Seattle–Bremerton Ferry

Seattle-Bremerton Ferry

240px Hyak boarding at Bremerton.
Waterway	Puget Sound
Route	Seattle – Bremerton, Washington
Authority	Washington State Ferries (1951-present).
System length	17 miles
Travel time	60 minutes (2011); 45 minutes (1968)
Connections at Bremerton
Road	25px Washington State Route 304

The Seattle-Bremerton ferry is a ferry route across Puget Sound between Seattle and Bremerton, Washington. Since 1951 the only ferries employed on the route have belonged to the Washington state ferry system, currently the largest ferry system in the United States.

History

Main article: Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet

The Seattle-Bremerton ferry was once known as the "Navy Yard Route”. Before ferry service, the route was served by steamships and steamboats, such as the Inland Flyer. The sternwheeler Bailey Gatzert, once considered one of the most prestigious vessels to operate on Puget Sound and the Columbia River, was converted to an automobile ferry and as such became the first ferry to run on the Seattle-Bremerton route. Another vessel to run on the route was the unique “streamlined” ferry Kalakala.

Current status

The route from Seattle departs from the Washington State Ferry Terminal on the central Seattle waterfront. Assigned to the route as of July 2013 were the Super-class ferry Kaleetan and Issaquah 130 class ferry Kitsap

See also

• Ferries in Washington State
• Washington State Ferries

References

• Demoro, Harre, The Evergreen Fleet – A Pictorial History of Washington State Ferries, Golden West Books, San Marino, CA (1971) ISBN 0-87095-037-1
• Kline, Mary S., and Bayless, G.A., Ferryboats -- A Legend on Puget Sound, Bayless Books, Seattle, WA (1983) ISBN 0-914515-00-4
• Newell, Gordon, R., ed., H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest, Superior Publishing, Seattle, WA (1966)