Tag Archives: Washington State Ferries

How Often Are You on That Late Ferry?

Speaking of ferries after dark, as we did in the previous post, how about telling us how often you’re on it by voting to the right.

For myself, I probably would do the 6-10 entry, figuring in a few Mariners games, visits to family over there and other reasons to cross the pond.

My biggest complaint, since moving somewhere that the Bremerton boat was the best option, was the 10:30 p.m. return time from Seattle, followed by the 12:50 a.m. I don’t like leaving baseball games early. I don’t like leaving most things early, especially if I have bothered to go over to Seattle to participate.

One time Chris Dunagan and I went to a banquet over in Seattle. I was new to Bremerton, having lived in Poulsbo for three years and frequenting the Bainbridge Island trip. I had no idea 10:30 p.m. was my last chance to get back to Bremerton at a decent hour. Chris forgot, until it was too late. We boarded the 10:50 for Bainbridge and his wife was kind enough to drive to Bainbridge to come get us. I learned my lesson, but almost missed the boat back after a Mariners game ran long, back at a time when the Mariners mattered.

Vote in the poll on the right and weigh in here if you like.

Seattle Music Scene a Loser If Ferries Are Cut

Chris Kornelis at the Seattle Weekly has two blog posts that deal with the proposed cuts to the Bremerton ferry, eliminating any sailings past 9:05 p.m. Kornelis is making the case local leaders have not yet proven, that losing Bremerton’s business hurts Seattle.

These cuts would massively reduce the accessibility of Seattle music to Bremertonians — and Seattle clubs’ access to their wallets — and would be devastating loss to show-goers in the ferry-dependent community. It would be a huge loss for the Seattle music community as well.

In the second piece Kornelis speaks exclusively with Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie. Gibbard grew up here, went to Olympic High School and was a regular traveler to pick up shows in Seattle.

“As a native Bremertonian, it’s really unfortunate to me that Bremerton continues to get the short end of the stick,” Gibbard says. “We grew up always having the busted ferry. Whenever Bainbridge Island got a new ferry, we got the hand-me-downs. (This proposal is) a further kind of indication of how much political influence the affluent West Side suburbs have, that they are relatively immune to this part of the budget cuts, and Bremerton as usual has to take Bainbridge Island’s leftovers.”