| Nothing new here folks... Given his past take on things, is anyone really surprised?. Coastal lawmakers criticize Dunleavy’s ferry budget proposal Yeah, that's the Wickersham. Yes, she's long gone. But I still liked her best. Author's collection. |
| The Tacoma Hotel "Occupying an entire city block on A Street, between South 9th and 10th Streets, the Tacoma Hotel and grounds quickly gained a reputation as the grandest hotel north of San Francisco. After a spectacular fire destroyed the hotel in 1935 the site was paved and used for parking. A half century later, George and Jane Russell constructed a custom granite building there. Today the site is occupied by State Farm Insurance, which partially funded this exhibit." --Tacoma Historical Society. Another one of Washington's great hotels lost to fire, the Tacoma was (thankfully) fairly well documented in postcards and photographs. The "Mermaid Room" was the hotel's lobby, filled with dragons and artwork with an Asian flair. This hand-tinted postcard would indicate that it was finished in deep greens and gold gilt. Take a look HERE at the Tacoma Historical Society's online exhibit of that beautiful, now long gone building that once graced the Tacoma skyline. |
| You won't have Mukilteo to Kick Around Anymore... ..because it now has the newest terminal building in the system. This should give you an idea of just how old the previous terminal was--this photo is so early into Washington State Ferry operations that the Chetzemoka is only half-painted--note her guards are still painted black and all her trim is Black Ball buff--only her smokestacks are WSF green! There had been some upgrades to it over the years, but it was basically the same and long past replacing. The new, state-of-the-art terminal in addition to being built to anticipate rising sea levels in Puget Sound has solar panels on the roof and provides its own power. Author's collection. |
| Yikes and away! Another new B.C. Ferry is launched half a world away. BC Ferries' new LNG-fuelled Salish Class vessel enters water The Queen of Surrey circa 1995. Author's collection. |
| And here's what it looks like... (Hint: I need a photo of the new terminal.) But at least we're planning for the future. You’ll be 2 feet higher when boarding the Mukilteo ferry Artwork of the new terminal courtesy of WSDOT. |
| Laurentic (1927)--White Star Line's Oddball She may have looked like a near sister to the Doric, but the Laurentic was a strange vessel from the start. Firstly, it seems she was ordered before her older near sister, but built four years later. She had a cruiser stern, but unlike the Doric which was one of White Star Line's only turbine vessels, the Laurentic was built with the same propulsion system as the Olympic, built some sixteen years earlier. Most perplexing, at a time when the entire industry was either building new vessels to burn oil or converting their older liners, the Laurentic was fitted out to burn coal. The reason for these strange diversions? She was built on the cheap. White Star was short on cash but needed new tonnage, so everything was done to make the intermediate liners cost efficient in their construction. The company still had grand plans for the 1000 foot super liner Oceanic at this point, and wanted all fund going toward that. That project never happened, but the twin cabin class liners Britannic (III) and Georgic (II) did get built. Still, while built inexpensively, she was still a handsome ship, inside and out. You can find some interior postcards and a little more history on the vessel, one of White Star Line's last, here. |
| COVID-19 Schedule "Until further Notice" ANACORTES - SAN JUAN ISLANDS YAKIMA - SEALTH - CHELAN TILLIKUM (Inter-island) ANACORTES - SIDNEY Suspended until who knows when. PORT TOWNSEND - KEYSTONE (COUPEVILLE) SALISH MUKILTEO - CLINTON (COLUMBIA BEACH) TOKITAE SUQUAMISH EDMONDS - KINGSTON WALLA WALLA SPOKANE SEATTLE - BAINBRIDGE ISLAND (WINSLOW) PUYALLUP TACOMA SEATTLE - BREMERTON KALEETAN CHIMACUM SOUTHWORTH -VASHON - FAUNTLEROY KITTITAS CATHLAMET POINT DEFIANCE - TAHLEQUAH CHETZEMOKA IN THE YARD WENATCHEE CATHLAMET SAMISH KENNEWICK AWAITING DISPOSAL ELWHA KLAHOWYA HYAK |
A nice RPPC of Laurentic when she was new. Author's collection. |
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| (Previous Day Room) |