EDMONDS, Wash. — Washington officials are asking boaters to exercise caution around ferries during the busy summer season, preventing costly and potentially dangerous conflicts for the craft.
“Stay out of our way, OK? We really do try and stay out of theirs, share the waterways best we can,” Captain Bob Merideth said. “The fact is it takes a long time to stop.”
Merideth is the captain of the M/V Spokane, which runs the Edmonds-Kingstone ferry route.
Just in one crossing, Merideth saw multiple smaller boats cut in front of the ferry, forcing them to slow down once.
“If you’re trying to beat a ferry in its path, that’s a significant problem,” Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police Sergeant Erik Olson said. “There could be significant consequences, deadly consequences quite honestly.”
Sgt. Olson said the department often gets calls about boaters encroaching on the ferries’ paths.
The pair also warned of another summer hazard: crab pots that are placed or drift into the path of the ferry.
“Crab pots are a real hazard for us,” Merideth said. “Crab pots are a lot of times out of our way, but a lot of times they get put where we navigate, especially coming into Bainbridge Island. They can cause real damage to the vessel.”
Merideth said the small lines can get tangled in the seal around the propeller shaft, leading to a costly repair in a drydock. This also takes the ship out of service, taxing the system.
Some lines can be cleared by a dive team, ferry officials said, but both are costly options.
Sgt. Olson said his officers will move or remove improperly placed pots and contact the owners. He also warned those placing crab pots to properly weight them, so they don’t drift into a poor location.
“Putting a crab pot in a ferry lane or sitting in a ferry lane congesting that waterway fishing or recreational boating in general, is unlawful,” Sgt. Olson said. “And it is up to the person operating that vessel or deploying that gear to know.”