Carlisle II facts for kids
Carlisle II is a special boat that has been sailing the waters of Puget Sound in Washington state for a very long time. It's one of only two old "Mosquito Fleet" boats still working today. The Mosquito Fleet was a big group of small ships that carried people and goods between islands and towns in Puget Sound many years ago.
Carlisle II departing Port Orchard, Washington, October 2010
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| History | |
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 United States |
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| Name | Carlisle II |
| Owner | Kitsap Transit |
| Operator | Kitsap Harbor Tours |
| Route | Bremerton-Port Orchard, Washington |
| Builder | O. I. Thorsen |
| Launched | April 9, 1917 |
| Identification |
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| Status | Museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 95 Gross, 86 Net |
| Length | 65 ft (20 m) on deck |
| Beam | 20 feet (6.1 m) |
| Depth | 5.7 feet (1.7 m) |
| Installed power | 300 hp (220 kW) John Deere |
| Propulsion | Propeller |
| Capacity | 143 Persons |
| Notes | Wood Hull |
Carlisle II dockside
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Contents
History of the Carlisle II
The Carlisle II was built in 1917 in Bellingham, Washington. It was made by the Lummi Island Navigation Company. At first, it carried goods and people between Bellingham and a salmon cannery on Lummi Island.
The boat originally used a special engine called a "hot bulb" engine. This engine was rated at 75 horsepower.
Changes Over the Years
In 1923, the Carlisle II was changed into a car ferry. It then carried cars from Gooseberry Point to Lummi and Orcas islands.
Later, in 1936, a company called Horluck Transportation Co. bought the boat. They changed it back into a passenger vessel. It started carrying people on a short trip between Bremerton and Port Orchard. This route was very busy during the war years. Many people used the ferry to get to and from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton.
Captain Willis Nearhoff owned Horluck Transportation Co. His daughter, Mary Lieske, later took over the company. She became the owner and manager. Mary Lieske was also known as the first woman ferry captain.
In 1995, a businessman named Hilton Smith bought Horluck. He spent a lot of money to fix and improve the Carlisle II. Then, in 2008, Kitsap Transit bought the boat from Smith. They still use the Carlisle II today for the Bremerton-Port Orchard route when needed.
Carlisle II's Current Status
The Carlisle II is still working today! It offers regular trips for people walking aboard between Bremerton and Port Orchard, Washington.
The Washington Commission for the Humanities has named the Carlisle II a "Floating Museum." This means it's like a museum that floats on water! Inside the boat, you can see many photos and learn interesting facts about the Carlisle II and other old Mosquito Fleet boats.
Images for kids
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Signboard mounted inside Carlisle II designating her a "Floating Museum"
