MV Kalakala

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MV Kalakala, pictured in Elliott Bay promoting the Century 21 Exposition/Seattle World's Fair (1962)
Career
Name: Peralta (1926–1934)
Kalakala (1934–)
Owner: Key System (1926–1933)
Puget Sound Navigation Company (1933–1967)
Launched: 1926
In service: 1926–1933 (Peralta)
1935–1967 (Kalakala)
General characteristics
Displacement: 1,475 tons (light)
Length: 276 ft (84 m)
Beam: 55 ft 8 in (16.97 m)
Depth: 21 ft 6 in (6.55 m)
Installed power: Busch-Sulzer direct drive diesel engine 3,000 hp (2,200 kW)
Speed: 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h; 20.1 mph) (max)
MV Kalakala (ferry)
Port side view of Kalakala as seen in Neah Bay in 2004
Location Hylebos Creek Waterway, 1801 Taylor Way
Tacoma, Washington
Coordinates 47°16′30″N 122°23′11″W / 47.27500°N 122.38639°W / 47.27500; -122.38639Coordinates: 47°16′30″N 122°23′11″W / 47.27500°N 122.38639°W / 47.27500; -122.38639
Built 1926
NRHP Reference # 06000177
Added to NRHP 22 March 2006

Motor Vessel Kalakala (pronounced kah-LOCK-ah-lah)[1] was a ferry that operated on Puget Sound from 1935 until her retirement in 1967.

MV Kalakala was notable for her unique streamlined superstructure, art deco styling, and luxurious amenities. The vessel was a popular attraction for locals and tourists, and was voted second only to the Space Needle in popularity among visitors to Seattle during the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. The ship is known as the world's first streamlined vessel for her unique art deco styling.

Service

Mural in Port Angeles, Washington.

She was constructed in 1926 as Peralta for the Key System's ferry service on San Francisco Bay. On 6 May 1933 Peralta burned as a result of an arson fire at the terminal where she was moored, resulting in the complete destruction of her superstructure. The hull was still intact and on 12 October 1933 the vessel was sold to the Puget Sound Navigation Company (PSNC), also known by its marketing name, the "Black Ball Line". PSNC funded a refit at Lake Washington Shipyards in Houghton, Washington (since annexed to Kirkland) to restore the vessel as a ferry.[1][2]

In November 1934, William Thorniley, publicist for PSNC and president of the Olympic Peninsula Travel Association, named the new ferry Kalakala, which was said to mean "bird" in the Pacific Northwest Native American trade language Chinook Jargon.[3][4][5][6] Thorniley launched a national promotional campaign beginning with large billboard signs that simply said "KALAKALA!" Later, they said "KALAKALA, Seattle, WA" and featured a picture of the vessel as well.[citation needed]

The new bridge and wheelhouse were built entirely out of copper, from fear that the steel used in the rest of the vessel would interfere with the ship's compass.[7] Set back from her streamlined superstructure for aesthetics, it was impossible to see the bow of the vessel from the bridge. As visibility also depended on round portholes rather than a fully glazed wheelhouse, she was known for being difficult to handle when docking.

Kalakala was well known for a heavy shaking vibration that ran throughout the vessel when in operation. This was probably due to poor alignment of the engines in the original construction of the vessel. When the propeller was replaced with a new 5-bladed version in 1956, the vibration was reduced by 40%.[8] Although the company wished Kalakala to be known as the Silver Swan, she soon attracted other, less complimentary nicknames, including Silver Slug, Silver Beetle, Galloping Ghost of the Pacific Coast, and, among Seattle's Scandinavian community, Kackerlacka, which means "cockroach".[9]

In February 1946, Kalakala was issued Federal Communications Commission (FCC) license #001 for the first commercial radar system.[10]

Retirement

The Kalakala moored at Hylebos Waterway in Tacoma, Washington in November 2007.

After her retirement in 1967, Kalakala was sold to a seafood processing company and towed to Alaska to work as a factory ship. After a period spent working as a crabbing ship, the Kalakala was beached in Kodiak, Alaska in 1970 and used to process shrimp.

Peter Bevis discovered the rusting hulk on a fishing trip in 1984. Kalakala had been turned into a cannery and the internal structure had been reworked to create a building with cement floors, drywall, and ceiling tiles. After complicated financial negotiations, the ship was refloated and towed back to Seattle in 1998. The vessel has since been a source of controversy as her owners were unable to raise sufficient funds to refurbish the vessel or even to keep her moored in Seattle's Union Bay.

The vessel was sold in 2004 to a private investor, who moved her to an anchorage in Neah Bay provided by the Makah people. Soon after arriving at Neah Bay Kalakala was evicted by the Makah, who also brought a lawsuit against the owners. The vessel has since been relocated to Tacoma, Washington.

In February 2008, Kalakala owner Steve Rodrigues announced his intention to acquire additional vintage ferry vessels and to restore them and the Kalakala as either ferries powered by wind and solar technologies or as museums. Kalakala was scheduled for work on her hull and superstructure in dry dock in 2010,[11] but this never happened. After six years in Tacoma, Kalakala began listing, and officials became concerned that the ferry might pose an environmental risk.[12] The vessel's owner was also pressured to take action after Washington State passed a law focusing on the removal of abandoned or neglected vessels.[13] For these reasons, Kalakala's owner put her up for sale for a nominal fee of one dollar, contingent on the purchaser committing to renovating Kalakala.[14]

In December 2011, the Coast Guard declared the ship a hazard to navigation. Among other issues, the Coast Guard stated that her mooring arrangements are inadequate. The Coast Guard set a December 19 deadline for the owner to repair the hull of the ship and submit a plan to tow her away from her current mooring in Tacoma. This deadline was not met. The owner, Steve Rodrigues, appealed this order, claiming that an anonymous person had purchased the ship. The Coast Guard rejected the appeal as there is no evidence that any work has been done on the ship and no evidence of the supposed sale.[15][16]

The Coast Guard described the ship as being in such fragile condition that it may not withstand being moved to other moorage and might have to be scrapped.[17] In July 2012 Steve Rodrigues sued the state of Washington claiming that the state had failed in its "duty" to help preserve the ferry. Rodrigues' suit asks that the state be prevented from forcing Kalakala to be moved, confiscated, or sunk and seeks to force the state to pay approximately $50 million for restoration of the ferry under a proposal Rodrigues previously submitted, which was rejected.[18] As of November 2012, the ship is owned by local businessman Karl Anderson.[19]

Artistic projects

Several art projects arose from fascination with Kalakala, including a full-length album of solo cello compositions recorded on board the vessel in November 2003, called Songs From a Parallel Universe. There is an as-yet unreleased film about the "Ghost Dance" that was filmed on Kalakala. There was also a live concert featuring the Icelandic band múm, Serena Tideman and Eyvind Kang, on board the Kalakala.

A temporary pirate radio station broadcasting from Kalakala is featured in the 2005 documentary film Pirate Radio USA.

See also

SS Admiral

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Kalakala, The World's First Streamlined Vessel: Construction 1933 to 1935". kalakala.org. Retrieved 2012-09-03. 
  2. ↑ Kline & Bayless 1983, pp. 225–226
  3. ↑ Gibbs, George (2005) [1st. Pub. 1863]. "Dictionary of the Chinook Jargon, or, Trade Language of Oregon" (txt). Shea's Library of American Linguistics XII. New York: Cramoisy Press. Retrieved 2012-09-03. 
  4. ↑ Holton, R. James. "English - Chinook Reference". Chinook Jargon – The Hidden Language of the Pacific Northwest (pdf). San Leandro, California: Wawa Press. p. 112. Retrieved 2012-09-03. 
  5. ↑ "Chinook jargon". 
  6. ↑ Kline & Bayless 1983, p. 229
  7. ↑ Kline & Bayless 1983, p. 231
  8. ↑ "Kalakala, The World's First Streamlined Vessel: Kalakala Timeline 1926 to Present". kalakala.org. Retrieved 2012-09-03. 
  9. ↑ Kline & Bayless 1983, pp. 244–245
  10. ↑ Christensen, Arne (25 January 2010). "Ferry Kalakala begins using world's first commercial marine radar set on February 14, 1946". historylink.org. Retrieved 2012-09-03. 
  11. ↑ Cornfield, Jerry (2 February 2008). "Kalakala owner has a vision for old ferries". The Herald. Retrieved 2012-09-03. 
  12. ↑ Romero, Roberta (26 March 2011). "Environmental concerns about listing ferry Kalakala". KING-TV. Retrieved 2012-09-03. 
  13. ↑ "EPA divers to survey sunken vessel in Lake Washington Ship Canal". The Seattle Times. The Associated Press. 27 April 2011. Retrieved 2012-09-03. 
  14. ↑ "Historic Kalakala ferry for sale". The Bellingham Herald. 
  15. ↑ Gilmore, Susan (23 December 2011). "Kalakala declared hazard, mooring inadequate". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2011-12-23. 
  16. ↑ Kaste, Martin (5 January 2012). "Sinking Ship? Saving The Historic Kalakala Ferry". NPR. Retrieved 2012-01-05. 
  17. ↑ "Historic ferry Kalakala in dire straits in Tacoma". The News Tribune. Associated Press. 
  18. ↑ Berger, Knute (25 July 2012). "Kalakala owner sues Washington state". crosscut.com. Retrieved 2012-09-03. 
  19. ↑ Carson, Rob (9 November 2012). "New owner, uncertain future for Kalakala ferry". The News Tribune (Tacoma). 

External links

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