By John M. Bond
The Forgotten 60+ Years of successful Pearl Harbor Vehicle Ferry Operations
For over 60 years Oahu had a very successful ferry service that brought vehicles
across Pearl harbor and the Pearl Harbor channel to the Ewa side- and back.
At least five known YFB vehicle ferries were in operation during that period,
transporting tens of thousands vehicles and people to Ford Island and West Loch,
connecting MCAS Ewa and NAS Barbers Point to Hickam and Pearl Harbor in just a
matter of minutes, and apparently with an outstanding safety record.
Today the issue of H-1 traffic congestion cries out for some logical remedies.
Whether rail construction starts in 2011, or is delayed by legal suits, the fact
is there will NOT be any practical rail service for at least one decade.
Politicians can spin this every way they want, but all past major transport projects
on oahu have always been greatly delayed and way over budget. So what do
we do for the commuters in Ewa-Kapolei in the meantime?
The logical near term and relatively low cost answer is a Pearl Harbor vehicle ferry.
For those who say ferry service was “tried and didn’t work” don’t understand that
the WRONG IDEAS were tried - which explains WHY- they didn’t work.
The successful Navy YFB ferry system never went into the open ocean; it operated in
the calm waters of Pearl Harbor. The ride was brief, safe and convenient for 60+ years..
For those who say that a ferry service is something the Navy will
“not allow” today is simply based upon a pre-determined political bias that really only
wants to see one monolithic, hugely expensive system as the “only solution”
to Ewa’s commuter traffic problems. Joint Base Pearl Harbor – Hickam (JBPHH)
has a very large military and DoD civilian work force, many of whom live in West Oahu.
An issue of quality of life and better workforce productivity is certainly an item they
will seriously consider, especially if it has few if any downsides.
A return to a successful and relatively inexpensive cross channel Pearl Harbor
vehicle ferry system could be implimented in operational phases which would confirm
how really viable, practical, safe and popular this commuting system could be.
This plan uses a route shown further below with maps and other information detailed.
Phase One
Military and DoD workers using VanPools leave their homes and
drive through the Navy West Loch gate to Lima Pier to board the barge/ferry.
Private cars are not allowed- the idea is to encourage pooled transit vehicles which
can take four to six private cars off of H-1 every morning and afternoon. The payoff
for these participants is leaving their home and arriving at work in under 30 minutes.
This also simplifies ferry loading proceedures with VanPool drivers knowing what to do.
150 pooled commuter vans can equal around 750 to 900 single car drivers.
Keep in mind too that because of this “short cut,” workers at Fort Shafter, Camp Smith
and Tripler would also likely go this way too rather than drive around Pearl Harbor.
There are other benefits as well- such as leaving a base registered POV parked on base
for weekday errands, while using the Van Pool just for job commuting.
Phase Two
Non-DoD Civilian commuters are included using Express Ferry Buses
Express Ferry Bus riders are collected at regular Ewa-Kapolei bus stops and the buses drive
through the Navy West Loch gate to Lima Pier to board the barge/ferry.
Again, private civilian cars not allowed. This simplifies security because JBPHH
has strict POV car registration requirements that require stickers, etc.
City Buses will NOT stop anywhere on the base, they simply pass out through the two main
base gates and continue on H-1 or Nimitz Highway to downtown and Waikiki stops.
Four stretch Express Buses @ 60 passengers each = 240 people
Four articulated Express Buses @ 90 passengers each = 360 people
Initial surface transport could be achieved by using large barges moved by Navy
contracted tugboats carrying groups of vans and buses across, all under the
Pearl Harbor Port Operations control system, which even today allows
individual commuter kayaks to cross the Pearl Harbor channel to JBPHH jobs.
Navy ships still always have the right-of-way.
This alternative commuter traffic solution would benefit both
the large number military and DoD workers who live in the Ewa-Kapolei area,
making their morning commutes as short as 15 minutes from their home to their desk,
but also significantly reduce the commute time for downtown and Waikiki workers.
These would all be cars, vans and buses that would be completely REMOVED
from the H-1 traffic flow every day and the effect would be seen by all the other
civilian H-1 commuters each morning and afternoon creating the “Federal Holiday” effect
on traffic conditions. If concepts such as tele-commuting and locating more jobs
in Kapolei were instituted, there would be an even more noticable H-1 traffic effect.
The Phase Two solution utilizing City Express buses could be combined with
a true vehicle ferry system such as Washington State operates, allowing fast, highly efficient
Pearl Harbor channel crossings between Ewa West Loch and JBPHH. Washington State
is building locally new 64 and 144 vehicle ferries that are fuel efficient with a great safety
record. Ferries built for Pearl Harbor use would not need heating, snackbars or have to
be concerned about extreme tidal fluctuations or strong tidal currents.
The use of the City Express buses on this alternative cross Pearl Harbor channel route
would also free up H-1 Express Lanes around Pearl Harbor and allow their use for cars carrying
just two commuters (three currently required) and for a more advanced Managed Lanes program
where single passenger cars would electronically pay tolls to use the Express lanes.
The end result of this concept is that many cars, vans and buses are taken off H-1 at some
critical congestion points – the H-1 Pearl Harbor section, and also at Nimitz and Hickam front
gates, where incoming morning military-DoD traffic always piles up. The Pearl Harbor ferry system would do a lot to help rebalance traffic flows and be a far more intelligent use
of roadway space than the relatively unimaginative systems being used currently.
The "Moko Holo Hele" (YFB-87) now moored at Kalaeloa Boat Harbor.
New 40 ft. TheHybridBus
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Also included:
Information on the very successful and long lived Washington State Ferry System
Basic information about Pearl Harbor Port Operations
A basic history of US Navy Yard Ferry Boats (YFB) at Pearl Harbor
Some selected news items
Maps and Diagrams
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New 60 ft. articulated TheHybridBus
Ford Island used to have regular ferry service going back before WW-II
BELOW are photos from some the last trips made in 1998 before their retirement.
Color photos from 1998 Honolulu Star Bulletin article
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The earliest known Pearl harbor vehicle ferry was the “Manuwai” YFB-16
The “Manuwai” YFB-16 under construction or refitting in 1940’s
“Manuwai” Class: Yard Ferryboat: Built by Supple & Martin, Portland, OR.,
Completed in November 1927, Launched, date unknown
Formerly "Multnomah", Purchased by the Navy from Young Bros., Honolulu in July 1940
Placed in service as “Manuwai” (YFB-16) providing ferry service between Ford Island and Pearl Harbor
Manuwai was present at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941
Placed out of service, 28 February 1949, Struck from the Register, 17 September 1954
Final Disposition, fate unknown
Manuwai earned one battle star for World War II service
Specifications:
Displacement 290 t. Length 145' 1"
Beam 40' 6" Draft 10' 1"
Speed 8 Complement 5
Propulsion unknown
Manuwai (YFB-16) was used by the US Army to move virtually the entire Luke Field Army Air Corps base infrastructure to the new Hickam Field base in 1939 so that Luke Field could be turned over to the Navy.
This was done from Ford Island via the landing at Bishop Point, Hickam, where today there is a harbor facility and boat landing ramps.
Pearl Harbor Ferries also did much more than just go between Pearl Harbor and Ford Island.
There were several other crossing sites to the West Loch Ewa side to serve massive SeaBee
and West Loch logistical base operations, as well as provide support to Army Coast Artillery forts,
MCAS Ewa and NAS Barbers Point- all on the Ewa side of the Pearl Harbor channel.
The “Nihoa” YFB-17 landing at Ford Island in the 1950’s
“Nihoa” YFP-17 carried autos, trucks, and sailors to Ford Island on hourly 'voyages', circa 1950-1960.
Nihoa, launched just 30 days earlier, she was caught in the middle of the harbor during the
December 7, 1941 attack. Though cruising amidst bombs, torpedoes and strafing Japanese planes,
the ferry Nihoa completed her run unharmed.
Nihoa Class Yard Ferryboat (wood-hull): Laid down, 26 April 1941, at Naval Yard Pearl Harbor
Delivered and placed in service, November 7, 1941, as Nihoa (YFB-17) providing ferry service between NAS Ford Island and Naval Base Pearl Harbor. Placed out of service in April 1961,
sold to private purchaser, date unknown. Final Disposition, fate unknown.
Nihoa earned one battle star for World War II service Specifications:
Displacement 288 t.(lt) 470 t.(fl) Length 145' 6" Beam 44'
Draft unknown. Speed unknown. Complement 5
Propulsion: Atlas-Imperial Diesel, 300 hp
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Hickam’s Bishop Point during pre-war base construction
Sheffield YFB-45
length 145'0";
beam 44'0";
complement 4
290 tons
Ferryboat Sheffield (YFB-45) was built at Pearl Harbor NSY and placed in service in December 1944 at Pearl Harbor in the 14th Naval District. Manned by a civilian crew, and with a capacity of about 30 vehicles, she made daily runs between Halawa and Ford Island, a distance of about one mile, for 16 years. Struck from service October 1960.
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The "Waa Hele Honoa" YFB-83
The "Waa Hele Honoa" (YFB-83), which translated from Hawaiian means "canoe go to land,"
was pressed into service on March 3, 1961. It is the older and the larger of the two vessels
at 181 feet, and can carry 750 people and 33 vehicles.
BELOW- This small yet very efficient diesel engine powered the YFB-83
The Moko Holo Hele YFB-83, was the oldest of the two vehicle and passenger transport ferries last in service in Hawaii. YFB-83 was representative of the ferries used at Pearl Harbor in an era when such vessels were the major mode of transportation between Ford Island and the main base portion of the installation. This era lasted from the 1930’s until 1998, when the Admiral Clarey Bridge made the ferries obsolete as a form of transportation to the island.
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The "Moko Holo Hele" YFB 87
Launch Date: 12/18/1969
Length: 162 ft Waterline Length: 150 ft
Beam: 59 ft Waterline Beam: 45 ft
Maximum Navigational Draft: 12 ft Draft Limit: 11 ft
Light Displacement: 390 tons Full Displacement: 500 tons
Dead Weight: 110 ton
Time in Navy service 34.3 years
The "Moko Holo Hele" (YFB-87) is now moored at Kalaealoa Harbor.
The "Moko Holo Hele" (YFB-87), which means "boat go back and forth," was acquired by the Navy on May 25, 1970, for $1.1. million. It is 162 feet long and has a capacity of 42 vehicles and 750 people.
Far from the cold waters of Puget Sound, a near twin of the Hiyu worked in Hawaii between Ford Island and Oahu. Built by Western Boatbuilding of Tacoma in 1970, the Moko Holo Hele ferry was sold by the Navy in 1999 and is currently moored at Kalaeloa Harbor in West Oahu.
The Twin Sister of Moko Holo Hele is the Washington State Ferry Hiyu
http://www.evergreenfleet.com/current.html
Oahu’s Pearl Harbor vehicle ferry sits idle while Washington State still uses theirs!
Washington State Ferry Hiyu (sister to Pearl harbor’s Moko Holo Hele )
Length: 162' Beam: 63' 1'' Draft: 11' 3'' Horsepower: 860 Speed in Knots: 10
Max Passengers: 200 Max Vehicles: 34
Auto Deck Clearance: 16' City Built: Portland Year 1967
Meaning of Hiyu: Native American/Chinook: "plenty."
Washington State is conducting major ferry construction project for 64 and 144 car ferries.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/ferries/64carferries/
ABOVE- 64 Car Ferry
Todd worked with its subcontractors Everett Shipyard, Nichols Brothers Boat Builders and Jesse Engineering to meet an aggressive 18-month timeline to build this first vessel in the class of Kwa-di Tabil (64-car) Ferries.
ABOVE- 144 Car Ferry
The new 144-car vessel design will be based on the Issaquah class, which has proved the most versatile vessel in our fleet and has the most utility throughout the system.
The Legislature originally approved funding for the 144-car ferries in 2003. We have spent $62.1 million on the 144-car ferries program through Dec. 31, 2009 ($14.3 million for initial design, $47.8 million for equipment). This expenditure maintains project momentum and continuity in the design.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157621006556309/
Washington State Ferries are NEW and AMERICAN BUILT!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eia32s-3VFM
WSDOT Ferries Division (WSF) will build three or four new 64-car ferries in the next several years. Building new vessels will improve the safety and efficiency of WSF’s fleet,
to ensure safe, reliable service to our customers.
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One of the big advantages Oahu would have running its own internal ferries is that there
Is minimal tidal variance and ferries will not have to be heated for wintertime conditions.
In fact, people will likely not even step outside of their vehicles, especially if only special
City buses or Van Pool vehicles are used. The ride would be very short, no more than 5-10 minutes.
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Ferry landing in Washington State – Oahu doesn’t have the winter weather or
tidal fluctuations that Puget Sound ferries have to deal with.
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Pearl Harbor Port Operations
Pearl Harbor, Port Operations Organization coordinates, schedules and provides assigned waterfront services to all home ported and visiting ships and vessels at the Pearl Harbor Naval Complex, including the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Deperming and West Loch. These waterfront services include berthing assignments, magnetic silencing, pier services and logistical support. Port Operations schedules ship movements and provides tug services as required.
Pearl Harbor Port Operations Services Include:
Providing water taxi services within Pearl Harbor for over 50,000 military, dependents, and DOD contractors annually, and provide scheduled tour boat services to/from the
USS Arizona Memorial for 2 million visitors annually.
Provide continuous Port Operations Signal Tower communications to all vessels entering and departing Pearl Harbor and provide pilot and tug service; overall berth set-up; Dockmaster services; line handler services; and cargo services.
Disseminate severe weather information, control harbor voice nets; prepare and distribute waterfront management reports and prepare ship sortie and return plans for emergencies when directed by higher authority. Provide a qualified Facility Response Team for ensuring the integration of safety, health and environmental/pollution protection programs.
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“DoD members use Vanpool Hawaii to save money, environment”
by Staff Sgt. Carolyn Viss 15th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
http://www.15wing.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123158671
Tired of driving to and from base every day? Wondering why so many sport utility vehicles on the road have only one passenger but are taking up space and polluting the air with toxic fumes? Wish you knew how to save a little more money on ever-increasing fuel and vehicle maintenance costs?
Vanpool Hawaii is the largest ridesharing program in the United States and Europe, and Defense Department service members are a large target of its 300-vehicle fleet since 1994
when the company came to Hawaii.
"One hundred fifty of those vehicles are designated to DoD members, and 300 service members on Hickam Air Force Base regularly commute with Vanpool Hawaii," said Vicki Harris, Vanpool Hawaii executive director. "The military has consistently been one of our best customers."
The goal was to take single-occupancy vehicles off the road, reducing negative air quality contributions, minimizing highway congestion, and allowing the United States to be less dependent on foreign oil, according to Ms. Harris. Mostly on Oahu, these wrap vans are designated to a volunteer who is the lead driver. During a coordinated time frame, that driver picks up and carries on average five members. Vanpool Hawaii takes care of the registration, all the insurance, 24/7 roadside assistance and all of the vehicle maintenance for the entire time they use it.
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Vanpool Hawaii
HDOT contracts with Vanpool Hawaii to provide air-conditioned, 7-15 passenger vans and sport utility vehicles for Hawaii commuters. The very popular program began in 1995. Vanpools cost $55 per seat and CoolPools are $70 per seat. Costs for neighbor Islands varies, monthly cost are based on the daily round trip miles. The driver gets to keep the vehicle to use on weekends and after commute hours, in exchange for picking up riders and collecting fees also Vanpool Hawaii covers breakdowns with 24-hour road-side service. All insurance and maintenance costs are included in the fees. The vanpoolers share the costs of parking and gas.
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March 26, 2008 “UH professor offers alternatives to rail system”
By Dan Nakaso, Honolulu Advertiser
A new study concludes that a system of high-occupancy toll lanes, bus rapid transit, highway underpasses and a Pearl Harbor car ferry would cost a third of the price of a starter rail system while moving people and traffic quicker and more efficiently.
The study, released yesterday by Panos Prevedouros, a University of Hawai'i transportation engineering professor and 16 of his graduate and undergraduate students, claims to be the state's largest-ever simulation study of five alternatives to relieve traffic congestion.
The study also found:
A Pearl Harbor car ferry system could barge up to 500 vehicles per hour across the mouth of Pearl Harbor, connecting drivers to Lagoon Drive near the airport.
Following yesterday's briefing, Mayor Mufi Hannemann blasted Prevedouros
and the subjects of his study.
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FERRY BOAT DISCRETIONARY (FBD) PROGRAM
The Ferry Boat Discretionary (FBD) Program, which provides a special funding category for the construction of ferry boats and ferry terminal facilities, was offered in 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
$60,000,000 was provided for capital expenditures for ferry boats and ferry terminal facilities.
The Federal share of the costs under this program was up to 100 percent at the option of the recipient.
The City and State of Hawaii turned down the opportunity to participate.
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Pearl Harbor Bus Ferry Proposal
“Floating Bridge Concept” (as proposed in 2009)
Concept: Operate a ferry system across the mouth of Pearl Harbor for exclusive use by
City & County Buses.
Design: A ferry system that is used exclusively by the bus system to travel across the
mouth of Pearl Harbor would significantly reduce the travel time of buses
from West Oahu into Honolulu. A secondary benefit of the ferry system is
that it would directly reduce the amount of traffic on the existing roads in the
corridor.
The State of Hawaii owns a barge named KUPA’A that was built for use by
Superferry at Kawaihae. Due to design changes, this barge is not planned on
being used for Superferry operations.
This barge could be easily modified to install ramps on both ends to allow
buses to drive on and off the barge. The installation of the ramps on the barge
would greatly minimize the shoreside infrastructure required to support the
ferry system. The barge could be maneuvered across the 600 yard channel
by one large tug or two smaller workboats.
The Express Bus Transit System could be optimized to make use of the ferry
system. For example, assume there are multiple express buses, each
originating from a different location and each having a different destination
that arrive at the ferry at the same time. The ferry could serve as a transfer
station so passengers could transfer to the desired destination. If just 12
buses an hour used the ferry, at an average ridership of 45 passengers/bus
for 6 hours per day, the annual ridership would be 842,400.
The military would have to weigh in on security considerations; however, it
is not without precedent to have public buses on Military Bases.
Cost: Modifications to the barge are estimated at $2M. Shoreside modifications
need to be addressed but should be minimal.
Yearly operating cost of the tug or workboats plus two deckhands on the
barge is estimated at $1.8M plus fuel (based on 5 days / week, 8 hours / day
operation). Based on a conservative estimate of 842,400 annual riders, the
operating cost equates to just over $2 per rider.
Grant $: Federal Highway Administration has $60M in grants for State Ferry Projects
(http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/discretionary/090330.cfm). Grant Application
must be filed by 15 May 2009.
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February 19, 2004 “Tugboats honor isle delegation”
By Gregg K. Kakesako, Honolulu Starbulletin
Three tugboats, operated by P&R Water Taxi, are named after U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie and the late U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink. However, U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye opted to have his 94-foot tugboat named the ASD Kaimana Hila.
Charlie Pires, P&R Water Taxi owner, said the four tugboats were named after Hawaii's congressional delegation to recognize their support for Hawaii's maritime industry and a
strong Navy presence in Hawaii.
David Germroth, P&R Water Taxi spokesman, said Pires "felt the delegation was helpful to small businesses like his to compete for federal contracts."
The tugboats were designed and built at the Kewalo Shipyard, which is owned by P&R Water Taxi,
and make up a new class of high-performance tug designed by naval architect
Donald Stoddard, of Stoddard Marine Design of Hilo.
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http://www.pnrwatertaxi.com/html/vessels.html
P & R Water Taxi provides all water-borne support for the Port Operations division at Pearl Harbor.
P&R maintains the Arizona Shuttle Boats, maintains the boats used for harbor security, provides oil-spill response services, provides work-boat operations and services, provides barge services for fueling or slops off-loading, operates the water taxi service within Pearl Harbor and maintains the majority of the Navy’s small boats and service craft that are located within Pearl Harbor.
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Washington State has extensive vehicle ferry experience and expertise that Hawaii
could learn from. Inland water ferries are the best model for crossing Pearl Harbor.
Barges are fairly inexpensive and are excellent for inland waterway vehicle transport.
Europeans use inexpensive vehicle ferries to regularly cross inland waterways.
A small inland waterway ferry used on the East Coast to service nearby island communities.
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A Ford Island ferry makes its way across Pearl Harbor with
a view of the future in its wake--the Ford Island Bridge.
April 13, 1998 Farewell to Ford Isle ferries
By Gregg K. Kakesako Honolulu Star-Bulletin
FOR decades since World War II, the only lifeline to the 450-acre island in the middle of Pearl Harbor has been the ferry.
The more than 45 naval families and 3,000 civilian workers who live and work on Ford Island depend on the ferry, synchronizing their daily routines to its schedule.
Spencer Layne, a military photographer, gazes at the new
Ford Island bridge that will soon open, replacing
the ferry he is riding.
But on Wednesday, all that will come to a halt as the Navy dedicates and opens the $78 million, nearly 1-mile-long Adm. Bernard "Chick" Clarey Bridge and retires the Ford Island ferry fleet.
The bridge, named after the man who was commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet when he retired from the Navy in 1972, will connect Ford Island to Kamehameha Highway at the eastbound Salt Lake Boulevard intersection.
"When the bridge opens," says retired Navy Master Chief Jim Taylor, "it will free me to a lot of things I can't do now ... like going to lunch without having to take an hour and a half off."
Taylor, 59, retired from the Navy after 33 years of service and six years ago went to work as programs officer for the Navy brig, which was relocated to Ford Island four years ago.
"I enjoy the (ferry) ride," said Taylor, who commutes daily.
"It's really not that bad. I have to fight the H-1 traffic every morning from
Makakilo and the break is nice."
The Navy brig is just one of a dozen military activities now located on the island. Its biggest component with 350 military and civilian employees is the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, which handles the military's bills in Hawaii.
Chief Warrant Officer Mark Keck, Pearl Harbor's water transportation officer for the past three years, said he faces the closing of the ferry service with "mixed feelings."
"It's sad to see it go away," said Keck, "since it's a piece of history. It's the buffer to the outside world.
"But the opening of the bridge means convenience.
You don't have to center your life around a ferry schedule."
Many of the residents use the 12-minute ferry ride to socialize and to catch up on what is going on in the close-knit Navy community, Keck said.
Ford Island neighbors plan to show their appreciation for the ferry's crews with a
party as part of the "last ferry ride."
"The daily ferry ride also gave you a chance to collect your thoughts and plan your day," Keck added.
Besides shuttling Ford Island residents and workers, the ferry is the only means to carry supplies and repair crews to the island.
Two vessels have kept the ferry operation on schedule for nearly 22 hours daily.
The ferry is shut down for only 2-1/2 hours each day to allow its crew of four
to perform maintenance chores.
Two vessels provide the service:
The "Waa Hele Honoa" (YFB-83), which translated from Hawaiian means "canoe go to land," was pressed into service on March 3, 1961.
It is the older and the larger of the two vessels at 181 feet, and can carry 750 people and 33 vehicles.
The "Moko Holo Hele" (YFB-87), which means "boat go back and forth," was acquired on May 25, 1970, for $1.1. million. It is 162 feet long and has a capacity of 42 vehicles and 750 people.
The Moko Holo Hele was the only ferry equipped with a toilet, but it was later removed in favor of more storage space and because it was seldom used, since the run to Ford Island was only 1.6 miles.
By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
The ferry approaches Ford Island.
The Waa Hele Honoa was originally called the Delaware Valley and was built in 1949 for use on the Delaware River. The Navy acquired it in 1959 for $274,000 and shipped it to
Pearl Harbor two years later.
Keck said once the ferry operation ceases, both vessels will be sealed up and stored at Pearl Harbor's inactive ship facility in Middle Loch.
Both the USS Missouri Museum Association and the Maritime Museum, as well as the Washington state ferry system, have expressed interest in purchasing the ferries, Keck said.
Although the ferry operations will cease Wednesday, Keck said that Pearl Harbor's water transportation command will still operate its fleet of six tour boats and 12 smaller, 50-foot "gray" boats, which provide shuttle service between Ford Island and various points in Pearl Harbor.
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There could be a future
for Ford Island ferries
Using ferries to transport visitors to new
Ford Island museums would preserve a part
of Pearl Harbor history, too
By Burl Burlingame Saturday, February 28, 1998
As a kid in high school, I had friends who lived on Ford Island, and we'd ride the ferry to get there. Ford Island was always a special place, quiet and isolated, but the ferry ride was nothing short of wonderful, with the big, flat-bottomed barge motoring steadily across the water. You could feel the briny wind and taste the oily tang of the harbor, and it seemed sort of industrial and natural all at the same time.
Soon, however, after more than half a century, the ferries will no longer be needed to transport residents to Ford Island. A new causeway is nearly completed, for the exclusive use of the residents, and ferries YSB-83 and YSB-87 will be retired. That's the plan.
Putting the YSBs out to pasture, however, would be premature. Current projections for the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center call for facilities and memorials on the shore side and museums and the USS Missouri on the Ford Island side, separated by nearly a mile of water. Every attraction requires ready access, even commercial ones, and educational/cultural venues don't need this kind of difficulty.
The problem is that visitors will not be allowed to drive across the causeway. This would cause traffic congestion, and would divide the two extremes of the visitor center, perhaps fatally. It will be hard enough to get the various museums and attractions to agree on a coherent marketing strategy, much less methods of people-moving.
U.S. Navy
Which leaves few alternatives. One is operating a shuttle-boat system similar to the Navy's Arizona Memorial ride. These boats are owned by the Navy, and operated by Navy personnel, and maintained in Navy yards, all of which costs several million dollars a year. The National Park Service reimburses the Navy for the fuel and provides scheduling and tour interpretations. This is a cumbersome and expensive system, but it allows the Navy to retain command of access to the Memorial.
Another option is shuttle buses. Using estimates of one-half the Arizona Memorial's visitation, 30 to 35 people on a full bus, an eight-hour workday and a fleet of six to 10 buses, you'd have to empty and fill a bus every six minutes and send it packing. Greyhound terminals aren't that busy!
Which brings us back to the ferries. These historic vessels are ideal for transporting visitors to Ford Island:
They're cheap. They are diesel-electric craft, and the fuel and maintenance they would required is less than comparable modes of transportation, and they're relatively environmentally friendly.
They're big. The YSBs are designed to haul all sorts of large vehicles, which means they can haul several dozen, maybe hundreds, of people at a time, and the passengers would be free to roam the ship. The Pearl Harbor YSBs even have upper decks where once they had snack bars.
They're flexible. They can be retrofitted with more modern and maneuverable propulsion systems, and the boxy shape is ideal for building in a floating interpretive center. Visitors could learn about the natural and cultural history of Pearl Harbor while actually crossing Pearl Harbor, and the lesson then would have more impact. The alternative is being stuck in a bus or boat seat, unable to move and learn at your own speed.
They're available. Generally, when Navy vessels are declared surplus, they're scrapped or auctioned off to the highest bidder -- that's the rule. But when the work of Pearl Harbor's ferries comes to an end soon, the Navy also has the option of retaining ownership and passing the vessels on to nonprofit educational and cultural groups -- such as Hawaii's USS Missouri Memorial Association. Beats buying or leasing a fleet of buses or boats.
They're convenient. The ferry landings at both ends happen to be exactly where visitors need to go. If the ferries are used only for pedestrians, then the big, ugly, noisy vehicle ramps at the landings can be rebuilt as pleasant piers -- you step onto the craft instead of climbing over the ramp. They're suited for use by the disabled as well, unlike buses or boats.
They're efficient. A visitor's time is so carefully managed by tour agencies that it makes sense to combine the transportation, interpretation and orientation aspects of visiting Pearl Harbor into a single experience.
They're endangered. The ferries aren't glamorous, but they're an integral part of the social history of the harbor. If they are mothballed or destroyed, that part of Hawaii's heritage is gone forever. And the point of the Pearl Harbor museum complex is to preserve that history.
And then there are the intangibles. Pearl Harbor is a real place, an unusual melange of technology and nature, and everything that can immerse the visitor in the REALITY of the location adds to the experience. Buses will remove the visitor from the experience, and in the process, cheapen it. There is no substitute for being able to look into the roiling waters of one of the world's most famous harbors, being close enough to touch it, and being ABLE to touch it.
That's what museums and educational centers are all about -- preserving the reality of a
landscape or an event.
Current plans for the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center (there are four) show grand shuttle-boat piers and gigantic bus turnarounds. The emphasis is on moving visitors around, not in allowing them to appreciate what's special about the location. Sometimes the easiest, best and cheapest solution may be right under your nose -- and already in use.
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Gone But Not Forgotten…
Ford island Ferry Landing – is still there.
The Pearl Harbor Vehicle Ferries – Time to go Back To The Future?