
(‘Live’ camera image from Fauntleroy dock)
M/V Issaquah is already moored on Vashon Island, ready to take its position as the #3 boat on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth ferry run Monday morning, as Washington State Ferries officially restores three-boat service to the “Triangle Route.” It’s been a two-boat route for almost four years, and wasn’t expected to get a third boat now, until Gov. Bob Ferguson ordered WSF to pause its hybrid-electric conversion process, keeping a boat in service that otherwise would have dropped out. WSF announced in mid-April that June 30th would be the Triangle Route restoration date. But it also cautions, “There may be times when the route will shift back to two-boat service. Thanks to feedback from a community working group, Washington State Ferries has a new, updated two-boat schedule (use the drop-down menu at the top to view the other two segments of the route). This backup schedule will be used when the route loses a vessel. More information on these unplanned service disruptions can be found in WSF’s Service Contingency Plan.” There’ll be reduced capacity for a while later this summer, too, as we reported Thursday; WSF spokesperson Justin Fujioka told WSB that “Sealth is scheduled to replace Cathlamet for about a month starting in mid-August so Cathlamet can go in for some scheduled maintenance.” (Sealth is a 90-car boat, compared to the 124-car capacity Cathlamet.) The three-boat schedule, meantime, starts in the 4 am hour Monday morning.
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