||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES |||

A message from Steve

Yesterday was Earth Day, which started in 1970 to raise environmental awareness and inspire action to protect our planet. This year’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” calls on people of all ages and backgrounds to work together to care for our shared home. At Washington State Ferries, this message guides our work every day. We are focused on reducing our impact on the environment while improving service for the communities depending on us.

We are a pioneer in reducing underwater noise affecting marine mammals. We serve on the leadership committee of Quiet Sound, which has recognized our work on voluntary vessel slowdowns we helped design and put in place. Since 2015, we have been one of a handful of U.S. participants in the ECHO Program. This program helps us better understand how ships affect whales and how to reduce those impacts along the southern coast of British Columbia.

When it returned to service last July, Wenatchee became our first hybrid-electric ferry. We also signed a contract with Eastern Shipbuilding Group to build up to three 160-car hybrid-electric vessels. The first new boat is planned for delivery in 2030. As terminals are electrified over the next few years, these ferries will run on battery power, greatly reducing our fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. We have also expanded composting across our system where food service is offered and our provider is available, helping to reduce waste. And our Biology Program Lead Adrienne Stutes has grown our environmental outreach efforts. She connects with students and community members through tours, classroom visits and shoreline walks. Sustainability guides much of the work we do. We’re proud of how far we’ve come and our employees who are making it happen. Our goal is to turn our system into one of the most sustainable in the world, while helping create a cleaner and more resilient future.

Fare changes begin Friday, May 1

Starting Friday, May 1, there will be new passenger and vehicle ticket prices. The Washington State Transportation Commission approved these changes last summer to meet revenue targets set by the state Legislature. A 35% peak season surcharge for single-ride vehicle and motorcycle fares will also begin May 1, running through September 30. It does not apply to passenger and multi-ride tickets. May 1 also marks the start of a pilot extending the expiration date for multi-ride passes. These passes will be valid for 120 days, up from the current 90 days. To see what you can expect to pay on any given day on each of our routes, use our online calendar to calculate your fare.

The last day of the peak season surcharge for our vehicle fares is Sept. 30.

Kingston Terminal Staff perform rescue operation

Walla Walla B Watch crew launch a rescue boat to aid a person in the water.

On Wednesday evening our team at the Kingston ferry terminal responded to calls for help from a person in the water. After initiating a search with the Kitsap Sheriff’s Office and North Kitsap Fire & Rescue, the crew of the Walla Walla launched a rescue boat, located the person in distress, and got them to safety. I am very pleased with the high level of professionalism shown by our employees who safely handled this precarious situation. Thank you to the Walla Walla B Watch, the Kingston terminal employees and to Captain Juan Ramirez who shared this video of the rescue. For more information about the rescue, check out this video by the Kitsap Sheriff’s Office.

New director of Marine Operations

Last Thursday, we welcomed our new director of marine operations, Erik Nagle. Erik joins us from the city of Bellevue, where he served as the assistant manager for finance and asset management, leading operational and financial stewardship across a complex municipal portfolio. Before his work in Bellevue, Erik served more than 21 years in the U.S. Navy. Over the course of his career, he led teams in high tempo maritime environments; oversaw personnel operations, training, and organizational culture; and supported logistics, compliance, and readiness across global fleet operations. His final Navy assignment was with Military Sealift Command, where he oversaw key elements of the command’s quality and safety management systems, led initiatives to strengthen workforce culture and organizational resilience, and served as a senior advisor to top Navy leadership on issues affecting people, operations, and command health. He also supported enterprise level efforts in workforce development, operational governance, and continuous improvement. We’re glad to have Erik on board. His leadership, experience, and commitment to public service will help us improve how we operate, support our employees, and serve the communities that rely on us every day.

Erik holds a master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University.

Building global connections through clean energy and electrification

We hosted a group from the International Visitor Leadership Program last Thursday. This is the U.S. government’s main exchange program. It builds long-term connections between American and international leaders in government, business and other fields. The group focused on energy as an economic driver. They also looked at new technology and how good stewardship supports stability and shared prosperity around the world. They were especially interested in our electrification efforts and the progress we have made so far. The group included leaders from Belgium, Georgia, Uruguay, Colombia, Turkey, Cambodia and Hong Kong. They represented power companies, business councils, the European Commission and local governments. Thank you to Electrification Program Administrator David Sowers and Vessel Project Engineer Ali Khurshid for hosting the group and sharing their knowledge. They learned a lot from the visitors about how their countries are moving toward electric vehicles and vessels. It was a good reminder of the shared work and common goals we have around the world.

Electrification Program Administrator David Sowers (far left) and Vessel Project Engineer Ali Khurshid (bottom left) with our guests from the International Visitor Leadership Program.

Tour de Lopez bicycle event Saturday, April 25

The annual Tour de Lopez bike ride will take place on Lopez Island this weekend. From now until the event starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 25, expect increased traffic on our Anacortes to Lopez sailings as attendees head to the island. On the morning of the cycling ride, our 7:30 a.m. Anacortes departure will make an additional, unscheduled stop at Lopez Island to help with the extra demand.  

Participants traveling to Lopez Island without a motor vehicle can park for free at our Anacortes terminal tomorrow, April 24, through Sunday, April 26. Just be sure to display your Tour de Lopez event parking pass.

Sailing stats for week of April 13-19

For the week of April 13-19, our systemwide on-time performance (sailings that left within 10 minutes of their scheduled departure) was 83.8%. By comparison, it was 87.2% during a similar week last year (April 14-20, 2025). To view our on-time performance by month going back to 2017, visit our on-time performance reports page.

Customer kudos

“Hey there, Patrick (O’Brian, able-bodied seafarer) on the 10pm Friday Harbor run and Max (Keys, terminal employee) at the Friday Harbor dock are absolute rock stars who embody amazing and beyond customer service.

“My wife and I were on the last ferry of the night returning to Friday Harbor from Anacortes. We had just driven up from Portland and were happy to find the ferry was still running.

“Shortly after we drove on my wife started to experience a bizarre allergic reaction with her eyes that got progressively worse. We were headed to our boat but couldn’t remember if we had any (Benadryl) on board and by the time we would dock, all the stores would be closed. My wife was going to be for a rough and miserable night as her eyes were burning and itching so much we couldn’t keep them open and nothing was bringing relief.

“After wet paper towels failed to ease her discomfort I wandered about passenger area and found some crew members. I asked if there was any (Benadryl) on board and they agreed to check the medic bag. Sadly none was available. We started debating how late the Little Store stayed open when Patrick decided to call his buddy, Max, at the dock. Max called the Little Store and asked if they had (Benadryl). They did and Mac volunteered to run up and pick some up and would meet us when we docked. Patrick relayed the message and when we arrived, Max was there (with the Benadryl) and my wife was elated.

“We are so appreciative of those two guys for going above and beyond. By the time we got down to boat, the (Benadryl) kicked in and her eyes started feeling better. We are all going to get a much better night rest and be able to enjoy the long weekend because of their efforts.

“I know you folks get a fair amount of grief with all the ferry challenges but we do sincerely appreciate your service and support in the islands. …”

-Anacortes/San Juan Islands route customer