The Steilacoom-Anderson Island ferry has its primary ferry landing in Steilacoom. Ferries depart to Ketron Island and Anderson Island and previously McNeil Island. The ferry route is owned and operated by Pierce County. The first ferry went into service on April 1, 1922.
I was lucky to have a little time to myself to explore downtown Edmonds, which is a charming town. I walked down the hill to the ferry landing because I remember going there years ago when I still lived in Texas and seeing sea lions or seals. Let me tell you, it was pretty darn exciting to see something so exotic after the flat inland of Texas! I fell in love with the area.
Brackett’s Landing Park is adjacent to the ferry landing and per the informational sign George Brackett founded Edmonds in 1876. This park was dedicated to him in 1963. In 1970 a 27 acre underwater marine preserve and sanctuary was developed, one of the first on the West Coast. Information about the underwater park is located here http://www.edmondswa.gov/services/education/discovery-programs/edmonds-underwater-park.html The way I understand it, there are a bunch of underwater features, like sunken ships and they can be readily found by divers by following the lines attached to the buoys.
A spring day during spring break, what a gift! So I made my dear daughter on a walk along Dock Street an East D Street (the East D Street Grade Separation Project) to look at the concrete images honoring Washington State Ferry Boats. We walked from Freighthouse Square along East D Street which is elevated over the rail tracks. Along the way are depictions of various ferries and Fire Boat #1. Each one has the general outline of its named boat. It is a nice touch. On Dock Street I stopped to snap the panorama above.
The BC (British Columbia) Ferries in Canada are amazing. Dear daughter, my dad and I took the Spirit of British Columbia Ferry from Tsawwassen (south of Vancouver, BC) to Swatz Bay (on Vancouver Island, north of Victoria). On the way to Victoria we took the Spirit of British Columbia and on the way back we traveled on the Spirit of Vancouver. The photos are of both ships.
While I’ve been on my fair share of ferries, none of have matched these ships for size and style. They hold 410 vehicles (including up to 34 semis) and 2,100 people (passengers and crew). Amenities include Seawest Lounge, Pacific Buffet, Coastal Cafe for hot & cold dishes, Coast Cafe Express for lighter fare, Passages Gift Shop, video arcades, play areas, work/study stations, telephones, elevators, wheelchair-friendly decks and washrooms. The trip took over two hours, allowing time to enjoy the spectacular scenery as we traveled through the San Juan Islands.
The newspaper yesterday talked about how the Kalakala was in danger of sinking because it is taking on water. I had just asked my husband last week if the vintage ferry boat was still at the port. We had gone to see it years ago and hadn’t heard much about it since.
I have no idea about the financial feasibility of restoring this ferry, which is in pretty bad shape, but I’ sure wish it could be brought back to its former glory. It was spectacular!
The website for the ferry has abundant information about it. http://www.kalakala.org/index2.html
I took a couple of shots from where it is docked and then went across the way to photograph it from across the Hylebos Waterway.
For a photo of the Kalakala when it was in Tacoma in the 1940s, see this webpage from the Tacoma Public Library.
