Southeast would go a week without mainline ferry service at the end of November as the Alaska Marine Highway System transitions between ships for its winter schedule.
But seven days without the weekly northbound and southbound return voyage between Bellingham, Washington, and Southeast is painless when compared to much longer service gaps in Prince William Sound and Southwest Alaska under the draft fall and winter schedule.
Cordova and Valdez would be left without any ferry service October 1st through March 5th while the Aurora is in the shop for its annual winter maintenance and to replace rusted steel.
Kodiak, Homer and other towns on the Gulf of Alaska would go without service for almost four months — January 15th through May 1st — as the Tustumena heads into the shipyard for winter work.
The state ferry system has always used the winter months, when ridership is lower, to pull ships out of service for annual maintenance, but a lack of crew and fewer ships in operating condition have led to longer gaps in fall, winter and spring service.
The Marine Highway System released its draft fall and winter schedule for public comment last week. The schedule covers sailings from October 1st to April 30th.
Under the draft schedule, the Bellingham-to-Southeast run would stop in Wrangell northbound every Sunday, with a return southbound stop every Wednesday — that’s been the schedule for years.
There would be a week of no service when the Columbia heads to the shipyard at the end of November. It would take a week for the Kennicott to be staffed and readied to pick up the mainline route, according to a spokesman for the Marine Highway System.
