July 26th, 2003
Tugging a ferry
In many cities, crowds gather to watch construction crews. In Anacortes it is more common to see crowds gather on the waterfront, as was the case yesterday at the Port of Anacortes dock on the Guemes Channel. It was late afternoon when the crews of two Crowley tugs, the “Response” and the “Protector,” threw lines hooking up to the state ferry Yakima. The ferry had been tied up at the old Curtis Wharf, but was now ready for a move to drydock. A small crowd grew larger as the tugs jockeyed into position to slowly spin the ferry around before sliding it into the Dakota Creek drydock a few hundred yards away. A photo with people in the foreground shows the size of the three-deck vessel. The Yakima, 382 feet in length, was the longest vessel ever to go into Dakota Creek Industries’ drydock. In another photo, a tug crewman throws a line to someone on the ferry. In the third photo, the Yakima appears to be sticking out a giant tongue. The ferry was moved into the drydock shortly after 4 p.m.