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Year Built/Re-built: 1947/90 City Built: Baltimore Official Number:2516446 Call Sign: WB6079 Length: 227' Beam: 62' Draft: 10' Auto Deck Clearance: 13' 5'' Horsepower: 2172 Speed in Knots: 11 Max Vehicles: 48 Max Passengers: 546 Name Translation: State Flower

The Rhododendron's leaves Point Defiance for Tahlequah, Vashon Island..  At 62 years of age, she is scheduled to be the next vessel retired and replaced. Photo courtesy of Mattt Masuoka.

Today the Rhododendron can be found working the Point Defiance-Tahlequah, Vashon Island route.  She is of limited use for the ferry system.  A "one compartment"  (the ability to stay afloat with only one compartment flooded) ferry, the vessel  can only work on short, inland water routes, such as the Point Defiance-Tahlequah run, which is a mere 1.5 miles long.  Unable to work anywhere else, (possibly the inter-island route for the San Juans, but  it is unlikely) the Rhody is scheduled to be retired in the next few years.       Her end would have come sooner under the governor’s proposed ferry budget for this year (2009.)  Under it, the Hiyu would have taken over the route permanently to save costs.  However, when the Rhody was out for extended maintenance early in 2009, there were routinely hours long backups on the route which routinely required the boat to run extra service—completely cancelling out any potential “savings” running the Hiyu would have allegedly brought.  The carrying capacity of the Rhody isn’t much more, but it is enough to keep up with the traffic most days, something the Hiyu can clearly not do at Point Defiance any longer. The Rhododendron will finish her days sailing under the looming presence of Mt. Rainier.  At over 60 years of age she’s earned her retirement, but hopefully some use can be found for the ferry that has been a friend to many a commuter and charmed many a visitor to Tacoma and Vashon Island.

The Rhododendron as she appears today.  Special thanks to Matt Masuoka for the wonderful photos!

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