Outside the Lines: Ferry Tales XVII

Outage Outrage

Guemes Islanders take things in stride. We manage to find parking at the ferry terminal when there is none. We carry coolers in our cars for our groceries. We carry many odd and bulky things aboard. We don’t make off island plans before 6:30AM and after 6:00PM Monday through Thursday. We always adjust to the schedule. Is there a second 9:00AM or a third 11:00AM? More recently, we line up behind the chain link fence and wait until we’re advised to board. We arrive at least 3 minutes before scheduled departures so that we are certain to board. We don’t leave the house without a ticket book.

We are awed by the sight of snow-covered Mt. Baker or the occasional whale. A five minute moonlit run is spectacular. Our ferry and its crew have rescued kayakers in trouble.We use the ferry line to meet and greet fellow islanders and exchange information.

For the fourth time in less than two weeks the Guemes Ferry isn’t making its scheduled runs across the Channel. It sits at the dock on the Anacortes side and Guemeians cast a skeptical eye in its direction. This scene has been repeated too often within the past year.

What is the problem this time? Dolphin repair? Propeller? Damaged outdrive? Steering malfunction? Weather? Rumors run rampant again. How long this time? Hours, days, weeks?

What are the reasons our ferry spends so much time “out of service”? Is it being held together with bubble gum and rubber bands?

The cross channel ferry runs have increased. There are often double and triple ferry runs during sunny spring and summer days. Holiday weekends seem to find the ferry running continuously. Was the Guemes Ferry designed to run such a hectic schedule? Is this schedule taking its toll on the equipment?

There are so many questions and no explanations.

The new boarding procedures, schedules, and lack of parking pale, by comparison to the ferry outages. Ferry parking facilities need to be completed. Communication to those waiting in the ferry line on the Guemes side needs to be improved.

I always thought I had a pretty good sense of humor. But our reliable ferry has become a joke and we on Guemes bear the brunt.

Where will you be the next time there is a ferry outage?

- MJ Andrak