January 31st, 2025

State ferry Elwha sold into private sector

The state ferry Elwha, familiar to many Anacortes travelers, is going to a new home. Everett Ship Repair, a maintenance partner of Washington State Ferries, has purchased Elwha for $100,000.

According to Washington State Ferries (WSF), Western Towboat Co. tug Mariner, supplied by the new owner, was scheduled to move the Elwha from Bainbridge. You can track the tug’s progress in real time using MarineTraffic.

“The Elwha has been part of Washington State Ferry history since 1968, and we’re excited to see one of our ferries with so much history and memories for millions of passengers is being repurposed locally. It won’t be the Elwha we’ve all come to know and appreciate but I’m confident it’s in good hands with a local shipyard,” said WSF Assistant Secretary Steve Nevey.

Everett Ship Repair plans to modify and convert a ferry to a floating office and warehouse space at its shipyard.

The 144-car Elwha was one of four Super-class ferries built in the mid-1960s. Elwha mainly served the Anacortes/Friday Harbor/Sidney, British Columbia route before being retired April 8, 2020. Two super-class ferries, Kaleetan and Yakima, are still in service.

WSF hopes to sell and transfer two remaining retired boats, Klahowya and Hyak, to free more dock space at its Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility for planned and unplanned maintenance on its current fleet.

WSF, a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, is the largest ferry system in the U.S. and safely and efficiently carries tens of millions of people a year through some of the most majestic scenery in the world. For the latest service updates, sign up for rider alerts and track each ferry using the real-time map online.

Photo: 2020 photo, Ehwha in drydock at Dakota Creek Industries

Steve Berentson

About Photographer Steve Berentson

A fourth generation Skagit County native who was moved kicking and screaming from this island community in 1960. I finally reclaimed an Anacortes address in 1980, and I have been in constant celebration of my return since that time. Many of us who call Anacortes home love Fidalgo Island for its natural assets: among them are rugged beaches, pristine lakes, thousands of acres of forestland and some awesome views of the Skagit Valley and surrounding islands. Another element of my love affair with this community is its people, both natives and immigrants. They will “star” in many of my journal entries.

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