PORT TOWNSEND — Temporary passenger ferry service on the Port Townsend-Keystone route begins Monday.

The 50-car Steilacoom II ferry is to be taken out of service for annual inspection and maintenance required by the Coast Guard.

During the vehicle ferry’s month in dry dock at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle, travelers between Port Townsend and Keystone Harbor on Whidbey Island will ride the passenger ferry, Mystic Sea, run by an Anacortes-based passenger-ferry charter service that’s been around for 20 years.

Mystic Sea Charters is prepared to provide safe and reliable service beginning at 6:20 a.m. Monday at Port Townsend’s ferry terminal — unless rough-water conditions rise up on Admiralty Inlet, said Monty Hughs, who owns the 100-foot aluminum vessel, Mystic Sea.

“Hopefully, this January is going to have calm seas,” he said.

The crew will not launch unless seas are determined to be safe.

“If it gets to be 40 to 50 knot winds, we will have to take that into consideration.

“We not going to put any passengers in danger.”

Barge at dock

Preparations were seen in Port Townsend on Wednesday when a barge where the Mystic Sea will land and tie up was towed into the Port Townsend holding dock.

The barge is to be moved to the landing dock today after the Steilacoom II finishes its final run.

The barge will allow the dock to be adapted so that foot passengers can easily board the 66-ton, 70-seat Mystic Sea.

A barge also will be on the Keystone side of the water.

“We’ve done ferry charters before for Washington State Ferries,” said Hughs, who has 40 years of experience as a fisherman, vessel tenderman and charter operator.

He said he used to fish out of Port Townsend so he is familiar with the sometimes tricky waters of Admiralty Inlet.

Most recently, he ran a charter between Lopez and Shaw islands for the state ferries system.

But the Mystic Sea is used primarily for whale-watching charters to the San Juan Island, he said.

Hughs said his crew will stay in Port Townsend during the four weeks of service.

“That should bring a little economy to the town,” he said, with the crew lodging and eating in Port Townsend.

Hughs called the Mystic Sea “a great sea boat” that was formerly used for dinner cruises out of Whittier, Alaska.

The vessel was built in 1967, and sailed from New Orleans through the Panama Canal and north to Alaska, he said.

Free coffee and tea will be served on board each day until 10 a.m., he said.

“Washington State Ferries will remain in charge of passengers on the dock and ticket sales, and we’re in charge of them once they get on board,” he said.

Mystic Sea Charters was chosen over Port Townsend’s P.S. Express and Port Angeles-based Victoria Express for the temporary service.

The company will provide the service at a daily rate of $5,290, which includes a crew, ferries officials said.

The state leased the Steilacoom II last February from Pierce County for the Port Townsend-Keystone route until a new ferry could be built.

The car ferry replaced the Steele Electrics, which were taken out of service on Nov. 20, 2007, and which have since been sold for scrap.

The Steilacoom II is the only vehicle ferry available that can handle the narrow Keystone Harbor.

A 64-car ferry for the route is in the process of being designed and constructed in the next 18 months by Todd Pacific Shipyards of Seattle.

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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.