I own and is on my shelves. This year, I got a book that I have not read, but that I’ve been meaning to read based on the reviews I have read. And, after all, it is just two books, and I have three weeks before they are due.
One thing that I never considered when we moved to this area is how the people who live on the nearby islands travel around. My brother lived on Whidby Island for many years, and we used to take the ferry to visit him, but when we were on the Island we knew that we also had the option of traveling to the other end of the island where it is connected to Fildago Island by a bridge and Fildago is connected to the mainland with another bridge. However, most of the islands in the Salish Sea are not connected to the mainland by bridges. Such structures would simply be impractical given the distance between islands and the number of people who travel to and from the islands.
The State of Washington operates a fleet of ferries that shuttle people and cars to and from the Islands. The ferries charge fees for transporting vehicles and people. When we visit Lummi Island, for example, the short round-trip ferry ride is $22. So far when we have traveled to more distant islands we have not taken our car and instead walked onto the ferries. Walk on rides cost much less and we can have fun visiting the portion of the islands close enough to the ferry terminal to explore by walking.
But there are people who are dependent on the ferries to support their everyday lives. People who live on the islands need regular mail delivery and they order items online which are delivered by parcel trucks. Some people live on islands, but work on the mainland or on another island. Some islands are too small to support their own schools and students ride the ferries twice each day to attend school.
All of this is great when the ferries run on schedule, but even though the performance of Washington State Ferries is pretty good, there are cancellations. Each year the state issues a report on the performance of ferries. The year we moved to Washington, the ferries performed at 99.4%. That seems like a good record, but it does mean that families with children who attend school 180 days a year might face a couple of days each year when their children either cannot get to school or cannot get home from school. Some families use private boats as emergency backup to the ferries. Others have to have care plans for their children should they become stranded off of their home island.
Each year that we have lived in Washington, the performance report has concluded that performance is worse than the previous year. The 2023 report, just released, reports a 97.7% performance. The most-cited cause of cancelled sailings is a shortage of crews available to operate the ferries. Cancellations are also caused by mechanical problems with the aging fleet of vessels. Some are over 50 years old. Five new ferries have been authorized by the state, but it takes years for a ferry to be built and delivered once funds for its purchase have been authorized. The new Lummi Island ferry, the boat we ride on the most often, probably won’t arrive for several more years. Weather and sea level are other reasons why ferries are occasionally less reliable. Although high winds and waves occasionally necessitate the cancellation of a ferry run for the safety of passengers and crew, such weather is unusual. The ferries are equipped to travel safely in weather extremes including wind, rain and fog. However, low water levels can result in load limitations meaning that cars waiting to cross may back up at the terminals because the boats can carry fewer vehicles per trip when water levels are too low.
Our neighbor across the street works for the ferry service and he reported that a cold snap a few weeks ago caused delays and cancellations. For example, the hoses that load water onto the ships and other hoses that drain waste from the holding tanks, froze and were unusable, forcing the ferries to close their bathroom facilities. That problem was worsened by plumbing freeze ups that caused terminal bathrooms to be closed as well. And our neighbor has to commute 60 miles one way to the ferry terminal where he works. Icy roads can cause him to miss work, which leaves the ferry short-staffed. While most employees of the system have shorter commutes than our neighbor, getting around on land can have an impact on the operation of the ferry service.
State ferries have to compete for limited highway transportation funds, which are already insufficient to make all of the needed repairs to bridges and roads that are needed, causing shortfalls and delays in repairs.
Our need for the ferries is optional, but it is a different matter for those who live on the islands. While the population on most of the islands is small, there are several with more than 5,000 residents. And even one child stranded away from school or home is something that should be of concern to all of us.
It is different from where we used to live. As far as I know the reliability of ferry service isn’t a factor in school attendance anywhere in South Dakota.
One thing that I never considered when we moved to this area is how the people who live on the nearby islands travel around. My brother lived on Whidby Island for many years, and we used to take the ferry to visit him, but when we were on the Island we knew that we also had the option of traveling to the other end of the island where it is connected to Fildago Island by a bridge and Fildago is connected to the mainland with another bridge. However, most of the islands in the Salish Sea are not connected to the mainland by bridges. Such structures would simply be impractical given the distance between islands and the number of people who travel to and from the islands.
The State of Washington operates a fleet of ferries that shuttle people and cars to and from the Islands. The ferries charge fees for transporting vehicles and people. When we visit Lummi Island, for example, the short round-trip ferry ride is $22. So far when we have traveled to more distant islands we have not taken our car and instead walked onto the ferries. Walk on rides cost much less and we can have fun visiting the portion of the islands close enough to the ferry terminal to explore by walking.
But there are people who are dependent on the ferries to support their everyday lives. People who live on the islands need regular mail delivery and they order items online which are delivered by parcel trucks. Some people live on islands, but work on the mainland or on another island. Some islands are too small to support their own schools and students ride the ferries twice each day to attend school.
All of this is great when the ferries run on schedule, but even though the performance of Washington State Ferries is pretty good, there are cancellations. Each year the state issues a report on the performance of ferries. The year we moved to Washington, the ferries performed at 99.4%. That seems like a good record, but it does mean that families with children who attend school 180 days a year might face a couple of days each year when their children either cannot get to school or cannot get home from school. Some families use private boats as emergency backup to the ferries. Others have to have care plans for their children should they become stranded off of their home island.
Each year that we have lived in Washington, the performance report has concluded that performance is worse than the previous year. The 2023 report, just released, reports a 97.7% performance. The most-cited cause of cancelled sailings is a shortage of crews available to operate the ferries. Cancellations are also caused by mechanical problems with the aging fleet of vessels. Some are over 50 years old. Five new ferries have been authorized by the state, but it takes years for a ferry to be built and delivered once funds for its purchase have been authorized. The new Lummi Island ferry, the boat we ride on the most often, probably won’t arrive for several more years. Weather and sea level are other reasons why ferries are occasionally less reliable. Although high winds and waves occasionally necessitate the cancellation of a ferry run for the safety of passengers and crew, such weather is unusual. The ferries are equipped to travel safely in weather extremes including wind, rain and fog. However, low water levels can result in load limitations meaning that cars waiting to cross may back up at the terminals because the boats can carry fewer vehicles per trip when water levels are too low.
Our neighbor across the street works for the ferry service and he reported that a cold snap a few weeks ago caused delays and cancellations. For example, the hoses that load water onto the ships and other hoses that drain waste from the holding tanks, froze and were unusable, forcing the ferries to close their bathroom facilities. That problem was worsened by plumbing freeze ups that caused terminal bathrooms to be closed as well. And our neighbor has to commute 60 miles one way to the ferry terminal where he works. Icy roads can cause him to miss work, which leaves the ferry short-staffed. While most employees of the system have shorter commutes than our neighbor, getting around on land can have an impact on the operation of the ferry service.
State ferries have to compete for limited highway transportation funds, which are already insufficient to make all of the needed repairs to bridges and roads that are needed, causing shortfalls and delays in repairs.
Our need for the ferries is optional, but it is a different matter for those who live on the islands. While the population on most of the islands is small, there are several with more than 5,000 residents. And even one child stranded away from school or home is something that should be of concern to all of us.
It is different from where we used to live. As far as I know the reliability of ferry service isn’t a factor in school attendance anywhere in South Dakota.
