Noticing unusual state ferry activity across the Sound? M/V Tacoma stalls, M/V Sealth tows

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news

1:19 PM: Water-watchers know the regular Bainbridge and Bremerton Washington State Ferries routes by heart, so it’s not hard to see when something digresses from the usual pattern. Right now, M/V Sealth has diverted from the Bremerton route to go check out trouble reported with M/V Tacoma, which is reported to be stalled by Bainbridge Island. You can track both via WSF’s VesselWatch.

1:26 PM: Update via Kitsap Sun reporter Josh Farley on Twitter:

The Bremerton ferry is going to tow the Bainbridge ferry, which is adrift in the water: pic.twitter.com/DpqFd6xaxp photo by @Van_Bad

— joshfarley (@joshfarley) July 29, 2014

The person whose photos he has re-tweeted is Van Badzik, who also tweeted this:

Starting the tow. pic.twitter.com/wn0Xlv1yxW

— Van Badzik (@Van_Bad) July 29, 2014

That’s West Seattle in the backdrop, east of where the ferry-towing is happening alongside Bainbridge.

1:39 PM: As noted in comments, and also now reported by the Kitsap Sun, the tug Thea Foss is headed over to help.

2:46 PM: The Tacoma is en route to Bainbridge to offload. WSF says the Bainbridge/Seattle run is one boat only TFN.

flynlo July 29, 2014 (1:27 pm)

Foss tug just steaming out of Elliot Bay, headed in the direction right now!

flynlo July 29, 2014 (1:40 pm)

Tug has arrived, can’t tell if they have “handed of the tow”. Coast Guard cutter standing by and another Coast Guard boat headed in that direction.

William July 29, 2014 (2:02 pm)

By design, Washington State’s ferries have limited ability to drop an anchor and no way to retrieve one. This is because it was thought they would never lose all power. I guess they never heard of Murphy’s Law.

Bill on Duwamish Head July 29, 2014 (2:14 pm)

Uh Oh!
I think this is going to impact my getting on the 7:20 for dinner over at Bainbridge.

WSB July 29, 2014 (2:40 pm)

Bill – I’ve been offline for a bit but just noted that Seattle-Bainbridge is on a one-boat schedule TFN. Kingston-Edmonds is suggested as an alternative but of course it’ll be busy … http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/schedule/bulletin.aspx

XXX July 29, 2014 (3:13 pm)

What the heck is TFN?

Franci July 29, 2014 (3:41 pm)

@xxx

TFN = Till Further Notice

kevin July 29, 2014 (3:44 pm)

@XXX

“Until further notice” or “till further notice”

miws July 29, 2014 (3:48 pm)

XXX, “TFN”=”Til Further Notice”.

Mike

XXX July 29, 2014 (4:33 pm)

Thanks… Which leads me to wonder why “until further notice” wasn’t written in the first place…

WSEA July 29, 2014 (4:38 pm)

I would not be standing in front of the rope/cable once they start moving. If the rope snapped, watch out. I’ve experienced it first hand when towing an object.

William July 29, 2014 (5:51 pm)

I agree with WSEA. The lines they are using for a tow rope have never been sized for the job they put them to. WSF was just plain lucky a line did not snap and take someone’s head off.