The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Ferries Division will move the 90-car ferry Sealth this afternoon, Wednesday, August 6, to Anacortes to replace the 144-car Elwha while necessary repairs are made to the Elwha’s propulsion system. The Sealth has been on stand-by at the Ferries Division’s Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility. The Sealth is expected to arrive in Anacortes in time to make the scheduled 6:50 p.m. sailing to Lopez and .
At 8:00 a.m., Aug. 6, the Elwha temporarily lost steering due to a problem with the propulsion control system. The vessel resumed use of the propulsion system on one end and was able to make it to Anacortes under its own power. The Elwha is out of service until later this week while repairs to the propulsion control cooling system are made.