Kachemak Bay Ferry in Planning

Seldovia Native Association has been designated as project manager over the $2 million US Department of Interior grant awarded to the Seldovia Village Tribe. The grant is for organizing, planning, and developing daily ferry service between Homer, Seldovia, Halibut Cove and Port Graham, with consideration for Nanwalek and Jakolof Bay.

The vast government relations experience of Mark Hickey will be tapped in his new role as project liaison with the Department of Transportation and the Alaska Marine Highway System.

Pacific Marine Technical of Bainbridge Island, Washington was awarded the contract for community outreach, design recommendations and a financial feasibility study. The company has extensive Alaskan Ferry construction experience, having worked with the Inter-Island Ferry Authority, the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Airport Ferry, and the Alaska Marine Highway System.

A Steering Committee has been formed with representation from all of the Kachemak Bay communities and the Kenai Peninsula Borough. After the preliminary scope has been defined, the first order of business will be to reach out to the affected Kachemak Bay communities by holding public meetings.

The team will present a preliminary plan to build a daily ferry, listen to citizen concerns, and get their opinion as to what type of vessel would best fit the needs of the entire Kachemak Bay area. A draft summarization of findings will be published, and written comments will be sought on the desired ferry operational capabilities.

"The biggest concern right now," suggests SNA CEO Michael Beal, "is narrowly defining the needs of the ferry, which will drive the design. We would prefer to go with an aluminum vessel because of the inherent advantages of 40% better gas mileage and speeds to 30 knots, plus you don't have to paint or scrape barnacles. Every boat owner knows that maintenance costs add up quickly. A steel boat has more strength, but offers only half the speed of an aluminum vessel, and has all the maintenance issues that go with steel.

"We are also considering alternatives to the Lockheed-Martin model, because after touring the shipyards of the Pacific Northwest we are no longer convinced that their cutting edge technology is the best application for Kachemak Bay. We don't want to get stuck with a million dollar repair bill, if something goes wrong with the first vessel built in a new design."

The Kachemak Bay Ferry team toured the Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, Dakota Creek Industries, Kvichak Marine Industries, Kitsap Catamarans, and Todd Pacific Shipyards in October. A tour of the Sitka and Ketchikan shipyards is currently being scheduled.

"We are looking for a solid builder who is renowned for their exceptional work product," explains junior project manager Chance Collier. "We haven't ruled out building in Alaska, but our goal is getting a qualified vessel that will serve Seldovia for twenty years, not procuring work for Southeast shipyards."

In November, the team attended Florida's MarineLog Ferries conference to hear presentations by Deputy Commissioner Robin Taylor on Reshaping Alaska's Ferry System; Choosing the Right Vessel for the Right Route; and Loren Gerhard on Alaska's Inter-Island Ferry Authority: It's History, Performance, and New Developments.

The City of Seldovia has yet to award the contract for a consultant to assist the City with planning and organizing a Title 29 Municipal Port Authority. The Port Authority will design a system that satisfies the needs of Kachemak Bay communities, regional transportation markets, and will encourage economic development in small isolated rural communities.

Beal suggests there will be no need for an Environmental Impact Statement, as Seldovia can rely on a recent E.I.S. completed for the Anchorage-Mat-Su ferry project, which had a finding of no significant impact.

Seldovia's Nuka Research & Planning Group has been contracted to complete an Environmental Assessment, and to work with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Highway Administration, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, US Environmental Protection Agency, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

The Kachemak Bay Ferry team will work with community residents and archeological research services to ensure the protection of culturally significant areas and artifacts in the project area.