— from Washington State Ferries —
On its way to Eagle Harbor for annual USCG maintenance and inspection, the Chelan passed through the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks early Monday morning. It’s the largest ferry that can fit through the locks at 78-feet-wide and as long as a football field.
Plenty of local shutterbugs came out to snap photos as Chelan squeaked through with only a foot to spare on either side!
Chelan was at Lake Union Drydock Company for nine weeks while crews painted sections of the ferry’s interior and passenger deck. It took more than 4,200 gallons of paint to get the job done. Repainting a vessel helps preserve the structure by preventing corrosion of the metal from the harsh elements in the marine environment. Vessels need to be painted approximately every seven years.
The Chelan will return to service on the Anacortes/Sidney BC route on Sunday.
