Island Ferry Delay: Repair Parts Arrive Late

Residents of Anderson Island and the Steilacoom waterfront lack their primary ferry link after the Steilacoom II suffered a mechanical failure. Service on the route stopped on Saturday. This disruption has left many islanders without a direct way to reach the mainland for several days.

Pierce County attributed the breakdown to a fault in the propulsion system. Specifically, the signal boards failed. The vessel's two backup boards also stopped working, creating an immediate need for repairs. The county noted that the parts were difficult to find in the United States. Officials ultimately sourced the components from a vendor in Canada.

A county announcement on Tuesday morning indicated that the replacement parts were expected to arrive that afternoon. The message stated that crews would begin testing the repairs once installed. By 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, the new parts were in place. Engineering teams started sea trials to verify the system was functioning correctly.

Despite the installation, the county said it did not have an estimated timeline for when full service would resume. The announcement acknowledged the hardship caused to residents. It described the effort to restore service as urgent but did not promise a specific date for the ferry's return.

Representative Mari Leavitt criticized the situation in a Facebook post. She called the lack of communication a failure in good government. Leavitt noted that residents were left wondering about updates. She emphasized that the ferry acts as a lifeline for people who need to meet commitments on the mainland.

Local officials and residents also raised concerns about election logistics. With Election Day approaching, some asked how ballots would be collected from the island. Washington's Secretary of State recommended mailing ballots more than a week before the vote. This timing creates a challenge for those without reliable transport.

The county explained why a backup vessel was not deployed. The other local ferry, the Christine Anderson, is currently in dry dock for maintenance. Washington State Ferries is a separate system and typically does not cover this route. The last time a state ferry operated this line was in 2008 under unique circumstances.

In that 2008 instance, the state ferry took over the route while the primary boat was in dry dock. The aging Rhododendron vessel, a former state ferry, was not approved by the Coast Guard for the rougher open waters of the Port Townsend route. It was instead offered to Pierce County. The current repair situation leaves the island without that historical backup option.