MV Kulshan
Encyclopedia
The MV Kulshan was a passenger ferry operated by the Washington State ferry system
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...
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...
from 1970 to 1982.
Beginnings
The Kulshan started her maritime career as the MV Crown City in Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
in 1954. Purchased by the San Diego and Coronado Ferry Company, the Kulshan/Crown City served as a passenger ferry there until the San Diego-Coronado bridge was completed in 1969. Other ferries running between San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
and Coronado
Coronado, California
Coronado, also known as Coronado Island, is an affluent resort city located in San Diego County, California, 5.2 miles from downtown San Diego. Its population was 24,697 at the 2010 census, up from 24,100 at the 2000 census. U.S. News and World Report lists Coronado as one of the most expensive...
alongside her were the MV San Diego, the MV Coronado II, the MV Silver Strand, and the MV North Island.
The ugliest, most despised ferry in Puget Sound
Following her decommissioning by the San Diego and Coronado Ferry Company, the vessel was purchased by the Washington State FerryWashington 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...
system in 1970, where she was re-christened the MV Kulshan. After being refitted with new Washington State Ferries livery, the Kulshan was placed on the Mukilteo
Mukilteo, Washington
Mukilteo , which means "good camping ground", is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,254 at the 2010 census. It is on the shore of the Puget Sound, and is the site of a Washington State Ferries terminal linking it to Clinton, on Whidbey Island.Mukilteo is...
-Clinton
Clinton, Washington
Clinton is a community and census-designated place located on southern Whidbey Island in Island County, Washington, United States. The town was named after Clinton, Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the village was 928. However, the post office serves at least 2,500 people.Clinton is the western...
two-mile run. Alongside the Kulshan, other ferries operating on the route were the MV Olympic and MV Rhododendron from 1970 to 1972. Occasionally, the MV Chetzemoka
MV Chetzemoka
MV Chetzemoka is a Kwa-di Tabil class ferry built at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle, Washington for the Washington State Ferries. It was scheduled to start on the Port Townsend-Coupeville...
was added as fourth ferry at on the run. In 1973, the Olympic was taken off the route and replaced with the Vashon. In 1978, the Olympic returned to the Mukilteo
Mukilteo, Washington
Mukilteo , which means "good camping ground", is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,254 at the 2010 census. It is on the shore of the Puget Sound, and is the site of a Washington State Ferries terminal linking it to Clinton, on Whidbey Island.Mukilteo is...
-Clinton
Clinton, Washington
Clinton is a community and census-designated place located on southern Whidbey Island in Island County, Washington, United States. The town was named after Clinton, Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the village was 928. However, the post office serves at least 2,500 people.Clinton is the western...
run, and the larger Steel Electric Class
Steel Electric Class ferry
The Steel Electric Class ferries became part of the Washington State Ferry System when Puget Sound Navigation Company was acquired in 1951. They were built on San Francisco Bay for service on Southern Pacific and Northwestern Pacific Railroad routes across that bay.-History:The Steel Electric...
MV Illahee, was added to the mix.
Unfortunately for the Kulshan, her open decks and flat, barge-like appearance made her infamous in 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...
, rather than beloved and appreciated. Unlike her numerous Washington passenger ferry sailing companions, the Kulshan was considered "ugly" as well as "loathed" and "despised". Experienced cross-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...
travellers were accustomed to getting on board - either on foot or with their vehicle - and then going upstairs to either the lounge for resting or the on-board galley for refreshments. On the MV Kulshan, however, this was not an option. While there were public restrooms on-board, the vessel was not equipped with, nor did it have room for, the usual Washington State Ferry accommodations. Passengers were able to walk the car-deck, but on anything other than a clear and/or sunny day this was not a very comfortable option. During any time of year other than summer, the waters of Possession Sound
Possession Sound
Possession Sound is part of Puget Sound, located in the U.S. state of Washington between Whidbey Island and the coastline of Snohomish County approximately between the cities of Everett and Mukilteo. Possession Sound connects the main Puget Sound basin to the south with Saratoga Passage and Port...
were frequently rough and filled with white-caps and waves known to breach over the vessel's bulwark, consequently soaking the cars (and sometimes the passengers) onboard.
Reassignment
On February 13, 1979, a powerful, winter windstormFebruary 13, 1979 Windstorm
The February 13, 1979 windstorm is a natural phenomenon that took place on February 13, 1979 in Pacific Canada and the United States. During the early morning of February 13, 1979, an intense wave cyclone moved across southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. South of the low center, a strong...
caused a catastrophic failure of the floating Hood Canal Bridge
Hood Canal Bridge
The Hood Canal Bridge is a floating bridge located in the U.S. state of Washington that carries Washington State Route 104 across Hood Canal and connects the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas. At long, The Hood Canal Bridge (officially William A. Bugge Bridge) is a floating bridge located in the U.S....
. With the sustained winds at 85 mph (137 km/h) and gusts estimated at 120 mph (193 km/h), the bridge finally succumbed at about 7:00 a.m. The western drawspan and the pontoons of the western half of the bridge had broken loose and sank, forcing those living on the Kitsap Peninsula
Kitsap Peninsula
The Kitsap Peninsula is an arm of land that is part of the larger Olympic Peninsula in Washington state that lies west of Seattle across Puget Sound. Hood Canal separates Kitsap Peninsula from the rest of the Olympic Peninsula...
to take an inconvenient detour. A Hood Canal
Hood Canal
Hood Canal is a fjord forming the western lobe, and one of the four main basins, of Puget Sound in the state of Washington. Hood Canal is not a canal in the sense of being a man-made waterway—it is a natural waterway.-Geography:...
ferry run was re-established by utilizing the Kulshan between Lofall and South Point across the canal just south of the unusable bridge. This route had previoiusly been active in the 1950s but discontinued after the bridge opened in 1961. During the course of the Hood Canal Bridge
Hood Canal Bridge
The Hood Canal Bridge is a floating bridge located in the U.S. state of Washington that carries Washington State Route 104 across Hood Canal and connects the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas. At long, The Hood Canal Bridge (officially William A. Bugge Bridge) is a floating bridge located in the U.S....
closure, an additional ferry route was temporarily added between Edmonds
Edmonds
Edmonds may refer to:* Edmonds, Washington, a US city* Edmonds , people with the surname Edmonds-See also:* Burnaby-Edmonds, an electoral district in British Columbia, Canada.* Edmonds Cookbook* Edmonds Station* Edmonds's matching algorithm...
and Port Townsend. As the need increased, the MV Tillikum was also added to the run.
While the Hood Canal Bridge
Hood Canal Bridge
The Hood Canal Bridge is a floating bridge located in the U.S. state of Washington that carries Washington State Route 104 across Hood Canal and connects the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas. At long, The Hood Canal Bridge (officially William A. Bugge Bridge) is a floating bridge located in the U.S....
was not reopened again until October 25, 1982, the Kulshan was returned to the Mukilteo
Mukilteo, Washington
Mukilteo , which means "good camping ground", is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,254 at the 2010 census. It is on the shore of the Puget Sound, and is the site of a Washington State Ferries terminal linking it to Clinton, on Whidbey Island.Mukilteo is...
-Clinton
Clinton, Washington
Clinton is a community and census-designated place located on southern Whidbey Island in Island County, Washington, United States. The town was named after Clinton, Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the village was 928. However, the post office serves at least 2,500 people.Clinton is the western...
run in 1981 when she was replaced at Hood Canal
Hood Canal
Hood Canal is a fjord forming the western lobe, and one of the four main basins, of Puget Sound in the state of Washington. Hood Canal is not a canal in the sense of being a man-made waterway—it is a natural waterway.-Geography:...
by a larger ferry. This time, the Kulshan ran again alongside the MV Illahee and now also the MV Nisqually.
For a moment, a movie star
Although the Kulshan was strongly disliked by both 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...
locals and visitors, the vessel achieved a positive nod from Hollywood when she was chosen to be forever immortalized in the 1982 Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
film, An Officer and a Gentleman
An Officer and a Gentleman
A Officer and a Gentleman is a 1982 American drama film that tells the story of a U.S. Navy aviation officer candidate who comes into conflict with the Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who trains him. It was written by Douglas Day Stewart and directed by Taylor Hackford...
. In the first half of the movie, the Kulshan is prominently featured when actresses Lisa Blount
Lisa Blount
Lisa S. Blount was an American film and television actress and Oscar-winning producer.-Career:...
(Lynette Pomeroy) and Debra Winger
Debra Winger
Mary Debra Winger is an American actress. Three-times an Oscar nominee, she received awards for acting in Terms of Endearment, for which she won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress in 1983, and in A Dangerous Woman, for which she won the Tokyo International Film Festival...
(Paula Pokrifki) take a ride across 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...
aboard the "ugly", but perfectly-open-for-filming-purposes, MV Kulshan.
Last of the Kulshan in Puget Sound
In 1983, the MV Kulshan was placed on the Point Defiance- Tahlequah route as a temporary substitute for the MV Hiyu. On her last official passenger run there, the on-board captain rang the final "finished with engines" horn and her tenure with the Washington State Ferries was finished.A new life in a new ocean
In 1983, the MV Kulshan was sold to the United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
for service in Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
waters at Governor's Island, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. While being towed on her way southward toward the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
, the Kulshan stopped briefly in San Diego in order for ferry historians to see her one last time on the west coast. After arriving in New York harbor
New York Harbor
New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
after her long journey, modifications were made to the vessel, including a new passenger lounge at one side and the replacement of the wooden bridge deck bulwarks with steel tubular railings. It was at this time that the MV Kulshan was re-christened the MV Governor
MV Governor
The MV Governor is a passenger ferry that operates in Massachusetts. She was formerly the MV Crown City between 1954 and 1970, and the MV Kulshan between 1970 and 1982....
and now ran alongside the MV Coursen, MV Minue, and the MV Tides, ferrying passengers between New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Governor's Island until the late 1990s.
On July 26, 1997, the Kulshan/Governor took her last sailing for the Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
. The closure of Governor’s Island made the Kulshan/Governor surplus for a third time whereupon she was purchased in 1998 by the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
-based Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority (SSA). The “double-ended” Governor
MV Governor
The MV Governor is a passenger ferry that operates in Massachusetts. She was formerly the MV Crown City between 1954 and 1970, and the MV Kulshan between 1970 and 1982....
is the longest and widest vessel in the SSA fleet at 242’x 65’ and the only vessel with diesel-electric
Diesel-electric
Diesel-electric transmission or diesel-electric powertrain is used by a number of vehicle and ship types for providing locomotion.A diesel-electric transmission system includes a diesel engine connected to an electrical generator, creating electricity that powers electric traction motors...
propulsion. She continues to run proudly as a passenger ferry there to this day.