Camano (steamboat)

Camano was a steamboat built in 1906 at Coupeville, Washington which operated on Puget Sound from 1906 to 1917. "Camano" was later known as Tolo. As "Tolo" the vessel was sunk in 1917 as a result of a collision at sea. Four people died as a result.
Design and construction.
"Camano" was built by Capt. H.B. Lovejoy, doing business as the Island Transportation Company to run on the Everett – Coupeville, Washington shipping route as a replacement for the sternwheeler "Fairhaven". As built, "Camano" was long
In 1910, "Camano" was rebuilt, after which the vessel had the following dimensions: , beam, and depth of hold. The vessel was kept on the Everett-Coupeville route however. In 1911, when the steamer "Calista" was built for Island Transportation Co., at Dockton, Washington, "Camano" towed the new steamer to Seattle for completion.
Operations.
From 1906 to 1912 "Camano" ran on a route from Coupeville to Everett. H.B. Lovejoy's son, F.E. Lovejoy (1889–1940) served on board as a deckhand. He had also carved the nameboard for the ship.
"Camano" burned oil a fuel which was just coming into use among the Puget Sound steamboats when "Camano" was built. Originally the oil fuel for "Camano" was supplied on barrels brought to Coupeville by "Fairhaven", a woodburner like most of the older vessels. In November 1906, an iron tank, measuring by by was installed on the Coupeville dock to refuel "Camano." Refueling was later done at Clinton and Edmonds, Washington.
Every day except Sundays, "Camano" would depart Coupeville at 7:00 am southbound, stopping at Oak Harbor at 7:30 am, Camano Island at 8:15 am, Langley at 9:15 am, Clinton, Washington at 9:45 am, arriving in Everett at 10:15 am. "Camano" would depart Everett headed northbound at 3:00 pm. Stops were made depending on call at Brown's Point. San de Fuca, and Saratoga.
"Camano" was too small to have sleeping quarters or a galley. The crew's work day began 6:00 am, and they ate breakfast in the morning before work. The crew didn't it dinner until after the work day was complete, which was at 11:30 pm. Lunch was a cold meal, with coffee heated up on the head of the high-pressure steam cylinder.
In March 1907, "Camano" towed the sternwheeler "Fairhaven" off the beach. "Fairhaven" had been blown onto the dock at Coupeville during a gale, and then on to the shore, suffering substantial damage.
"Camano" was also placed on a route running from downtown Seattle to Alki Point. It cost 10 cents to ride the boat on this run.
Sale to KCTC.
"Camano" was sold to the Kitsap County Transportation Company and renamed "Tolo". In November, 1915, Kitsap County Transportation Company purchased "Camano" for $15,000.
Accidents.
"Camano" was involved in several accidents. In one instance, on August 16, 1912, the much larger steel-hulled steamship "Sioux", coming in from Seattle, was approaching the Everett dock. From the bridge, Capt. William Thorton of "Sioux" signaled the engine room for "half astern" to slow the vessel down. Instead the engine room gave him "half ahead" which caused the steamer to ram into the dock. Captain Thorton then signaled for "full astern".
Another mistake was made and the "Sioux" went full ahead, smashing into "Camano"'s stern, driving "Camano" forward into the gasoline launch "Island Flyer" which in turn struck the newly built motor launch "Alverene". "Island Flyer" was sunk as a result and "Alverene" was seriously damaged. "Camano" then sank at the dock. The small launch "Arrow" was demolished and the steam launches "Ranger" and "Daphne" suffered lesser damage. The total damage was valued at $30,000. It turned out that an engine room assistant, known as an "oiler" had been left in charge of the telegraph. No one was killed although there was at least one close call.
On March 1, 1914, in Elliott Bay, "Camano" collided with "Modoc" not far from the piers of the central Seattle waterfront. The collision was ruled to have been "Modoc"′s fault.
Sinking.
In November, 1917, under the command of Capt. George Benson, "Tolo" was en route from Seattle to Bainbridge Island in a heavy fog with eight crew and 53 passengers on board. The tug "Magic" (67 gross tons) collided with "Camano", and "Camano" sank in less than eight minutes. "Magic" sent off distress signals. "H.B. Kennedy" responded. The skillful crew of the "Kennedy", with the aid of "Magic", was able to rescue most of the people from "Camano." Four people died however, two women and one man from the passengers, and from the crew, the Chinese cook.