November 15, 2011 - Just a Ferry Ride

A ride on a ferry is a perfectly fine thing to do when you are entertaining friends from out-of-town.  It is a perfect touristy thing to do.  An activity filled with the unique sights of the Pacific Northwest.  For many people that live in and around the Puget Sound a ferry ride is just another commute to and from work.  If you are one of those individuals it is probably easy to take for granted some fantastic sights seen on just a  ferry ride.

At the Edmonds ferry dock a trio of cormorants groom and warm themselves in the morning sun.

The Washington State Ferry M/V Hyak, and a bit of the Olympic Mountains, begins to emerge from a fog bank as it heads east towards Edmonds after leaving the Kingston ferry dock.  The Hyak is one of 22 ferries operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation.  A member of the Super Class ferries, third largest class, it is nearly 400 feet long and can carry up to 144 vehicles. 

Above the fog of Puget Sound a waning gibbous moon is visible.

A US Coast Guard Dolphin helicopter on maritime security patrol of the ferry runs makes a pass of the ferry M/V Puyallup.  Since 9/11 the Coast Guard has maintained a much greater presence in maritime security.  The HH-65A Dolphin was first introduced to the Coast Guard in 1985 to replace an aging fleet of HH-52A Sikorsky helicopters.  It is a variant of the French Eurocopter Dauphin.  The Dolphin is made of a corrosion resistant composite material.  The aircraft's autopilot system can bring it to a stable hover 50 feet over a designated spot.  The Coast Guard currently operates about 100 of these short range recovery helicopters primarily from 17 bases around the US.  This copter, 6574, operates out of Port Angeles, Washington.  

Near the Kingston ferry a sailboat sits at anchor in the fog...

...while another motors out to deeper waters.

Just a ferry ride.