Water taxi deckhand Chad Wiesenfeld's cool job

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October 9, 2012

Water taxi deckhand Chad Wiesenfeld's cool job

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Chad Wiesenfeld makes six round trips a day between Seattle's Pier 50 and Vashon Island as a deckhand on King County's Water Taxi. (Ned Ahrens / King County Department of Transportation)

What do you do? I work as a deckhand on the Vashon Island to downtown Seattle route of the King County Watertaxi. I collect fares, handle lines and stand bridge watches. The way I see it, my job is to bring a bunch of great commuters to work in the morning and take them home in the evening.

How did you get that job? I worked on an auto ferry in New York in 1998. To gain experience, I joined the Coast Guard, after which I worked on a cruise ship in Alaska. I wanted to spend more time with my wife at home in Seattle, so when I heard there was an opening on a local ferry, I was first in line.

What’s a typical day like? I’m up at 3:45 a.m. I arrive at Pier 50 by motorcycle and begin preparing the vessel for a 5:30 a.m. departure. I make three round trips from downtown Seattle to Vashon Island before taking my six-hour "lunch break." I return to work in the afternoon and make three more round trips before my workday ends at 7:30 p.m.

What’s the best part of the job? The Water Taxi has become an extension of the Vashon Island community. Most of the commuters know my name, and I know theirs. I have even spent time with many of them on my off time. It’s because of these relationships that my job doesn’t feel like work, but rather like I’m giving some friends a lift home.

What’s the best thing that’s ever happened on the job? A commuter who used to ride with her 3-year-old stopped riding because she was having a second child. After about a year, she visited to bring us a card, which updated us on her family, thanking us for our role in their lives and telling us how her daughter misses (the) “little boat.”

What surprises people about your job? Crew members of the water taxi all have prior experience on various vessels, serving a wide range of marine operations. Many crew members possess U.S. Coast Guard credentials, allowing us to perform engine room duties and fill in for captains when needed. Our versatility is valuable considering our boats are staffed with a mere three people!

-- NWjobs staff

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2 Comments

Kevin Silis on October 14, 2012 1:18 PM | Reply

I'm a passenger on Vashon\Seattle run and I can tell you first hand Chad and his fellow crewmen are great. They are all very friendly from the guys on the docks, to the captains and engineers. Most of all they are true professionals and make us all feel very safe and taken care of in case thier is an emergency. King County has done a great job of not only hiring great people but running a ferry system for the first time. WSF should come see how it SHOULD be done, I think they could learn alot from this staff and how King County runs a ferry system.

Maggie Sudduth on October 18, 2012 7:40 PM | Reply

Chad and the entire Melissa Ann crew rocks! Thanks to them and Mother Nature, we have the best commute in the world.