Washington State Ferries forced to cancel several sailings due to staff shortage

Ferry cancelations due to staff shortage

Multiple ferries are canceled due to staffing shortages.

ANACORTES, Wash. - Due to staff shortages, Washington State Ferries had to cancel several sailings to and from San Juan Islands on Wednesday. Later that night, officials announced more cancelations for Thursday.

Here are Thursday's canceled sailings:

5:30 a.m. Anacortes to Orcas
6:45 a.m. Orcas to Shaw
7:00 a.m. Shaw to Lopez
7:30 a.m. Lopez to Anacortes
8:30 a.m. Anacortes to Friday Harbor
9:55 p.m. Friday Harbor to Lopez
10:40 a.m. Lopez to Anacortes
11:55 a.m. Anacortes to Lopez
12:45 p.m. Lopez to Friday Harbor
1:55 p.m. Friday Harbor to Anacortes

Several drivers waited in lines Wednesday for hours at the Anacortes Terminal hoping to catch the next available ride.

"There’s no reliable scheduling information right now. So, the thing is you just have to show up and wait," said Randal Sexton waiting to go home after an urgent medical appointment in Seattle.

WSF officials said there wasn’t enough Coast Guard Documented Crew Members to continue Wednesday’s services on the No.1 Chelan ferry. A spokesperson further explained the staff shortage has been an ongoing issue since this spring.

Washington State Ferries cancels 16 sailings

Some ferry commuters could be in for some rough waters. That's because the ferry system announces they canceled 16 sailings.

The following were Wednesday cancelations:

5:30 a.m. Anacortes to Orcas
6:45 a.m. Orcas to Shaw
7:00 a.m. Shaw to Lopez
7:30 a.m. Lopez to Anacortes
8:30 a.m. Anacortes to Friday Harbor
9:55 p.m. Friday Harbor to Lopez
10:40 a.m. Lopez to Anacortes
11:55 a.m. Anacortes to Lopez
12:45 p.m. Lopez to Friday Harbor
1:55 p.m. Friday Harbor to Anacortes
3:40 p.m. Anacortes to Shaw
4:35 p.m. Shaw to Orcas
5:15 p.m. Orcas to Anacortes
6:30 p.m. Anacortes to Shaw
7:25 p.m. Shaw to Orcas
7:50 p.m. Orcas to Anacortes

WSF said travelers with reservations on any of Wednesday’s canceled routes would have priority on the later sailings on a first come, first serve basis. It’s one reason why so many people who live and work on the islands showed up to the terminal early to get their spot on a ferry. Some said the cancellation caused a major inconvenience in their travels.

"I have health issues that I have to deal with and so does my family. So, when this becomes unreliable it has a really big impact on our lives," said Sexton.

Also waiting in line was Ken Balcomb with the Center for Whale Research. He has been following the southern resident Orcas for more than 40 years. Balcomb said the ferry system is a very important part of his work routine.

"I study whales and I have a boat. That’s my plan b is to take the boat, weather permitting," said Balcomb.

With the choppy weather, Balcomb said he decided to "just wing it" by taking the ferry instead of his boat. He waited in the ferry line for more than three hours.

"I take a little nap, and I read the news and I check on the whale reports. There’s humpbacks off the San Juans," said Balcomb. "I’m a pretty patient person. I figure I can survive up to 15 hours in a ferry line, if I have to."

With the staff shortage causing several cancellations, many people wondered if it was a sign of things getting worse before getting better as state workers move closer to the vaccine mandate deadline.

"Just learn to live with this. Might be the future here that we’re suffering shortages of everything," said Balcomb.

WSF said more than 90 percent of employees are vaccinated, and verification report numbers continue increasing daily.

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