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Ferry Memories from Perry Chandler

On 3 Feb 2022, Perry Chandler posted in a Facebook group called Entiat, Wenatchee & Surrounding Area Historical Photos, along with several photos.


https://www.facebook.com/groups/642254079562967/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=1442338576221176


THE ORONDO FERRY
My granddad Earl Chandler and later his son Ranald "Ron" Chandler (my dad) owned and operated several versions the Orondo Ferry from 1905 to 1960.


Earl began running the ferry around 1905, then sold it to Fred Boyd sometime in the early twenties where it operated up at Entiat for several years.


Earl repurchased the ferry back from Boyd around 1930 and relocated it back to Orondo where he, and later his son Ron continued to operate it until final closure on December 31, 1959.


It should be noted that Earl's younger sons Howard and Ernie Chandler were also licensed by the Coast Guard to pilot the Orondo Ferry, and assisted their dad in that regard prior to their brother Ron taking over the business in 1948.


In 1960, after completion of Rocky Reach Dam, my dad sold the ferry to Casper J. (Cap) Riste who moved it from Orondo to Entiat where it operated on Lake Entiat for several more years.


As a younger boy I used to help my dad on the boat by tying chains, loading the vehicles and collecting money from the customers. Later, as a teenager, I used to help pilot the ferry primarily on the weekends so dad could catch some sleep in the bunk in the cabin. He was always available to "bail me out" in case of an emergency, but for the most part I was able to handle the responsibilities by myself unless things really got busy.


The ferry operated 24 hours day and often he would have late customers which could keep him up all hours of the night. There was a big bell on either side of the river where customers could ring it if they needed service.


After the ferry was sold in 1960 Gordon Brandt from Orondo and I operated the boat for Cap Riste on Lake Entiat from 1960-62.


GENERAL INFO
The "New Ferry" was powered by two 350 HP GMC diesel engines.
The vessel was 60' in length and could carry 8 normal sized cars. It could also handle virtually any sized fully loaded semi truck or "low boy" trailer carrying heavy construction equipment.


On either end of the ferry was a 10' ramp (apron) which could be individually raised and lowered by cable, as necessary, to adjust to the height of the dock on either side of the river.


ANECDOTES
HERE SHE COMES
In addition to the Orondo Ferry there was "paddle" ferry four miles upriver at Entiat. The ferry had no power, but crossed the river on a cable and had a side-wheel paddle that propelled it across with the current of the water.


I can recall at least two occasions in the 1950's, when the Columbia River was running high and swift due to the Spring run off, that the ferry broke loose from the cable and floated down river without any power. When that happened the WSP contacted my dad requesting that he use the Orondo Ferry to intercept the oncoming boat, which he did.
Just South of the Orondo Ferry dock, on the Chelan County side, was an eddy (cove) where the Entiat Ferry remained secured... often for long periods of timeā€¦. before it was eventually returned upriver to its original destination.


HIGH WATER NAVIGATION
As many of you probably still remember, prior to Rockey Reach dam the Columbia River could be pretty treacherous, especially in high water. At Orondo the river doubled in size to more than a quarter mile across, and the current mid-river was probably 8-9 mph at a minimum.
In order to success fully navigate the crossing the ferry had to go upriver a hundred yards or so above the landing on the other side prior to reaching mid- river, and then let the current carry the boat down as it progressed across so by the time it reached the other side it was about where the other landing was. At that point the water was relatively calm to dock the boat.
Navigation during high water could often be eventful, especially at night, due to high winds and debris like logs and other stuff floating down in the swift current.


SUNKEN FERRY
In the Fall of 1948 the "Old Ferry" was swamped after a semi-truck with a full load of apples drove on the boat too fast. It took several days to get the situation resolved, but that boat never operated again.
Fortunately the "New Ferry", then under construction, was nearing completion so ferry service was not significantly disrupted for a long period of time.


OOPS!
During the Fall a lot of trucks loaded with fruit crossed the ferry. Sometime in the early 50's a driver in one of those trucks fell asleep as the ferry was landing on the Chelan County side, and when he did so his foot hit the clutch and the truck rolled backwards off the stern end of ferry.
Fortunately the driver survived and the truck was recovered. However, as a result, one of the consequences affecting future operations of the ferry was a U.S. Coast Guard imposed requirement that the first and last car on the boat have blocks behind the wheels to prevent them from moving while the vessel was underway. Makes sense to me!


SHEEP and HORSES
One of the exciting events each Sping and Fall, especially for us kids, was when the ranchers
moved their sheep and horses across the river on the ferry to their seasonal grazing pastures.
On those annual occasions, which were different for the sheep and horses, hundreds of animals were loaded on the ferry to cross the river.
Dad and granddad would line the side railings with heavy-duty fence wire so the animals couldn't climb through, and it was a wild, noisy and stinky ride across to the other side.
On a couple of occasions our parents let us kids go up in the foothills and camp overnight with the ranchers prior to the animal crossing the next day.


SWIFT WATER DRAMA
One near close-call with the ferry involved a heavly loaded low-boy truck/trailer hauling a D-8 Catepiller. A car was loaded on the front right hand of the ferry and the truck was loaded at an angle with the cab at the front left and the trailer taking up the rest of the boat.
The extreme weight of the load made the ferry sink low in the water, and somehow the front apron of the boat caught the swift water and broke the cables that adjusted it up and down. The 10' apron was swept under the boat, creating significant drag and rendering the ferry virtually uncontrolable.
As it was high water in the Spring the current was very strong, and the ferry was carried several hundred yards below the Douglas County landing before finally coming to rest along the bank.
Some anxious moments for sure, but luckily nobody was hurt.
Other than fixing and re?securing the apron that was lodged under the boat there was no other significant damage. As I recall it was several days before the boat was fixed and the vehicles were finally unloaded and able to continue on with their belated journey.


BROKEN TILLER LINE
Steering the ferry required two 1/4" steel cables (tiller line) connected from the steering wheel in the cabin to the two rudders at the stern of the boat. On one occasion those cables broke, and though the ferry still had power it was impossible to steer due to loss of control of the rudders.
Fortunately it was low water at the time, and about a quarter mile South of the Chelan County there were some exposed sand bars rising out of the river. Luckily the boat drifted aground on one of those sandbars, and we were able to fix the tiller line without the major distraction of floating aimlessly and uncontrollably down the Columbia River.


PILLSBURY DOUGH BOY
On occasion it became necessary to do some repair work under the ferry, whether it was changing one of the screws (propellers), general maintenance or whatever.
Since this required going under water, dad had some home made diving gear to handle the job. The gear included
a waterproof canvas wet suit that was somewhat loose fitting, and a diving helmet made from the top half of a cut-off hot water tank.
The sides of the helmet were cut so it fit over his shoulders, and it had a piece of glass in the front he could see through. Ingeniously, it also
had a water hose connected from the top of the helmet to a gas operated air compressor so he could breathe. (Holy S**t!)
During my youth I saw him go under the boat several times with this jury-rigged widow maker, and although there were many anxious moments for the curious onlookers on shore, he always managed
to complete his tasks safely.
On one memorable occasion he was down under for longer than usual, and we were all getting concerned. We tugged on the air hose to try and get a response but to no avail! Then suddenly dad came floating out from under the boat, waving his hands frantically, looking like the Pillsbury
Doughboy with his loose fitting wet suit completely inflated like a big Ballon! Funny but not funny! LOL





Owner of originalPerry Chandler
File nameFerry Memories from Perry Chandler
File Size
Linked toEarl Baxter CHANDLER; Ranald Perry CHANDLER

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