||| FROM THE EVERETT HERALD |||
On Puget Sound, five short blasts of a ship’s horn blare across the water.
The source? Capt. Russell Fee, behind the wheel of the state ferry Spokane.
This is a danger signal from the ferries, a warning to the many small boats peppering the water’s surface to get out of the ferry’s path.
“If you hear that coming from a ferry, look up,” Fee said. “It might even involve you.”
Sporting his white uniform featuring four gold stripes on a black epaulet, he peers out the tall windows of the ferry’s bridge. A 31-year ferry system veteran, he is in charge of ensuring the boat reaches its destination safely.
“It can be very stressful with all the boats out here,” Fee said.
The Puget Sound fishing season lasts from May to September, and brings an abundance of water traffic with it, creating difficult situations for ferry captains like Fee.
As the Spokane makes its steady path across the dark blue waters from Edmonds to Kingston, he points out the numerous hazards in the way. For example, a small white craft lazily drifted its way in front of the ferry.
“He’s right where we want to be, that little pleasure boat,” Fee said, pointing to the obstacle. “We’ll see if he moves out of the way.”
Thankfully, the boat turned on its motor and evacuated the ferry’s route before too long. Not every encounter is so simple.
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