Coupeville ferry run will temporarily return to two boats

By Jessie Stensland • September 1, 2017 6:00 pm
The Salish is being repaired at a boatyard in Anacortes after the propulsion system was damaged by a line from a crab pot.
The Salish is being repaired at a boatyard in Anacortes after the propulsion system was damaged by a line from a crab pot.

The ferry run between Keystone and Port Townsend will temporarily return to two-boat service over Labor Day weekend.

Ian Sterling, spokesman for Washington State Ferries, said the vessel Chetzemoka is being temporarily moved from the Point Defiance-to-Tahlequah run to the Coupeville-to-Port Townsend run. It will remain on the route at least through the Wooden Boat Festival, which is Sept. 8-10 in Port Townsend.

The Salish, one of the two boats on the Keystone-to-Port Townsend route, was damaged when lines from a crab pot tangled in the propulsion system. The Salish is currently being repaired in dry dock in Anacortes.

Sterling said there is currently no estimate on when it will return to service.

State Ferries had to play a game of Magical Boats to cover all the routes during the holiday weekend. With the Chetzemoka sent to the Coupeville run, the Sealth was moved from Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth to replace Chetzemoka on the Point Defiance-Tahlequah run.

Meanwhile, the Kitsap was moved from the Mukilteo-to-Clinton route to replace the Hyak on the Anacortes-to-San Juan Islands route. The Kittitas replaced Kitsap at Clinton.