The Oak Bluffs Steamship Authority terminal opened for business Wednesday, a month later than usual after repairs were made to the wooden drive-on dock.
On a sun-splashed day with calm seas, the M/V Nantucket sailed into the newly-repaired wharf, the first SSA vessel of the summer season in Oak Bluffs waters.
But with only one slip operating in Woods Hole as a $90 million shoreside construction project there gets ready to pause for the summer, both Vineyard routes saw delays all day.
In Oak Bluffs, work that had started on the pier earlier in the month finished up Monday.
Ferries were running around half an hour late throughout the day, including in Oak Bluffs. A travel alert went out to customers Tuesday warning that slip one in Woods Hole would be closed for construction for the next two days, limiting the SSA to one operational slip in the harbor.
“As a result, trips during that time period for the M/V Island Home and M/V Martha’s Vineyard may experience delays,” the alert said.
The SSA also expanded its summer schedule Wednesday, with additional trips into Vineyard Haven along with the opening of the Oak Bluffs terminal.
The 2:50 p.m. Nantucket from Oak Bluffs left at approximately 3:15, 25 minutes behind schedule. And the 2:30 p.m. Martha’s Vineyard from Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven left the harbor a little after 3 p.m.
SSA spokesman Sean Driscoll said the delays were solely due to the construction in Woods Hole, where only one slip was operating.
“It’s got nothing to do with Oak Bluffs,” Mr. Driscoll said. “Only one boat can come in and out at a time [in Woods Hole], so it’s slowing down everything.”
Work on the slips in Woods Hole is due to finish Thursday, Mr. Driscoll said.
The SSA thanked passengers for their patience.
Meanwhile traffic into Oak Bluffs was moderate on opening day. Terminal attendant Jevaughn Crooks said ferries “weren’t completely full” with cars and that foot traffic was between 150 to 200 people.
He added that things had run smoothly all morning.
“I haven’t seen an unhappy face,” Mr. Crooks said.
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