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The Dark Days of Autumn Are Upon Us...

MYSTERY FERRY ANSWER FOR OCTOBER This one was another stumper, but not surprising--the S.S. Solduc (which means "magical waters" has been gone for a very long time!.

Fall is upon us and with November the switch back to standard time hits us.  I don't mind fall--in fact I love the crisp, sunny days we get or the rainy days with a good pot of stew or soup simmering in the crock pot--but I really hate sunset hitting at about 4 PM.  The only highlight and often the best way to combat the early gloom is the plethora of holiday lights that start appearing after Thanksgiving.      My friend Matt Masuoka captured this great old neon sign--a lost art as far as I am concerned.  While neon can certainly be garish if overdone, in its heyday it really could be quite beauitful and elegant.  Never undervalue the appeal of kitsch either, and this particular sign--welcome in the gloomy days of November--is an excellent example! (Photo  courtesy of Matt Masuoka.)

IN REGULAR SERVICE MID-NOVEMBER! The new Chetzemoka is scheduled to be in service on the Port Townsend- (cough cough) Coupeville (that's Keystone to everyone else)  run  starting November 15th.  Photo courtesy of Zack Heistand.

The Ferry Photo of the Month... the mighty Evergreen State to the rescue!  Emory Lindgard of Freeland captured the Evergreen emerging from the fog on the Mukilteo-Clinton run after the Kittitas suffered mechanical issues and had to be pulled from service.  The aging Evergreen, which is scheduled to be retired in 2012 (I'll be surprised if that really happens, given there is nothing to replace her) has increasingly shown her value after being mothballed a few years back.  Has to be one of the shortest stints in mothballs for WSF, as the ferry has been in constant use for the last five years.

MYSTERY FERRY FOR NOVEMBER She had a very, very long life. The only vessel to work for Black Ball twice. EMAIL your answer here!

RARE FERRY PHOTO OF THE MONTH! The desperate situation at WSF is evident in this photo captured by Emory Lindgard.  When the Kittitas recently suffered a mechanical failure the only ferry the state had to call upon was the 34 car, 10 knot Hiyu.  Had the 144 car ferries been built, there wouldn't have been a three hour back up at the Mukilteo dock.

FINALLY!!!! The redheaded-stepchild of the ferry fleet, the ever-reliable Hyak, will be going into the shipyard in November for a long overdue paint job.  The ferry has actually garnered gasps from ferry patrons at her horrible condition, and the TLC is long overdue.

SAN JUAN ISLANDS

SAN JUANS INTER-ISLAND

ANACORTES-SIDNEY

PORT TOWNSEND-COUPEVILLE

Looking in need of a little TLC as well...    B.C. Ferries Queen of Burnaby is bathed in warm light with the rise of Turtleback Mountain on Orcas Island behind her.  Photo courtesy of Mike Bonkowski.

MUKILTEO-CLINTON

EDMONDS-KINGSTON

SEATTLE-BAINBRIDGE ISLAND

SEATTLE-BREMERTON

Moonrise over the Kittitas...     The Kittitas, normally a very dependable boat, suffered a mechanical issue with her propeller and had to be pulled out of service in October.  Photo courtesy of Emory Lindgard.

FAUNTLEROY-VASHON-SOUTHWORTH

POINT DEFIANCE-TAHLEQUAH

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

MAINTENANCE/ IN THE YARD

RESERVE

De plane!  De Plane!    A rare sight indeed as Paul Kemna captures a small airplaine being loaded onboard the Yakima.  Evident in the photo is the "half-job" paint the Yakima got this fall.  The upperworks, car deck and cabin were painted, but the curtain plating won't get done until next year.

The Day Room is brought to you by the Monty Burns Casino.

DAY ROOM ARCHIVES November 2009 December 2009 January 2010 February 2010 March 2010 April 2010 May 2010 June 2010 July 2010 August 2010 September 2010 October 2010 HOME

A real headscratcher...    Zack Heistand captures the piecemeal paintjob the Spokane recently got.  This recent approach WSF management has taken to maintain the vessels seems remarkably misguided.  Aside from the uneven weathering the paint will have, it makes the fleet look unnecessarily shabby.