Baby born in holding lanes waiting for Bainbridge Island ferry
Apr 7, 2023, 7:45 AM | Updated: 11:54 am
A view of Seattle is seen by ferry en route to Bainbridge Island on March 08, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. Ferry service was disrupted during the pandemic, as ferry operators became ill with Covid-19. The city has recently struggled with an uptick in homelessness and violent crime. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
(Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
A slight delay of the Bainbridge to Seattle ferry Thursday morning wasn’t due to the weather, but mother nature was definitely involved.
Parents-to-be were waiting in the Bainbridge Ferry Terminal’s holding lanes, but the baby couldn’t wait for the boat.
Sinkhole causing delays at Fauntleroy ferry terminal
In line for Washington State Ferries (WSF) 7:55 a.m. sailing from Bainbridge Island to Seattle, a mother went into labor while in the holding lanes of the terminal.
The baby also couldn’t wait for first responders to assist. Fire Chief Jared Moravec tells the father was able to help deliver the baby “approximately two minutes” before Fire Department Medic crews arrived on the scene.
Ian Sterling with WSF says crews held up the Bainbridge to Seattle boat’s departure, so the ambulance with the new family could board first and, when it arrived in Seattle, could exit first to head up to Swedish Hospital quickly.
Sterling says babies are occasionally born on ferryboats. He tells the Sun, “There is always talk you get free ferry fares for life” when that happens. But, he says that’s just an urban legend “unless the Governor gets involved, which he sometimes does.”
