Port Townsend/Coupeville ferry route will continue one-boat service until June 20 due to a decline in ridership because of the coronavirus. 

Washington State Ferries announced April 11 it will extend the winter sailing schedule for all ferry routes through June 20. For Port Townsend, this means only one boat will sail every hour and a half throughout the day. 

“At this point, no one should be on a ferry unless it’s absolutely essential,” said Ian Sterling, director of communications for Washington State Ferries. “We want to keep the system operating for health care workers, emergency responders and for goods such as food stocks for stores.”

The Port Townsend/Coupeville route has seen a decline in ridership since February. 

Compared to last year, the first full week of April saw a 72% decline in ridership. 

On Sunday, Feb. 16, 2,354 people rode on the ferry. One month later, on March 16, there were 982. Last Saturday, there were only 747 riders. During the week, ridership has dipped below 500. 

“If a person does go on a ferry, we strongly advise they stay in their car if they drive on and observe social distancing if they must walk on,” Sterling said. 

Due to the schedule change, all vehicle reservations for the Port Townsend/Coupeville and Anacortes/San Juan Islands/Sidney, B.C. routes that were booked between April 26 and June 20 will automatically be canceled. Customers should continue following the winter schedule, which is available at the Washington State Ferries website. International service to and from Sidney, B.C. is canceled until at least June 21, and customers will not be able to rebook those trips.