Low-wake Passenger Ferry – Seattle Aerial Photography

I captured these photos from a helicopter without a door, wearing fingerless gloves, dangling out into a constant 35-85 knot flow of freezing wind. To set the shots up, I communicated with the pilot over the in-helicopter mics, then the pilot would call down via shortwave radio to the captain of the boat. The technical challenge of coordinating two fast-moving targets like this is only superseded by getting kids to line up for a family photo.

The Ferry, Rich Passage I, is a 77′ low-wake passenger ferry designed by the Bellingham-based company All American Marine. The vessel was designed specifically for Kitsap County to provide an efficient low impact commuter solution that would not erode the coastline.