The first draft of the summer ferry schedule has been in the media.

It’s important to point out that there is always a big difference between the first draft ferry schedule and the final schedule. This happens every time and is what our Ferry Advisory Committee is tasked to accomplish: to take the draft WSF proposes and work with them to adapt it to our needs.

Recent Coast Guard and union rule changes have made keeping the schedules we’ve become used to a challenge to maintain. If we make something different happen in the morning, like getting the 8:10 a.m. mainland boat we’re accustomed to, which wasn’t in the first draft spring schedule, we ended up losing the 6:30 p.m. return. Push on one end and something pops out on the other, which is why we describe this as a puzzle. Just so many boats, crew shifts, and the many routes in our islands.

Now that we know the Coast Guard and union rule changes, we need to consider those parameters along with the needs and preferences of our ferry riders. So, we want to know your ferry travel priorities and preferences in general, along with your specific responses to the draft schedule.

Accommodating your input is not a promise, but you stand a better chance if our Ferry Advisory Committee at least knows about your needs.

Send “ferry comments” to council@sanjuanco.com, 378-2898, or 350 Court St. No. 1, Friday Harbor 98250.

Howie Rosenfeld
Member
San Juan County Council and Ferry Advisory Committee