After you board the ferry, park your car and walk upstairs to relax, the deck hands of the Washington State Ferry System continue to work, cramming every vehicle they can onto the boat.

On Tuesday, July 13 the 3:45 p.m. from Anacortes was on overload, and the next ferry wasn’t until 7 p.m. Due to the dedication and compassion of our WSF employees, 18 vehicles on overload were put on the ferry. Each of us on overload really wanted to get home. I had a dog who just got out of surgery, others had groceries getting warm, there was a mother with her three small children, a retired couple coming back from a long trip, and a tradesman with a load of supplies. We all got on and only the last few of us witnessed the effort of loading those cars.

There have been some incidents of locals losing their patience and behaving badly towards ferry workers. Travel can be frustrating, but it is important to remember the efforts made, and the extreme amount of patience our ferry workers posses to deal with locals, tourists, and a big government employer.

Thank you to the men and women of the Washington State Ferry System, we don’t say it enough!

Mindy Kayl

Orcas Island