Crew Reviews, Ratings & Info for Wsf-Salish

The Salish ferry has been taken out of service on the Port Townsend-Coupeville route following an incident that resulted in rudder damage. On the afternoon of September 9, 2018, the vessel experienced a grounding at the Coupeville ferry terminal located in Keystone Harbor. Although the ferry successfully docked, it was discovered that the rudder was inoperable, leading to the suspension of its route. Passengers were directed to alternative ferry services, including Edmonds/Kingston and Mukilteo/Clinton. Since September 10 at 4:30 a.m., the Salish has been anchored in Port Townsend while emergency repairs are conducted. For more information and updates, check out the detailed report with photos available at http://www.southwhidbeyrecord.com/news/coupeville-ferry-runs-aground/

Washington State Ferries aimed to reinstate the 'Salish' on the Port Townsend-Coupeville route by its 2:45 p.m. sailing on June 9, 2016. However, during a routine safety inspection that morning, a rudder assembly issue was identified, forcing the cancellation of earlier sailings at 8:45 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m., and 1:15 p.m. By noon, repair work was completed, but the vessel needed to successfully undergo a Coast Guard dock test before it could be approved for service. This repair was not related to a previous propeller malfunction that had already caused a three-week delay to the commencement of the summer sailing schedule.

On the evening of August 26, 2013, the ferry service between Port Townsend and Coupeville was disrupted for approximately three and a half hours due to a bomb threat. Authorities responded swiftly after receiving a text message around 5 p.m. warning of an explosive device either on a ferry or at the terminal. The bomb threat prompted a comprehensive search by local law enforcement, including the Port Townsend police, State Patrol troopers, and bomb-detection dogs, who meticulously examined the Port Townsend terminal, the ferries 'Salish' and 'Kennewick', as well as the surrounding parking lots and dock area. As a precaution, the two ferries remained docked, resulting in the cancellation of four sailings: the 5:15 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. departures from Port Townsend to Coupeville, along with the 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. sailings from Coupeville to Port Townsend. After the thorough investigation concluded with no explosive devices found, ferry service returned to normal, with the 8:30 p.m. sailing from Port Townsend to Coupeville and the 9:15 p.m. return trip from Coupeville to Port Townsend resuming operations. In addition to the State Patrol and Port Townsend police response, deputies from the Jefferson County sheriff's office and a Coast Guard patrol boat were present to ensure safety at the terminal during the incident.