WSF SALISH

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Ferry suffered rudder damage in grounding

The "Salish" was withdrawn from the Port Townsend-Coupeville route for emergency repairs. The ferry had a bottom touch at the Coupeville ferry terminal in Keystone Harbor in the afternoon of Sep 9, 2018. While the ferry was still able to dock, it turned out that the rudder was stuck, so the route was out of service. Alternate routes included Edm/King and Muk/Clinton. The ferry was berthed in Port Townsend since Sep 10 at 4.30 a.m. Report with photo: http://www.southwhidbeyrecord.com/news/coupeville-ferry-runs-aground/

Ferry sidelined after rudder trouble

Washington State Ferries wre hoping to have the "Salish" active on the Port Townsend-Coupeville route in time for its 2:45 p.m. sailing on June 9, 2016. A problem with the rudder assembly was discovered during a safety check in the morning which resulted in the cancellation of sailings scheduled for 8:45 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. At about noon, the repairs were completed but the vessel needed to pass a Coast Guard dock test before it returns to service. The repair was unrelated to a propeller problem which caused a three-week delay in the beginning of summer service.

Ferry service interrupted due to bomb threat

The Port Townsend-Coupeville ferry service was shut down by a bomb threat for three and a half hours in the evening of Aug 26, 2013. Nothing was found, and ferry service was back to normal with the 8:30 p.m. Port Townsend run to Coupeville and the 9:15 p.m. Coupeville sailing to Port Townsend. Port Townsend police, State Patrol troopers, bomb-sniffing dogs and other law-enforcement officers searched the Port Townsend terminal, both the "Salish" and the "Kennewick", the parking lot and waiting vehicles and dock area. The threat came in via a text message that arrived about 5 p.m. indicating some kind of explosive on a ferry or at the Port Townsend terminal. The two Port Townsend-Coupeville ferries were held at the Port Townsend docks. Four sailings were canceled — the 5:15 p.m and 6:45 p.m.sailings from Port Townsend for Coupeville and the 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Coupeville departures for Port Townsend. In addition to the State Patrol and Port Townsend police, Jefferson County sheriff's deputies were at the ferry terminal, and a Coast Guard patrol boat checked the dock area.