Ferry breakdown leaves some stranded for hours

Some people trying to leave the San Juan Islands and get to Anacortes were stranded for hours because a ferry was taken out of service since Sunday morning.

Some people were even forced to sleep in their cars overnight.

Washington State Ferries said the ferry Yakima has a bent propeller and is out of service until further notice.

Ian Sterling with WSF said the Yakima apparently struck a deadhead log near Lopez Island Sunday.

He said the Yakima is on its way to the shipyard in Bremerton to meet a propeller straightener coming from Vancouver, BC.  If the straightener is able to fix the propeller, the Yakima could be back in service by the end of the week.

A viewer who emailed KIRO 7 Sunday evening said he had been waiting to board the ferry at Orcas Island for eight hours, along with an estimated 100 other cars, because of the problem.

Another viewer, Mari Malcolm, said on Sunday night that she had been waiting in her car at the terminal for nine hours. Malcom messaged KIRO 7 at 1:33 a.m. Monday and said she had made it to Anacortes on the ferry Hyak.

Passengers were supposed to be on their way back from Orcas Island starting at 10:35 a.m. Sunday.

Ferry service resumed Monday morning using the vessel Chelan, which is running on a temporary schedule.

The Chelan was running the route to Sidney, BC, but since it's needed to run domestically, there will be no international service for the next day or two.

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