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46-608: In 1992 the state of Alaska passed the Municipal Port Authority Act which allowed cities and groups of cities to establish port authorities with powers to sell bonds to support local transportation-related operations. In early 1994 the Alaska Department of Transportation granted $ 50,000 to the city of Craig to study the potential of such an authority to provide ferry service to Prince of Wales Island . The Alaska Marine Highway System supported this study because it

92-460: A break room, lockers, and a separate restroom. Stikine cruises at 15 knots. Her propulsion is provided by two Caterpillar 3512 Diesel engines which generate 1,500 hp each. These in turn, drive two variable-pitch propellers. She has an Omnithruster HT400 bow thruster to improve maneuverability. She normally sails with a crew of five. Her namesake is the Stikine River , which reaches

138-494: A cold storage plant and packing company at the present site of Craig, and in 1922 was instrumental in the incorporation of the city (originally as an Alaska second-class city within the Alaska Territory , pre-statehood). The commercial fishing industry was responsible for Craig's relatively large population compared to neighboring communities. In the 1930s, record pink salmon runs brought many new settlers. The 1950s saw

184-432: A collapse of the fishing industry because of depleted salmon populations. In 1972, a large sawmill was established nearby providing a steady source of year-round employment. Today, Craig relies on commercial fishing, fish processing, and the timber industry. On September 7, 1982, the fishing boat Investor was found burning off the coast of Craig, and the boat's passengers and crew were found to have been killed. Due to

230-559: A household in the city was $ 45,298, and the median income for a family was $ 52,500. Males had a median income of $ 41,111 versus $ 23,558 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 20,176. About 7.8% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 13.4% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over. Craig, the island's largest population center and administrative hub for many island companies and organizations, actually has limited-direct transportation off Prince of Wales Island. Transportation

276-498: A major propulsion system failure while Stikine was already in the shipyard for repairs. This left Prince of Wales Island without ferry service. Lituya made several runs on the Hollis –Ketchikan route before Stikine could be returned to service. In a similar manner, Inter-Island Ferry Authority ships have provided service to Annette Island when Lituya was under repair. Craig, Alaska Craig ( Tlingit : Sháan Séet )

322-476: A municipal port authority. In 1997 six Southeast Alaska communities banded together to form the Inter-Island Ferry Authority. With the help of substantial federal and state investments, the Inter-Island Ferry Authority built M/V Prince of Wales and launched service between Hollis and Ketchikan on January 13, 2002. After some early financial and operational challenges, the southern route became

368-541: A new ferry and $ 880,000 for a new ferry terminal for it to dock at as part of the state's 2001 budget. Lituya was designed by Coastwise Engineering of Juneau, Alaska in 2001. She was built by Conrad Shipyards in Morgan City , Louisiana , which won the contract in November 2002. She was christened In Morgan City on December 13, 2004 by Carolyn Leman, wife of Alaska Lieutenant Governor Loren Leman . Her contract price

414-518: A passenger capacity of 125. She is intended for day use only on her short route so there are no crew quarters or passenger staterooms. There is no food service aboard. She normally sails with a crew of 5. All Alaska Marine Highway ferries are named after Alaskan glaciers. Lituya is named for the Lituya Glacier near Lituya Bay . She received her name through an essay contest for Metlakatla grade-school children. Second-grader Josiah Milne won

460-583: A second-class city. ^   D:  Craig (re-)incorporated as a first-class city in State of Alaska. MV Lituya MV Lituya is a shuttle ferry operated by the Alaska Marine Highway System . Her route connects Metlakatla on Annette Island to Ketchikan . The state of Alaska issued contracts for a ferry dock at Metlakatla in 1973. The town was originally served by Alaska Marine Highway System ferry M/V Chilkat . The terminal

506-401: A success. Ridership was up sharply in 2003, and an operating profit was projected for fiscal year 2003/2004. With this successful experience, Inter-Island Ferry Authority was able to gain funding for a ship for the northern route, Stikine . Stikine began as a twin of Prince of Wales . Her design incorporated improvements suggested by two years of operating experience, however, so Stikine

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552-599: Is a city in the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area in the Unorganized Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska . The population was 1,036 at the 2020 census , down from 1,201 in 2010. Craig is the largest town on Prince of Wales Island , the fourth-largest island in the United States. Craig is approximately 56 miles (90 km) by air northwest of Ketchikan and 220 miles (350 km) south of Juneau . According to

598-411: Is calculated as 2,334 and her net tonnage as 918. Her hull is constructed of welded steel plates. The ship is certified to carry 190 passengers and 30 standard-sized cars. Her passenger amenities include a hot-food cafeteria, solarium, forward observation/recliner lounge, and children's play area. Since she is intended for day-use only, there are no staterooms for passengers or crew. The crew does have

644-473: Is located an hour drive outside of Craig and the ferry takes 3 hours to get to Ketchikan, Alaska. There are a few marine shipping companies providing scheduled cargo barge service to South-Eastern, Alaska. Craig is usually one of their ports-of-call, handling inter-modal shipping containers for deliveries to other communities. Prince of Wales Transportation based in Craig, provides island-wide shuttle services from

690-511: Is primarily via floatplane charters at Craig Seaplane Base . Klawock Airport can accommodate wheeled-aircraft and is a short drive away. Inter-Island Ferry Authority provides regularly scheduled year-round ferry service between Ketchikan and Hollis located on the Eastern coast of Prince of Wales island. The Inter-Island Ferry Authority's central offices are located in Klawock . The ferry terminal

736-593: Is provided by a Caterpillar 3304 generator which is rated at 105 kW. Her 200 hp bow thruster is powered by a Caterpillar 3406 C engine which can also be used as a back-up electrical generator. She cruises at 11.5 knots, at which speed she burns 55 gallons of diesel fuel per hour. Lituya has an open vehicle deck with 300 feet (91 m) of lanes which can accommodate 15 standard-sized vehicles. The open vehicle deck saves money by reducing various regulatory requirements and allows for over-height vehicles, but users dislike having their cars covered in salt spray. She has

782-419: The Hollis - Ketchikan route before Stikine could be returned to service. In a similar manner, Inter-Island Ferry Authority ships have provided service to Annette Island when Lituya was under repair. Lituya has been well-used and relatively economical over the years. In 2006, for example, she embarked 28,302 passengers and 7,554 vehicles. From 2007 to 2009 the average annual cost of operating Lituya

828-497: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 9.4 square miles (24.3 km ), of which, 6.7 square miles (17.4 km ) of it is land and 2.7 square miles (7.0 km ) of it (28.94%) is water. Craig has an oceanic climate ( Köppen Cfb). Summers are mild with cool nights, while winters are chilly and wet. Precipitation is abundant year-round but is heaviest in autumn. Originally, Craig's townsite

874-569: The North Fork Lake reservoir, as well as providing a public sewage system. Alaska Power & Telephone (an employee owned company) provides hydro-electric power, telephone, and internet service to much of southeastern Alaska, including Craig. There are a few cellular carriers providing service on Prince of Wales Island, mostly to the more densely populated communities like Craig. ^   C:  Craig incorporated in Territory of Alaska as

920-418: The badly burned state of the bodies, investigators were only certain that they had recovered the remains of seven bodies, but a coroner's jury ruled that all eight who were aboard the boat had been killed. The boat's owner, Mark Coulthurst, from Blaine, Washington , his wife Irene, and their two young children were among the victims. In September 1984, a suspect, John Kenneth Peel, from Bellingham, Washington ,

966-458: The census of 2000, there were 1,397 people, 523 households, and 348 families residing in the city. The population density was 209.1 inhabitants per square mile (80.7/km ). There were 580 housing units at an average density of 86.8 per square mile (33.5/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 67.07% White , 0.07% Black or African American , 21.69% Native American , 0.57% Asian , 0.57% from other races , and 10.02% from two or more races. 2.79% of

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1012-594: The community. Many charter fishing lodges cater to guests who visit the island for the salmon fishing as well as black bear and deer hunting. The other main employer in Craig is the U.S. Forest Service. The rest of the economy is mainly supportive. There is a city-run medical clinic, a few restaurants, a general store, two banks, a grocery store, a coffeeshop/bookstore, clothing store, gift store, nursery and outdoor outfitter. Craig has an elementary, middle, high school and an alternative school with 35 teachers and about 300 students. City of Craig provides piped water from

1058-412: The construction process was Guido Perla & Associates of Seattle, Washington . Stikine was launched on January 23, 2006. She was christened by Nancy Murkowski, First Lady of Alaska. Her husband, Governor Frank Murkowski , was a speaker at the launch ceremonies. Stikine is 197.5 feet (60.2 m) long with a beam of 53 feet (16 m), and a draft of 11 feet (3.4 m). Her gross tonnage

1104-667: The contest for suggesting the name in 2003. Lituya began making two roundtrips per day between Metlakatla and Ketchikan in the spring of 2005. During the night of January 30, 2009, the ship came loose from its moorings in Metlakatla while unmanned. She drifted about a mile, running up on Scrub Island in Port Chester harbor. Winds at the time averaged 26 mph (42 km/h) with gusts to 80 mph (130 km/h); seas were 8 feet (2.4 m). Two tugs and USCGC Anthony Petit were dispatched to assist in refloating Lituya . The hull

1150-526: The early 1990s they met with a number of state and federal authorities regarding the project. A critical connection was made with the Department of Defense which sought projects for its "Innovative Readiness Training Program". It saw the project as "Operation Alaskan Road", a real-world exercise for its engineers and mechanics that simulated the rough conditions of the Korean Peninsula. The state of Alaska

1196-664: The ferry terminals to the other communities and island attractions. Commercial fishing and related support business comprises the largest portion of Craig's economy. This is supplemented by timber industry related activities like the sawmill, and many residents use subsistence resources in addition to the formal economy. In 2000, Craig had 42 vessel owners with operations in federal fisheries, 84 vessel owners with operations in state fisheries, and 149 registered crew members; 199 residents held 437 commercial fishing permits; 3,405 sport fishing licenses were sold, 2,590 licenses to non-residents of Alaska. Commercial fishing generates much of

1242-486: The income in Craig. There are two harbors in the center of town one which primarily contains smaller charter and recreational boats, and the North Cove Harbor where the trollers, seiners, longliners, shrimp, crab, and dive boats that make up the local fleet are moored. During the peak of the fishing season in summer, the harbor is usually so full that boats must anchor out in the bay. Tourism provides jobs and income to

1288-595: The north. The road took ten years to build and was dedicated in 2007. Over 12,000 military personnel worked on the road during its construction. Funding from the Department of Defense alone totaled $ 75 million. The state of Alaska built a new $ 10 million ferry terminal at the end of the Walden Point Road. In July 2013 Lituya began using the new terminal, cutting travel time to Ketchikan in half. In January 2017 fare collection policies were changed. Established fares were doubled from Ketchikan to Annette Bay while

1334-431: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 523 households, out of which 41.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

1380-521: The sea near Wrangell, one of the stops on the northern route for which she was built. Stikine made her maiden voyage on the northern route on May 18, 2006. She completed one round-trip per day between Coffman Cove and south Mitkoff Island , with a stop in Wrangell. Her sailing from Coffman Cove to Wrangell took about 2 hours and 45 minutes, and from Wrangell to Mitkoff Island about another hour. With an hour budgeted for loading and unloading in Wrangell,

1426-516: The southern route between Hollis and Ketchikan. The northern route could not sustain Stikine economically. During her first six weeks of operation in 2006, she embarked only 844 passengers and 199 vehicles. Inter-Island Ferry Authority experimented with various traffic-building promotions, without success. After sailing the northern route for the summers of 2006, 2007, and 2008, annual travel never exceeded 3,000 passengers, and 1,000 vehicles. The route

MV Stikine - Misplaced Pages Continue

1472-465: The town occurred. Despite this, no fatalities, serious injuries, or incidents of damage were reported and the tsunami threat never materialized other than minor, localized sea level rises. Craig first appeared on the 1920 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It incorporated in 1922. Craig's demographic characteristics have varied following trends in the commercial fishing industry, from 1980 through 2000 Craig's population more than doubled. As of

1518-526: The trip back was free. This allowed tickets to be sold only in the more-developed Ketchikan terminal, saving time and effort. Lituya was diverted from her normal schedule in May and June 2020. The Inter-Island Ferry Authority's ship M/V Prince of Wales suffered a major propulsion system failure while her sister ship M/V Stikine was already in the shipyard for repairs. This left Prince of Wales Island without ferry service. Lituya made several runs on

1564-485: The trip from Coffman Cove to Mitkoff Island took about 4 hours and 45 minutes.. The fare from Coffman Cove to Mitkoff Island was $ 49 for an adult, and $ 7/foot for cars. Larger vehicles were more expensive. The northern route operated only four days a week so as not to require a second crew for Stikine . The route operated only in the summer when ferry traffic in Southeast Alaska peaked with tourist crossings. During

1610-428: The winter, Inter-Island Ferry Authority made use of its two ships to maintain service on the southern route during maintenance periods. In early 2007, for example, Prince of Wales returned to Anacortes to receive some of the upgrades built in to Stikine from the start, including a more powerful bow thruster, a third generator, and enclosed bridge wings. Meanwhile, Stikine maintained the company's sailing schedule on

1656-542: Was $ 9.5 million. Lituya is 181 feet (55 m) long, with a beam of 50 feet (15 m), and a full-load draft of 12 feet (3.7 m). Her displacement is 647 long tons. Her gross tonnage calculated under international rules is 758, while her U.S. register tonnage is 97. Her hull is constructed of welded steel plates. For propulsion, Lituya has two Caterpillar 3508 B diesel engines rated at 1000 hp. These drive two three-bladed fixed-pitch propellers which are 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter. Electrical power aboard

1702-402: Was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.16. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 31.9% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 4.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 119.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 118.3 males. The median income for

1748-410: Was a temporary fishing camp used for gathering herring. Craig was named after Craig Miller (also spelled Millar) who established a fish saltery on nearby Fish Egg Island in 1907 with the assistance of the local Haida natives who moved onto Prince of Wales Island , being driven from Haida Gwaii ( British Columbia 's Queen Charlotte Islands ) starting in the 18th century. Craig Miller constructed

1794-407: Was abandoned. After the abandonment of the northern route, Stikine and Prince of Wales were both dedicated to the southern route, with the two ships filling in for each other when they had scheduled maintenance or an unexpected mechanical failure. Stikine was the primary vessel because of her slightly greater capacity, with Prince of Wales acting as a replacement boat. One round trip per day

1840-477: Was also interested in the project and commissioned a cost/benefit study of the road in 1995. This work resulted in a memorandum of agreement between multiple federal and state authorities and the Metlakatla Indian Community which was signed on May 29, 1997. Construction began during the summer of 1997 on the 14.5 mile Walden Point Road from Metlakatla in the south of Annette Island to Annette Bay in

1886-496: Was arrested for the murders. Peel's first trial ended in a hung jury, and his retrial, in 1988, ended in his acquittal. In 2017, Tim DeSpain, spokesman for the Alaska State Troopers stated that "the case is closed" On January 5, 2013, at 3:58 am ET Craig was hit by a 7.5-magnitude offshore earthquake 63 miles (102 km) west of the town. Regional tsunami warnings and advisories were issued. Voluntary evacuations of

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1932-457: Was intact but for a small leak in a forward void which the ship's pumps easily handled. The port keel cooler appeared to be leaking coolant. About 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel were spilled, likely from a tank vent when the ship listed while aground. The ship was towed to Ketchikan for repairs. Metlakatla residents began working on a road to the north end of Annette Island as early as 1946 in order to reduce sailing times to Ketchikan. During

1978-496: Was later modified for use by M/V LeConte and M/V Aurora instead. During the summer there were several stops a week, but in the winter, the town had one ferry visit per week. Metlakatla residents argued for daily service, so that people could commute to work in Ketchikan. The state of Alaska issued a request for proposals for the design of a Metlakatla ferry on May 30, 2000. The Alaska Legislature appropriated $ 3 million for

2024-547: Was losing money serving the island with intermittent stops by M/V Aurora , and wanted to stop altogether. The residents of the island, on the other hand, wanted daily service and thought that it would stimulate business. In August 1994, the Craig City Council received this report outlining a two-ferry system with a southern route linking Hollis with Ketchikan, and a northern route connecting Prince of Wales Island with Wrangell , and Petersburg . The system would be run by

2070-401: Was more capable than her sister ship from her beginning. Bids were solicited, and the winner was Dakota Creek Industries of Anacortes, Washington , which had built Prince of Wales . Contracts between Inter-Island Ferry Authority and Dakota Creek Industries were signed on December 13, 2004. The contract price for Stikine was $ 16,940,984. Her naval architect and owner's representative during

2116-480: Was scheduled. The trip takes three hours each way to cover the 36 miles between Hollis and Ketchikan. In 2020 a one-way fare for an adult was about $ 50 and for a 16-foot car about $ 200. The Alaska Marine Highway System and the Inter-Island Ferry Authority provide each other with back-up capacity when their ships require maintenance. For example, M/V Lituya was diverted from her normal Metlakatla –Ketchikan schedule in May and June 2020. Prince of Wales suffered

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