Washington State Ferries is out with its winter schedule notes, though the schedule itself doesn’t kick in till two days after New Year’s Day. Read on:

The Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division (WSF) will begin operating on a winter schedule starting Sunday, Jan. 3 through March 27. The winter schedule brings a number of notable service changes to the Anacortes/San Juan Islands and Seattle/Bremerton routes, as well as the seasonal closure of the international route and the seasonal reduction to a two-boat weekend schedule on the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route.

WSF traditionally carries fewer passengers in the winter, so seasonal service adjustments are made to reduce costs.

* Winter weekend sailings on the Fauntleroy/Vashon/ Southworth route are less frequent than in the fall, with two vessels instead of three operating on Saturdays and Sundays.
* There is no ferry service between Anacortes and Sidney, B.C. during the winter schedule; international service resumes March 28.
* There are two different sailing schedules on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands routes during the winter: weekday and weekend. Starting Jan. 3, only three boats will operate on Saturdays and Sundays, while
the normal four boats will continue operating during the week.
* Another significant change from the fall schedule to the winter schedule in the San Juans is that the final weekday sailing of the evening from Anacortes to the islands has been moved from 7:25 p.m. to
8:55 p.m. and it will make all stops.

More detailed winter schedule information is available on the WSF Web site.

Several changes will also occur on the Seattle/Bremerton route:

* The route will return to its normal capacity the fifth week of December, with one 144-car vessel (the Hyak) and one 124-car vessel (the Kitsap). WSF temporarily increased capacity on the route in mid-September, but the availability of the larger vessels is limited during the winter vessel maintenance schedule.

* Beginning Jan. 3, the 124-car Kitsap will serve the 4:20 p.m. departure from Seattle. This popular sailing has typically been served by the larger of the two vessels on the route; however, due to schedule modifications, the smaller vessel will begin serving this afternoon sailing. The larger 144-car vessel will continue serving the popular 6:20 a.m. departure from Bremerton.

* Also starting Jan. 3, several morning and early afternoon sailing times will change. For example, the 9 a.m. departure from Bremerton moves to 8:45 a.m. For full details on all sailing times, please download a copy of the winter 2010 schedule from the WSF Web site.

WSF also reminds customers that there will be no ferry service on the Port Townsend/Keystone route on Saturday, Jan. 9, and Sunday, Jan. 10, to facilitate a required annual inspection on the Steilacoom II. Customers are advised to plan ahead, and use the Edmonds/Kingston and Mukilteo/Clinton ferries as an alternate route between the Olympic Peninsula and Whidbey Island.

Customers can view or download the winter 2010 schedule at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries. Printed schedules will be available at terminals and on vessels late next week. To sign up for free e-mail alerts about service disruptions and other route information, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/email_alerts.