Guemes Island Ferry Out Of Service

As a reminder, the car ferry will go out of service after the 8:30 p.m. run Sunday, September 27, 2015. The passenger-only vessel, the Strait Arrow will be in operation for the 9:15 p.m. run and the 10:00 p.m. run Sunday night.

For more information, please call (360) 293-6433 or visit our website, at www.skagitcounty.net/ferry.

Reminder About Punch Cards

2015 FERRY FARE INCREASE UPDATE – 9/10/2015 On September 8, 2015, the Board of Skagit County Commissioners approved a fare increase for the Skagit County Ferry System. In accordance with Resolution R20150261, the new rates will go into effect October 1, 2015. The Board of Skagit County Commissioners also approved Resolution R20150262, temporarily establishing a one-time refund for unused portions of unexpired punch cards due to the 2015 fare increase. Unexpired punch cards may still be used until September 30, 2015. Originally, the County was going to stop the sale of punch cards, at the current rates, upon approval of the rate increase resolution on September 8, 2015. However, we were informed that this caught several folks off-guard who hadn’t had the chance to purchase punch cards to last until the rate increase becomes effective. Therefore, the County has decided to open back up the window during which folks can purchase punch cards. Please be aware that the County will stop selling punch cards, at the old rates, after Friday, September 18, 2015. So, if you need to get punch cards to last you until the new rates go into effect, please purchase them on or before September 18th. If you do not use these punch cards before September 30, 2015, you can apply for a refund through our Accounting office. You should know that we are asking for 30 days to process the refunds, and a check will be mailed to you for the refund amount. So, you may want to consider that when you are deciding whether or not to purchase a punch card between now and September 18. Beginning September 21, punch cards, at the new rates, will be available for purchase. When we stamp the expiration date on your new punch cards, we will take into consideration the fare increase implementation date, and the haul-out dates (for the vehicle and driver punch cards). More information will be available later this week regarding refunds for unused, unexpired punch cards.

2015 ferry haul-out from September 28 through October 25.

To improve reliability and protect capital improvement, Skagit County has adopted a maintenance program that includes a regular dry-docking of the vehicle and passenger ferry M/V Guemes. Work to be done during the haul-out period includes hull blasting and painting, zinc replacement, UT shots of the hull, removing, re-conditioning and re-installing outdrives and propellers, replacing one of the vessel’s hull plates, replacing the bilge system piping and other maintenance items. In addition, the M/V Guemes will be inspected by the US Coast Guard for its required dry dock credit.

The purpose of this notification is to announce the dates of the haul-out for planning purposes. More information on passenger-only service and transit service will be made available soon. For questions, please contact Rachel Rowe, at (360) 416-1400.

Captain Rachel Rowe

Ferry Operations Division Manager

Skagit County Public Works

Source Skagit County Public Works