Explainer

The Past and Future of Washington’s Ferries

From the mosquito fleet of yore to the hybrid ships to come.

08/12/2024 By Ryan Packer

Cool Under Pressure

Inside the Cockpit During the Alki Beach Plane Crash

A Cessna's plunge near one of Seattle's most populated beaches could have been a disaster if not for the grace of a veteran pilot.

07/28/2022 By Benjamin Cassidy

Island Time

How to Get to Victoria, BC, by Boat or Plane

Journey to a land of afternoon tea and poutine for dinner.

06/28/2022 By Allison Williams

Not Carding

A Fare-Free Weekend Ushers in a New ORCA Card System

Riding public transit in Seattle is more enticing on Saturday and Sunday.

05/13/2022 By Benjamin Cassidy

ICYMI

Lego Trafficking at Pike Place Market and Other Odd Seattle News

A Nobel Prize auction and signs declaring the end of the internet highlight a weird past few months.

02/23/2022 By Benjamin Cassidy

News Wire

Crew Shortages Rock Washington State Ferries

A new schedule that debuts Saturday will cut back on the number of boats servicing the Puget Sound region.

10/15/2021 By Benjamin Cassidy

Free Wheeling

How to Get Around Seattle without a Car

Options range from high-end car services to that scooter you saw tossed in the bushes down the street.

09/22/2021 By Allison Williams

The Long Game

Big Changes Are Coming to Colman Dock

More riders. Old boats. New challenges. Once every decade Washington takes a hard look at the future of waterway transportation.

04/23/2019 By Rosin Saez

Seafaring 101

The Bare-Bones Basics to Riding a Ferry

What every passenger should know before embarking.

04/23/2019 By Rosin Saez

The Game Changers

Seattle's Marine Transit Evolves as the Population Booms

From high-speed commuter boats to the future of hybrid-electric ferries.

04/23/2019 By Rosin Saez

Name That Boat

How to Identify Every Boat in Washington's Ferry Fleet

What's in a (ferry's) name? A whole lot of planning, apparently.

04/23/2019 By Rosin Saez

On the Big Screen

6 Dark Cinematic Takes on Washington State Ferries

Charting Hollywood’s increasingly grim interpretations of our beloved vessels.

04/23/2019 By Stefan Milne

There and Back Again

Zigzag Across the Puget Sound and Beyond

Twenty terminals. Ten routes. How to travel the region by ferry.

04/23/2019 By Rosin Saez

Food Fight

The Ultimate Ferry Food Dining Matrix

Plain bag of potato chips. Local craft beer. Here's what to eat while topside.

04/23/2019 By Rosin Saez

Brawl on a Boat

The Biggest Riot on a Ferry You've Never Heard Of

The infamous story of punks gone wild.

04/23/2019 By Rosin Saez

Essay

Life at 15 Knots: Coming of Age Aboard a Ferry

Growing up, Rosin Saez took the ferry to get away. Now it brings her home.

04/23/2019 By Rosin Saez

Employee Exodus

With Droves of Workers Retiring, What's in Store for Our Ferry Future?

Employees at every level are getting ready to clock out for the last time.

04/23/2019 By Rosin Saez

Profiles at Sea

Four People You Meet on a Ferry

A few of the folks who keep your boat afloat.

04/23/2019 By Jaime Archer Photography by Lauren Segal

Nautical Niceties

The 10 Washington Ferry Rider Commandments

Thou shalt follow social etiquette or risk getting duly called out on the boat’s PA system.

04/23/2019 By Rosin Saez

The Sound and the Ferry

An Abridged Account of Puget Sound's Maritime Past

However drastically fleets have changed over the years, they've always been a steadfast icon in Seattle history.

04/23/2019 By Rosin Saez and Anne Dennon