By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Alaska Marine Highway summer schedule released Tuesday shows the M/V Columbia stopping in Sitka once a week, alternating between Monday and Tuesday, from May until September.
Sailing directions will alternate between northbound and southbound on a biweekly basis.
While AMHS had intended to operate both the Columbia and Kennecott this summer, that plan was canceled because of the shortage of qualified crew, a Department of Transportation press release said.
“This schedule is different from the Summer of 2022, as challenges with hiring skilled crew prevent AMHS from running both the Kennecott and the Columbia at the same time. The May 1 through Sept. 30 schedule represents a baseline service that will be increased as AMHS crewing improves,” Tuesday’s announcement stated. “To provide the most reliable service to Alaskans, the 2023 summer schedule will include the M/V Columbia, the M/V LeConte, and the M/V Hubbard as the primary vessels servicing Southeast Alaska.”
The Columbia reentered service this year for the first time since 2019, and will stop in Sitka at least once a week, alternating between northbound and southbound routes, until the summer schedule goes into effect in May.
Between the Columbia and LeConte, most Southeast communities are set to receive weekly sailings through the summer, but with the Kennecott tied up, no sailings are scheduled on the routes to Yakutat or Prince Rupert.
Ferry schedules are posted online at https://dot.alaska.gov/amhs/schedules.shtml.
Summer bookings are open now at https://bookamhs.alaska.gov/book/sailing-search/journeySearch/.
