— from Washington State Ferries (WSF) —
UPDATE: Sunday Aug. 6 at 3 p.m.
The Samish is out of service for the rest of the day due to a problem with the number two engine.
This will cancel the following sailings:
Westbound: 2:00 p.m. to Friday Harbor, 3:45pm to Shaw and Orcas, 5:10pm to Lopez, 6:45pm to Lopez and the 9:00 p.m .to Lopez, Shaw and Orcas.
Eastbound: 3:45pm to Anacortes, 5:15pm to Shaw and Anacortes, 6:15pm to Anacortes, and the 7:35pm to Anacortes.
The following supplemental schedule is in place for August 6 due to the cancelled sailings:
[Orcas departures and arrivals are in bold]
Westbound:
1:30pm Anacortes to Friday Harbor
2:30pm Anacortes to Orcas with a stop at Shaw
2:50pm Anacortes to Sidney with a stop at Friday Harbor
4:10pm Anacortes to Friday Harbor
4:45pm Anacortes to Friday Harbor with stops at Lopez and Orcas
5:30pm Anacortes to Lopez
8:00pm Anacortes to Orcas with stops at Lopez and Shaw
8:20pm Anacortes to Friday Harbor with a stop at Lopez
9:00pm Anacortes to Orcas with a stop at Shaw
Eastbound
2:30pm Friday Harbor to Anacortes
4:15pm Friday Harbor to Anacortes
5:00pm Orcas to Anacortes
5:55pm Sidney to Anacortes with a stop at Friday Harbor
6:45pm Friday Harbor to Anacortes with a stop at Lopez
6:15pm Lopez to Anacortes
9:30pm Orcas to Anacortes
10:00pm Friday Harbor to Anacortes with a stop at Lopez
10:30pm Orcas to Anacortes with a stop at Shaw
Reservation holders that are not able to travel due to the service disruptions will not be charged the no show fee. Updates will be provided as conditions change.
Sunday, Aug. 6 at 11:45 a.m.
The 2 p.m. departure from Anacortes to Friday Harbor will be moved to 1:30 p.m. due to temporary reduced service for the day. No new reservations are available for this route.
Drivers with existing reservations will be given priority loading on a first-come, first-serve basis. The rules have been relaxed and no penalties will be charged. Updates will occur as more information becomes available. We apologize for the inconvenience.
The Elwha’s 11:55 a.m. departure from Anacortes to Friday Harbor is cancelled due to fog and loading delays. We apologize for the inconvenience. Updates will occur when more information is available.
The Samish is out of service for the rest of the day due to a problem with the number two engine. This will cancel all Samish sailings.
The Samish is operating in the number 3 position. See the summer schedule for affected sailings:
https://www.wsdot.com/ferries/
What a circus.
Sure glad I LIVE on Orcas!
The tragedy of WSF management’s Capital Plan is that they never seem to catch up with demand and/or decreases in capacity (supply). Imagine how the current situation could be relieved if one or two of the Steel Electrics were still serviceable. Or the Evergreen State. Obviously those ferries were old and tired. However, in these crisis periods, any extra service that was approved by the USCG would be most helpful.
It seems that each time a new ferry is entered into service, one is removed such that the increasing demand is never met. The reservation system was expected to smooth out the demand “bulges” which it did, UNTIL a ferry is out of service.
This recurring travel nightmare has to be very hurtful to the business community. How many visitors will change plans and/or never return? Some will say that such lessened traffic is a good thing, except that a diminished economy eliminates jobs, vital services to everyone, and the subsequent ability of islanders to live here.
Something needs to change. SOON!!! I remember from some years ago, when our local representative to the State Senate was furious that his connection to the mainland was cancelled. As I recall, changes were made.
We need to do that again. Something about WSF planning for redundant needs is not working.
It seems that anything will gum up S.J. ferry travel now, as if the system has developed an allergy sensitivity to it’s proper function and scheduling, with the slightest assault setting it off: fog, engine misfire, heavy vehicle traffic. What next?: too heavy loads, overheating due to temperature, passengers making too much noise, Orcas causing water way congestion & passengers causing the boat to list dangerously, riders not speaking english and tying up the ticket booth lines, galley closed due to burned buns, elevator out of order due to a woman getting her pony tail stuck in the door, low tide, smoke from B.C. fires, the captain asleep-at-the-wheel, an underwater Century-tel cable break, more??
Advice: cancel all trips and sit on your deck, sipping your favorite summer cooler.
This, too shall pass……..