Kodiak residents gathered Wednesday to pay their final respects to the state ferry Tustumena, which began service 60 years ago in 1964 and has become a landmark on the Alaska Marine Highway System.

Affectionately known as the “Trusty Tusty,” the boat was the only ferry serving the communities of the Kodiak Archipelago for the past few years.

The ferry was delayed by a few hours because of the weather, but was still hours ahead of the party it was scheduled to arrive at. For delays like this, it is sometimes called the “Rusty Tusty.”

John Mayer was captain of the ferry when it finally docked and was greeted by people waiting for their friends and relatives to arrive. He spent nearly his entire 23-year career with the Alaska Marine Highway System on the Tustumena.

What he enjoys most, he says, is getting to know the people he drives back and forth between communities.

“I love seeing families come to Kodiak and wave to their family members on the dock and bring people together,” he said.

But it doesn’t just carry passengers. Over the years, the Tustys have brought many cars, vendors for the crab festival, and even livestock to Kodiak Island.

The Tustumena is an icon of the state ferry fleet. It arrived here from a shipyard in Wisconsin in 1964. In recent years it has operated on the Kodiak and Aleutian routes, enduring some of the harshest weather a vessel can face.

However, those signs of wear are now showing – the ship has spent a long time in shipyards for repairs, its hull is rusted and has a few cracks along its sides. Sixty years is about twice as long as the designers expected it to be in service.

Mayer said that’s why he talked to Republican state Rep. Louise Stutes of Kodiak about hosting a celebration for the Tusty’s 60th anniversary.

“The idea for this party came up one day over lunch. I spoke to Representative Stutes and said, ‘Yes, we should have a party.’ And now we see what happened!” said the captain.

Stutes has frequently spoken in favor of the ferry system to the Alaska State Legislature.

To mark the 60th anniversary, she partnered with several local businesses, nonprofit organizations and the Kodiak City Police Department to organize a street party at the city’s ferry terminal.

“It’s a feel-good experience for the community,” she said. “It’s really a wonderful thing.”

Hundreds of people came to the celebration, some wearing ferry-themed t-shirts and hats. People told stories, learned about the ship’s history, the Alutiiq Dancers performed, and there were even tours of the old boat. There were also free hot dogs and burgers and food trucks nearby.

Amanda Becker, manager of the Kodiak Ferry Terminal, said there is something special between the Tusty and the island city, even though the terminal, named after the state’s glaciers, is also served by other ferries.

“I mean, Kennicott is coming too and that’s fine,” she said. “But Tusty is here, she’s our old lady and she’s got character, she’s got an incredible crew.”

Becker is also typically the person who notifies Kodiak when there are delays or breakdowns during maintenance on the vessel.

However, one of the overarching questions is: When will the ship be decommissioned?

Replacing the Tustumena project is expected to cost over $315 million, but the state has only allocated about $180 million for it.

Stutes said that raising funds to replace the Tusty is progressing slowly, but she is hoping for the best.

“I am optimistic – we are making progress and in the meantime they are doing a good job of keeping the Tustumena safe for passengers and operations,” she said.

Mayer said he tried to take care of the Tustumena as best as he could.

“This ship isn’t getting any younger – and neither am I,” he said. “You know, 20 years ago they went out in rougher weather than I do today, but I try to be kind to the ship.”

Ryan Anderson, head of the Alaska Department of Transportation, said his team is working to obtain additional funding from the federal government through all means possible, such as through a toll credit program.

“It turns out the Federal Highway Administration has a program where if you invest in your vessel, so all the maintenance and all the overhauls, we get credits. We use our revenue and invest in those things,” Anderson told KMXT.

All the money will go to state grants for federal grants. The ministry has already started soliciting designs for parts of the replacement ferry, such as the elevator for cars.

“The elevator on the Tustumena is very special for a ferry and that’s why we have to use it as a model for the design of the new elevator,” he said. “So we have already signed contracts for things like the construction of the elevator.”

At the party, he also gave a speech in which he recognized the importance of Alaska’s ferry system and presented some plans for its replacement.

“The new ship will be bigger, longer and wider,” Anderson told the crowd. “It will be able to carry more people and more cars, and it will be more efficient and have lower operating costs.”

He said he hopes to have a new boat as early as 2027.

There were also speeches from other high-profile figures such as Alaska Senate President Gary Stevens, City of Kodiak Mayor Pat Branson, Kodiak Island Borough Mayor Scott Arndt, Homer Mayor Ken Castner, and a poem by Stutes’ husband, Stormy. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski was also scheduled to appear, but had last-minute plans with her family.

Mayer said he hopes to see the new boat and retire the Trusty Tusty soon.

“In the shipping industry, it is amazingly remarkable but also unfortunate that she has reached 60 years of age,” said Mayer. “It is our duty to look back and see how much effort, money, muscle and sweat have gone into keeping her alive all these years.”

However, the current plan is for the Tustumena to sail the Kodiak and Aleutian Islands route until it docks for repairs in the winter.