Thank you for reporting on the WSF. I started riding in the early ’60’s, living in Edmonds and coming to the San Juans. I was employed after college in Seattle with the steamship business, finally retiring from a company that handled Japan Line (the largest shipping line in the world) and several other shipping lines from all over the world. I even knew some WSF crews, as many captains move to the Pilots Association, who locally pilot the foreign flag ships that visit the state terminals, in local waters.

In the last 50 years the number of ferries, crews, docks have remained mostly the same. The increase has been in management….several hundred percent and several state employees who have little or no experience in the maritimes. Our fares pay for these “management” people, who, unless they are truly upper end IQ’s…..do nothing. The original Mosquito fleet ferries ran closer to schedule, with very few management persons, for much less money (even with inflation adjustment), and prided themselves on the job they were doing as the state was not yet in the business.

A private business weighs its success on how much money is left on the table at the end of the month. WSF pays itself more as it hires more employees, so the continuing result is a larger and less efficient “company” with a larger cost they pass on to us.

Your articles and recently King 5 have continued to put a bright light in this dark corner and I for one would like to thank you.

Steve Rush

Eastsound