Guemes Island ferry
Encyclopedia
The Guemes Island ferry is a ferry route in Washington State that runs between Anacortes, Washington
and Guemes Island
across the Guemes Channel.
. Guemes was kept on the route until 1960, when it was replaced by the Almar, a vessel which had been built in 1947 on Puget Island in the Columbia River
. Almar served as a ferry on the Columbia River until 1960. Almar, with a capacity for 12 vehicles. was not a double-ender. This mean that vehicles had to be backed out of the vehicle at one end of the route. Large trucks could not be carried. Almar is reported to be still afloat in Alaska.
has completed a new terminal building at Anacortes, with funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The new building houses a ferry user waiting area, staff area, restrooms, staff offices, and a ferry maintenance workshop.
Anacortes, Washington
Anacortes 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...
and Guemes Island
Guemes Island
Guemes 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....
across the Guemes Channel.
History
In 1919 the route was served by the then new (built 1917) motor ferry Guemes, 48.6 ft (14.81 m) long, 86 tons. Guemes was one of only nine true ferries then in operation on 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...
. Guemes was kept on the route until 1960, when it was replaced by the Almar, a vessel which had been built in 1947 on Puget Island in the Columbia River
Columbia River
The 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...
. Almar served as a ferry on the Columbia River until 1960. Almar, with a capacity for 12 vehicles. was not a double-ender. This mean that vehicles had to be backed out of the vehicle at one end of the route. Large trucks could not be carried. Almar is reported to be still afloat in Alaska.
Current status
A renovation of the terminals at Anacortes and Guemes was completed in May 2011. Also as of May 2011, the Washington State Department of TransportationWashington 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...
has completed a new terminal building at Anacortes, with funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The new building houses a ferry user waiting area, staff area, restrooms, staff offices, and a ferry maintenance workshop.
External links
- Excerpts from 1975 environmental impact statement. Describes 1975 status of ferry and docks in detail.