WSF weekly report | Strong w-i-n-d-s

||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES |||

Strong winds knock out service on multiple routes

We suspended service on two central Puget Sound routes Monday because of high winds. While we understand the importance of getting riders where they need to go, safety is our number one priority and crews will cancel sailings if they deem it unsafe to sail. That was the case for much of the second half of the day on our Seattle/Bremerton run, where our terminal’s proximity to the marina in Bremerton makes it difficult to dock. Our crews also had a hard time pulling into Edmonds terminal for a bit around sunset, shutting down the Kingston route for about an hour.

Ferry tilted to the right while sailing in rough seas. Spokane pulls into Edmonds terminal during strong winds Monday afternoon. Photo courtesy Janine Harles.

Please keep in mind that every sailing is different, every terminal is different, every route is different, every wind event is different and every crew is different. We trust our crewmembers to make the safe decision for everyone on board whether to sail. Thank you to all our riders who trust us to get them where they need to be safely.

Spring vehicle reservations open Monday, March 6

Vehicle reservations for our spring season (March 26 to June 17, 2023) on our Anacortes/San Juan Islands or Port Townsend/Coupeville routes will be available at 7 a.m. Monday, March 6. For our Anacortes/San Juan Islands runs, another batch of reservations will be released two weeks before each specific sailing. The remaining space on each sailing will be available two days before.

Vehicles going onto a ferry at Anacortes terminal

Our spring schedule vehicle reservations release was originally scheduled for Jan. 26 but pushed back due to an IT issue with those making bulk reservations.

Thousands of bicyclists on Seattle/Bainbridge route Sunday, Feb. 26

If you’re using our Seattle/Bainbridge route Sunday, Feb. 26, plan for delays and limited vehicle capacity as more than 2,000 bicyclists head to the island for the annual Chilly Hilly ride. Expect a lot of bikes on our Seattle departures from 7:55 to 10:40 a.m., then on sailings out of Bainbridge from 11:35 a.m. to 3 p.m. Drivers should consider alternate travel times or routes. Participants are asked to follow directions from our staff and Cascade Bicycle Club volunteers at the terminals and on our vessels.

Agate Pass Bridge delays return Feb. 27 to March 2

Following the completion of last week’s State Route 305 Agate Pass Bridge cleaning work, crews will now inspect the structure next week. Plan for travel delays as the bridge will be reduced to one alternating lane of traffic from 8:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily on Monday, Feb. 27, through Thursday, March 2.