Ferries in Washington State
Encyclopedia
Washington is home to a number of public and private ferry
systems, most notably the state-run Washington State Ferries
.
, owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation
, serves communities on Puget Sound
and in the San Juan Islands
.
It is the largest fleet of passenger and automobile
ferries
in the United States
and the third largest in the world
.
and beyond into the Strait of Juan de Fuca
. For example:
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
systems, most notably the state-run Washington State Ferries
Washington State Ferries
Washington State Ferries is a passenger and automobile ferry service owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation that serves communities on Puget Sound and in the San Juan Islands. It is the most used ferry system in the world and the largest passenger and automobile...
.
History
Due to Washington's unique topography, featuring large, deep bodies of water with many peninsulas and islands, ferries are a natural means of connecting communities in the region.Washington State Ferries
Washington State FerriesWashington State Ferries
Washington State Ferries is a passenger and automobile ferry service owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation that serves communities on Puget Sound and in the San Juan Islands. It is the most used ferry system in the world and the largest passenger and automobile...
, owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation
Washington State Department of Transportation
The Washington State Department of Transportation , was established in 1905. The agency, led by a Secretary and overseen by the Governor, is a Washington governmental agency that constructs, maintains, and regulates the use of the state's transportation infrastructure...
, serves communities on Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
and in the San Juan Islands
San Juan Islands
The San Juan Islands are an archipelago in the northwest corner of the contiguous United States between the US mainland and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The San Juan Islands are part of the U.S...
.
It is the largest fleet of passenger and automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the third largest in the world
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....
.
Publicly operated
- The Guemes Island ferryGuemes Island ferryThe Guemes Island ferry is a ferry route in Washington State that runs between Anacortes, Washington and Guemes Island across the Guemes Channel.-History:...
from AnacortesAnacortes, WashingtonAnacortes is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The name "Anacortes" is a consolidation of the name Anna Curtis, who was the wife of early Fidalgo Island settler Amos Bowman. Anacortes' population was 15,778 at the time of the 2010 census...
5 minutes north to Guemes IslandGuemes IslandGuemes Island is a small island in western Skagit County, Washington state, USA. It is located north of the town of Anacortes on Fidalgo Island and is accessible by both private boat and by the Guemes Island ferry operated by Skagit County....
is operated by Skagit County, WashingtonSkagit County, WashingtonSkagit County is a county in the U.S. state of Washington. It is named after the Skagit Indian tribe. As of 2010, the population was 116,901. It is included in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Washington, Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. - Wahkiakum County operates the Wahkiakum County Ferry between Puget Island, WashingtonPuget Island, WashingtonPuget Island is a 19.365 km² island and unincorporated rural community in the Columbia River in Wahkiakum County, Washington, United States. The Julia Butler Hansen Bridge carries State Route 409 across the Cathlamet Channel to connect the island to the town of Cathlamet, Washington...
and Westport, OregonWestport, OregonWestport is an unincorporated community on the Columbia River in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Westport is connected to Cathlamet, Washington across the river via the Wahkiakum County Ferry to Puget Island. U.S...
on the lower Columbia RiverColumbia RiverThe Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
. - The Colville Confederated TribesConfederated Tribes of the Colville ReservationThe Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation is the federally recognized tribe that controls the Colville Indian Reservation, which is located in Washington, United States....
operates the M/V Columbia Princess a.k.a. the Gifford-Inchelium FerryGifford-Inchelium FerryThe Gifford-Inchelium Ferry, also known as GIF, is a ferry across the Columbia River in Washington State.The Colville Confederated Tribes operate this ferry across Roosevelt Lake on the upper Columbia. It connects Inchelium, Washington to State Route 25 across the river. The fare to ride is free....
on the upper Columbia River. - Pierce CountyPierce County, Washingtonright|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
operates the Steilacoom-Anderson Island FerrySteilacoom-Anderson Island FerryThe Steilacoom-Anderson Island ferry is a ferry route in southern Puget Sound which is owned and operated by Pierce County, Washington. The route also serves Ketron Island. There are 10 to 14 runs per day, depending on the day of the week. Four runs per day run on a triangular route run from...
providing service between SteilacoomSteilacoom, WashingtonSteilacoom is a town in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 5,985 at the 2010 census. Steilacoom is on the coast of Puget Sound, on a branch not visible on the map to the right...
, Anderson Island and Ketron IslandKetron IslandKetron Island is an island in southern Puget Sound in Pierce County in the state of Washington, USA. It lies between the mainland near the city of Steilacoom and Anderson Island near the extreme south end of Puget Sound...
, using two vessels, the Christine Anderson and the Steilacoom II. - The Washington State Department of Corrections also operates a ferry from the same dock to the McNeil IslandMcNeil IslandMcNeil Island is an island in western Puget Sound, located just west of Steilacoom, Washington, with a land area of 17.177 km² . It lies just north of Anderson Island. Fox Island is to the north, across Carr Inlet. To the west McNeil Island is separated from Key Peninsula by Pitt Passage. The...
Corrections Center. - The Lummi Island Ferry, also known as the M/V Whatcom Chief, from Gooseberry Point to Lummi IslandLummi IslandLummi Island lies at the southwest corner of Whatcom County, Washington, USA, between the mainland part of the county and offshore San Juan County. The Lummi Indian Reservation is situated on a peninsula east of the island, but does not include Lummi Island. The island has a land area of...
is operated by Whatcom County. - Kitsap TransitKitsap TransitKitsap Transit is a public transportation agency serving Kitsap County, Washington, USA. The system is based in Bremerton, Washington and is overseen by a nine-member board composed of the three county commissioners, the mayors of the four incorporated cities in Kitsap County and two Bremerton City...
operates a passenger-only ferry between Port OrchardPort Orchard, WashingtonPort Orchard is a city in and the county seat of Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It is located 13 miles due west of West Seattle and connected to Seattle and Vashon Island via the Washington State Ferries run to Southworth...
and Bremerton. - The Martha S.Martha S.The Martha S., also known as the Keller Ferry, is the only Washington State Department of Transportation owned and operated ferry in Eastern Washington . She crosses the Columbia River between Lincoln County and Ferry County at the confluence of the Columbia and the Sanpoil River...
, also known as the Keller Ferry, is operated by WSDOT separately from the Washington State Ferry System on Puget Sound and crosses Lake RooseveltFranklin D. Roosevelt LakeFranklin D. Roosevelt Lake is the reservoir created in 1941 by the impoundment of the Columbia River by the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington state. It is named for Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was President during the construction of the dam...
on the Columbia RiverColumbia RiverThe Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
in north-east Washington. - The Hat Island Ferry operates daily between the EverettEverett, WashingtonEverett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...
Marina and Gedney (Hat) IslandGedney Island (Washington)Gedney Island is an island in Possession Sound in Snohomish County, Washington, USA. The island lies in Possession Sound between the mainland city of Everett, Washington and the southern part of Whidbey Island...
Marina.
Private
Many private ferries exist to serve residents of islands throughout Puget SoundPuget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
and beyond into the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Strait of Juan de Fuca
The Strait of Juan de Fuca is a large body of water about long that is the Salish Sea outlet to the Pacific Ocean...
. For example:
- High-speed catamarans, geared to tourists, run from Seattle to Victoria, British ColumbiaVictoria, British ColumbiaVictoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, and are operated by Victoria ClipperVictoria ClipperClipper Navigation, Inc. is a privately held company based in Seattle, Washington that provides multiple transportation and vacation packages, many of which are offered under the name Clipper Vacations....
. - Black Ball Transport operates the M/V Coho auto/passenger ferry between Port Angeles and Victoria.
- The M/V Charlie Wells crosses Case Inlet from the Key Peninsula (south of Vaughn, WA) to Herron Island, a privately owned and operated island.
Passenger-only
- The King County Ferry DistrictKing County Ferry DistrictThe King County Ferry District is a special-purpose district in King County, Washington that owns and operates passenger ferry services. Its governing board of directors is composed of all nine members of the Metropolitan King County Council...
operates two passenger-only ferry services known as the King County Water Taxi with service from Downtown SeattleDowntown SeattleDowntown is the central business district of Seattle, Washington. It is fairly compact compared to other city centers on the West Coast because of its geographical situation: hemmed in on the north and east by hills, on the west by the Elliott Bay, and on the south by reclaimed land that was once...
to Vashon IslandVashon IslandVashon is a census-designated place in King County, Washington, United States. It covers an island alternately called Vashon Island or Vashon-Maury Island, the largest island in Puget Sound south of Admiralty Inlet. The population was 10,624 at the 2010 census. At , it is about 60 percent larger...
and West Seattle. - The small Jetty Island Ferry runs the short distance between the Everett Marina and the man made, unpopulated Jetty Island in the summer months for tourists.
- The Lady of the Lake ferry runs year-round from ChelanChelan, WashingtonChelan is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,890 at the 2010 census. It sits on the southeast tip of Lake Chelan, where the lake flows into the Chelan River....
to StehekinStehekin, WashingtonStehekin is a small unincorporated community in Chelan County, Washington. It is part of Wenatchee–East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Located at the northwest end of Lake Chelan, it lies just south of the North Cascades National Park at . It is within Lake Chelan National...
on Lake ChelanLake ChelanLake Chelan is a narrow, 55-mile-long lake in Chelan County, northern Washington state, U.S. It is the largest natural lake in Washington state...
. - El Matador is a foot ferry between Ocean ShoresOcean Shores, Washington-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 3,836 people, 1,789 households, and 1,198 families residing in the city. The population density was 444.7 people per square mile . There were 3,170 housing units at an average density of 367.5 per square mile...
and WestportWestport, WashingtonWestport is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The city's population was 2,099 at the 2010 census.Westport is located on a peninsula on the south side of the entrance to Grays Harbor from the Pacific Ocean. The public Westport Marina is the largest marina on the outer coast...
with limited service between spring and summer. - Port of Kingston's SoundRunner service operates Spirit of KingstonSpirit of KingstonSpirit of Kingston is a , 149 passenger passenger-only ferry operating between Kingston, Washington and Seattle since October 2010. She is owned and operated by the Port of Kingston's SoundRunner service.-History:...
between KingstonKingston, Washington-External links:* *...
and downtown Seattle.
Defunct
- From 2004 to April 2007, a private company, the Kitsap Ferry Co., provided passenger-only ferry service between Bremerton and Seattle, during weekday commute times. The service was canceled due to high costs and lack of support from Kitsap TransitKitsap TransitKitsap Transit is a public transportation agency serving Kitsap County, Washington, USA. The system is based in Bremerton, Washington and is overseen by a nine-member board composed of the three county commissioners, the mayors of the four incorporated cities in Kitsap County and two Bremerton City...
, whose district voters failed to pass a sales tax increase for the foot ferry. - The most recent run, between Kingston and Seattle, called Aqua Express, shut down after two years of unprofitable service. West Seattle to the Seattle central business district and Bremerton to Seattle have been other passenger-only routes attempted by private enterprise.
- The M/V El Matador crossed the channel of Grays Harbor, from Ocean Shores to Westport during summer months. It was discontinued a few years ago due to the fact that the Ocean Shores Marina has not been dredged, and the vessel is unable to enter without having problems.
- High-speed catamarans, geared to tourists, ran from Port Angeles to Victoria, British ColumbiaVictoria, British ColumbiaVictoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, and were operated by Victoria ExpressVictoria ExpressVictoria Express, also known as Victoria Rapid Transit, was the name of a private, seasonal ferry operation based in Port Angeles, Washington. They operated two passenger-only ferries, on routes between Port Angeles and Victoria, British Columbia and Friday Harbor, Washington during the summer,...
until it ended its passenger service in 2010.