The Point Defiance–Tahlequah ferry is a ferry route across Puget Sound between the Point Defiance ferry terminal in Tacoma and Tahlequah, Washington, on the southern tip of Vashon Island. 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. Point Defiance-Tahlequah is the shortest route in the system.
 Point Defiance ferry terminal | |
| Waterway | Dalco Passage (Puget Sound) |
|---|---|
| Route | Point Defiance–Tahlequah, Washington |
| Authority | Washington State Ferries (1951–present) |
| Travel time | 15 minutes (2011) |
| Connections at Tacoma | |
 | Pierce Transit |
 |  SR 163 |
| Connections at Vashon Island | |
| King County Metro |
Description
editThis ferry route is 1.7 miles long, with terminals at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma and on Vashon Island, at Tahlequah.[1]
Vessels
editUntil 1967, the wooden ferry Skansonia (capacity: 308 passengers, 32 autos) was regularly assigned to the route. In 1967, Skansonia, built in 1929, was replaced with Hiyu (capacity: 200 passengers, 40 autos), which had been built specifically for the route.[1] However, traffic soon outpaced the Hiyu, which was replaced by the Olympic and later the 48-car ferry MV Rhododendron. Since 2012, MV Chetzemoka has served the route.
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- Demoro, Harre, The Evergreen Fleet: A Pictorial History of Washington State Ferries, Golden West Books, San Marino CA (1971) ISBN 087095-037-1
- 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 ISBN 0-87564-220-9
External links
edit
Media related to Washington State Ferries at Wikimedia Commons
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