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On June 25, 1955, the ferry Kalakala starts service between Victoria, B.C. and Port Angeles, Washington. As she enters Victoria Harbor, a fireboat accompanies her, shooting water from the nozzles. Thousands of people attend the event, and passengers are piped ashore by a Scottish kiltie band. Victoria Mayor Claude Harrison presents a bronze plaque to Captain A. F. "Spike" Eikum.

The streamlined silver ferry had been assigned to the new run on June 14. The previous ferry, the Chinook, was transferred to the Nanaimo-Vancouver run.

The Washington State Ferry system had been requested to put the Kalakala on this route by both the Washington and British Columbia governments. Both governments thought it would boost tourism.

The Kalakala remained on this run for five years, after which she was returned to the Seattle-Bremerton run.

Sources:

M.S. Kline and G.A. Bayless, Ferryboats: A Legend on Puget Sound (Seattle: Bayless Books, 1983), 229-247.

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