A recently launched
inter-island ferry service was laid up in Wrangell last
weekend after its landing craft experienced engine trouble, and is not expected to resume its schedule until the end of the month.
“We noticed low oil pressure in the port gearbox,” explained Rainforest Islands Ferry manager Kent Miller.
On closer inspection, he said the oil sealing rings and
port-side transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. Additional work is also being done to the lander’s starboard engine while in Wrangell.
The ferry had to cancel 130 reservations through the month’s end while repairs
are being made. Miller explained that while substitute service has been arranged for passengers inconvenienced by the disruption, accommodations could not be found for the vehicles scheduled to be transported.
Based in Coffman Cove, the North End Ferry Authority-managed service was planned to be a low-cost service
connecting communities on Wrangell, Mitkof and Prince of Wales islands. It is scheduled to run four times each week from spring through autumn, with a reduced schedule over the winter.
However, the three-stop ferry service has had a troubled start this year. Its 65-foot landing craft, the Rainforest Islander, had initially been
slated for completion in late May. The 24-year-old vessel was repurposed from a Haines lumber company craft, but delivery was delayed through the summer.
Service eventually began in late August, but then the
ferry encountered difficulty finding a suitable spot to land for its Wrangell vehicular
service. The harbor turned out to be too narrow to maneuver at the planned-for location at Shoemaker Bay, and the subsequent use of the ramp in Reliance Harbor has proven tricky due to its sharp slope at low tide.
At those times, the service has been able to deliver
foot traffic at the seaplane dock near the harbormaster’s office, but the variable destination has made it confusing for
passengers hoping to board or disembark in Wrangell.
Wrangell’s Port Commission surveyed several alternative sites around the island.
Miller said the outfit is
currently in the application process with the Alaska Department of Transportation to make use of its seaplane ramp at the airport.
While resumption of the
service has been tentatively set for Oct. 30, repairs are
awaiting shipment of the
necessary parts. The ferry will keep passengers updated through its website as progress is made.
“We’ll keep updating that with information as we go along,” said Miller.
The site is at http://www.rainforestislandsferry.com.
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