Tag: kennicott
Kennicott Running Behind Schedule Due to Weather
by Jenny Chissus
UPDATE: Received word from the Seldovia City office (thanks to Jen Giles) that the Kennicott is now approximately 12 hours behind schedule due to high winds and hazardous seas.
Please take note of the following changes to the upcoming arrival and departure times for Seldovia. I have posted the departure and arrival times for Homer as well for your convenience. The scheduled sailing for Monday, October 7th has been pushed back to TUESDAY, October 8th arriving at 1:45 AM and departing at 3:00 AM.
The hope is that the Kennicott will be back on her regular schedule by the Saturday, October 12th sailing as follows.
Please take note, and be sure to contact the city office or AMHS main office to confirm your sailing date and reservations. Obviously, we will be hoping to see the Tusty back in Seldovia as showing on this AMHS calendar below!
Kennicott Reschedules September and October Stops for Seldovia
by Jenny Chissus
I just received word from the Seldovia City office (thanks to Jen Giles) that the Kennicott is approximately 30 hours behind schedule due to high winds and hazardous seas out by Unalaska.
Please take note of the following changes to the upcoming arrival and departure times for Seldovia.
The scheduled sailing for Saturday, September 28th has been cancelled and rescheduled for Monday, September 30th arriving at 12:45 AM and departing at 2:00 AM.
The scheduled sailing for Saturday, October 5th has also been cancelled and rescheduled for Monday, October 7th arriving at 1:30 PM and departing at 2:45 PM.
The hope is that the Kennicott will be back on her regular schedule by the Saturday, October 12th sailing. Please take note, and be sure to contact the city office or AMHS main office to confirm your sailing date and reservations. Obviously, we will be hoping to see the Tusty back in Seldovia – maybe by the end of October?
Sparse Visits To Seldovia by AMHS in June
by Jenny Chissus
OK, this is looking rather bleak for Seldovia. Just last week, we were looking at the schedule, and it appeared as though the Tustumena would make the return to service for the month of June – coming into our community a total of 8 times, in addition to serving Seldovia 3 times by the Kennicott, including service to Seldovia on the 4th of July!
The latest news, confirmed by looking at the calendar on the AMHS website (see below) is very disheartening for Seldovians and folks looking to come into Seldovia for a visit or summer returning residents of our community. With only two “middle of the night” sailings into Seldovia for the whole month of June – it is essential that you plan accordingly! If you have a vehicle on the “wrong” side for your future plans – please be sure to make your reservations and plan ahead!
Rod Hilts is heading over to the town hall meeting in Homer tonight that is hosting Senator Peter Micciche sen.peter.micciche@akleg.gov and our Representative Paul Seaton rep.paul.seaton@akleg.gov to voice the Seldovia Chamber of Commerce’s concern with this lack of transportation service to our community for the month of June. With only three sailings in May – this has been a tough time for transportation this year to Seldovia.
In addition to moving the Chainsaw Carving Competition from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend (partly because of the lack of ferry service) we have two additional events this year that are going to be hard hit by this schedule change: The Summer Solstice Music Festival – since the beginning of the festival is always kicked off with a Jam Session on the Tusty in route to Seldovia on Thursday, and the 4th of July, as the Chamber has selected “Celebrating AMHS 50 years of service” and we won’t be seeing the AMHS in Seldovia for the 4th as was previously scheduled.
We are thankful for the great service of the Alaska Marine Highway to Seldovia – but we are hopeful that the “powers that be” can empathize with us regarding the negative impact on our community (and others) due to this serious lack of service for half of our summer season, and come up with some better alternatives with the Kennicott while the Tusty is in dry dock for repairs and maintenance.
Perhaps on the 14th and the 28th the Kennicott could stop into Seldovia on their way to Homer in the mornings? Then stop by again on the way out of Homer on her way to Kodiak on the 15th and 29th? That way, folks could schedule some turn around times… just a thought!
If you have any further comments or thoughts, great ideas, etc., please feel free to contact Kerri Traudt, the Vessel Schedule Coordinator for the Alaska Marine Highway System.
907-228-7253 telephone
907-228-1513 fax
Kennicott to Provide Aleutian Chain Service
Press Release Contact: Jeremy Woodrow, 907-465-8994, Jeremy.Woodrow@alaska.gov
(JUNEAU, Alaska) –The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) today announced that the M/V Kennicott will sail the Aleutian chain run this spring in relief of the M/V Tustumena.
The M/V Tustumena will be delayed resuming service due to additional necessary repairs discovered during its Federal Capital Improvement Project this winter. The ferry, which normally sails the “chain run,” was scheduled to begin service April 20. AMHS now estimates the vessel to begin service in June.
“It’s unfortunate that the Tustumena will be delayed providing service to the chain this spring,” said AMHS General Manager Captain John Falvey. “Our staff will do the best we can to accommodate affected travelers, communities and businesses.”
The M/V Kennicott, which normally sails between Bellingham, Wash. and Southcentral Alaska, will sail a modified spring schedule to accommodate affected travelers throughout the region. The new sailing schedule for the M/V Kennicott will include one Aleutian chain run in April and another in May. The ferry will also provide service to Kodiak to support the May crab festival. AMHS staff is in the process of rebooking passengers and an updated schedule will be available online within the week.
Due to the size of the M/V Kennicott, the ferry will not be able to sail in relief to Akutan, False Pass, Chignik, Ouzinkie, Old Harbor and Port Lions.
“The Tustumena is truly a unique vessel and no other ferry in the state is capable of serving all of the communities that it calls on,” said Captain Falvey. “Fortunately the Kennicott can provide some relief while we work to get the Tustumena back online as soon as possible
An updated schedule will be available online within the week at FerryAlaska.com where travelers may book their travel on the rerouted ferry. AMHS staff is contacting affected passengers; for more information, please call your local terminal or the AMHS central reservations office at 1-907-465-3941 or toll free at 1-800-642-0066.
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities oversees 255 airports, 11 ferries serving 35 communities, 5,619 miles of highway and 720 public facilities throughout the state of Alaska. The mission of the department is to “Get Alaska Moving through service and infrastructure.”
Kennicott Docks Port Side
by Jenny Chissus
Today, the Kennicott came in forward to our dock in Seldovia. Living directly across from the Ferry Dock, this was an unusual sight! Apparently, the starboard door is not functioning, so the ship needed to dock on the port side – which obviously limits the ability for larger vehicles to embark or disembark. The end of our pier doesn’t have enough room to maneuver for larger vehicles.
Fortunately, because of a group effort, the Crabpot Grocery’s delivery was made possible with the help from three smaller trucks! They had to fly in their perishables to preserve the quality – so stop by the Crabpot and support our local grocer who had to jump through extra hoops today!
AMHS Ferry Schedule Update
The Alaska Marine Highway has released the schedule for their arrival in Seldovia. Originally, the ferry was to arrive on Friday morning, but instead it will arrive in Seldovia on Saturday evening, January 5th at 10:00pm for a departure to Homer at 11:30pm. The ferry will do a quick turn around in Homer (leaving Homer Sunday morning around 6:15am) and arriving in Seldovia at 7:45am, Sunday January 6th. The AMHS ferry will leave Seldovia for Kodiak at 9:15am on Sunday.
To Recap:
- Kennicott arrives in Seldovia at 10:00pm Saturday night, January 5th
- Departs for Homer at 11:30pm Saturday night, January 5th
- Kennicott returns from Homer at 7:45am Sunday morning, January 6th
- Departs for Kodiak at 9:15am Sunday morning, January 6th
Seldovia Time
