Ben Marcus Rules

Humble Narrator: What is your experience using mass transit on the water?
Patricia: Spent 10 years prior to Malibu in San Francisco riding ferries and plenty of time on the east coast on the NY Ferry System, the Cape and Hamptons riding ferries. In addition to growing up boating on the Pacific, boating I spent last summer in Croatia and every day took a ferry or water taxi.. In my professional career as an Executive Recruiter, I’m deeply involved in the industry working with both private and public companies restructuring their executive leadership.

Where are you from originally?

LA native, baby! Actually a fifth generation Californian on my dad’s side. He used to take our family to the ferry in Santa Monica when I was a little girl - I always loved the ocean. 

And could you pronounce your last name phonetically for me? I can barely spell it, much less pronounce it.
May-shoss 

That rascal husband of yours got a hole in one several weeks ago and he’s still kvelling about it at Zinque.  He wants Zinque to rename the Arnold Palmer drink after him. 
LOL!! I’m ok with that as long as it’s called Patricia’s Husband's Hole in One :) 

A ferry from Malibu to Santa Monica back is loaded with possibilities, but fraught with challenges - as any new idea in Malibu is. Can you give me any Who What Where When and How Much numbers?
Fire away.

How big of a boat? 
Fifty foot boat to start, then as the pier’s repaired we can do a larger ferry that runs farther south. The City of Long Beach is interested for LA28 and I think north in the future. 

Malibu to Santa Monica to Long Beach and back for the Olympics? That could work. And north as in…. Anaheim? Azusa? Cucamonga? Ventura? Montecito? 
Santa Barbara.

Speed of the boat? 
27-34 knots

How many crew
Two.

Max number of passengers?
 40

Length of the ride? 
18-23 minutes Malibu to Santa Monica 

Frequence of arrivals/departures from Malibu? 
Working on that: Probably hourly back and forth to Santa Monica. If Malibu pier has logistics in repair, we can always go to Paradise Cove.

The temporary ferry ride in 1979 charged $2 for a 50-minute ride. That’s almost $9 in modern dollars, but still a bargain.
We are going to keep the cost reasonable for Malibu citizens.

Oooooo there’s an idea. The Beach Cafe would be non-stop! Do you know what the one and two-way cost will be, and will there be a kamaaina discount for commuters?
Our vessel operator is working on that.

A local person who knows such things raised these caveats and cautions, if you would like to answer each one:

Fire away.

1. The access at the Malibu Pier is not ADA compliant. 

We realize that and it is one of the items we will be working on. 

You’re asking Governor Newsom for the State to make the pier ADA compliant?
Yes we need the state to expedite permits for safety and compliance 

1. Additionally, it is an Open Ocean pier, not in a harbor like the rest of the existing ferry systems. 

There will be Santa Ana wind days and rough seas and we will have to amend the schedule.

The previous ferry I mentioned,  which only lasted 10 days, was a 50-person vessel.

2. It is also unlikely the state would certify the license for a Captain. 

We’re collaborating with two global vessel operators that are licensed in California to pick up the route. 

3, This doesn’t even factor in the enormous insurance risk undertaken with a ferry. 

We’ve got a maritime lawyer on the committee. 

Opinions are like electric cars around the Malibu: Everybody’s got one. Have you discussed your idea with confidantes, and what did they say - pro and con?

The crazy part is no one opposes this. It’s just logistical. We need to thread the needle and get it done: this is an unprecedented time. 

They tried a ferry service connecting the Hawaiian Islands but it was shut down because of the threat to the peace and quiet of whales. Do you foresee those kinds of objections being raised around Malibu, where you have to get an Environmental Impact Report just to burp?
We have a former Heal the Bay Attorney on the committee and she says it’s an environmental positive to remove the cars from PCH. I paddle by the pier almost everyday and I care deeply about our surf break. 

Will a ferry disturb the ESHA? Better hope not.
No. 

When we lived in Tiburon, mi esposa took the ferry to work in downtown San Francisco every day and she loved it. I can imagine some Malibu commuters taking the ferry to relax on the water, Tap into Starlink, get some work done, make some phone calls, have a cuppa, take in some sea and sky and skip the traffic. Disembark on the Santa Monica Pier when conditions are calm and maybe Marina del Rey as a foul weather alternative. Then connect with Uber or the bus or other means - so do you see this as a 50/50 deal? 50% commuters, 50% tourists?

We’re jaded because we live here, but to inlanders and mid-westerners and foreigners from elsewhere and out of town - there is a lot to see approaching or leaving the 21 Miles of Scenic Beauty.
We see this bringing in construction workers and employees to the area in the early morning and residents using it for westside commutes and evening runs to enjoy a sunset ride to Santa Monica for dinner. 

Have you done a projection for the demand, and the percentages?
Maja on our committee is circulating a survey - hope everyone in town responds. 

Could you branch into whale watching?
No, the pier has another vendor for that.

Catalina trips?
Think the vision is more to extend to a larger ferry by next year for the World Cup, and down to Long Beach for LA28. There has been so much positive response from our mayors, City Council Members, from Rick Caruso’s office and other private investors, from Malibu business owners, and Malibu residents on this idea, that it could extend possibly all along our SoCal coast.  For now we are focusing on Santa Monica to Malibu and it’s our chance to bring back the excitement of the ferry I rode as a little girl, ease the congestion on PCH and allow easier access to our beautiful coastal town again. 

Where are you in the process now and what are the hurdles and how can the citizens of Malibu help the cause?
Ridership!! Let’s all get off PCH and the 101 and enjoy the water. Doesn’t hurt to let our state assemblymen and women that you need our piers updated. 

KEITH RIVERS

Keith Rivers is one member of the Malibu Ferry team, who brings a lot of experience to the ferry experience, and made a sizzle reel to present the idea. His biography from Imdb.com tells us a lot:

Keith Rivers grew up in North Bend, Washington largely known for David Lynches' iconic film, Twin Peaks. Rivers is an award-winning director with a passion for uniting captivating visuals and anthem-driven narratives in his work across numerous genres. His innate curiosity and inclination toward adrenaline has inspired a diverse body of work, working with top clients such as Microsoft, Amazon, Delta Airlines, Mazda, Hyundai, Porsche, Alaska Airlines, McDonalds, Chevrolet, and Taco Bell.

Popularized through Microsoft, Rivers entrepreneurial spirit led him to inadvertently start production company Workhouse Creative, Inc. in Seattle, representing directors and running a post-production arm called St. George Post before selling to Wild Gravity, LLC in 2018.

Rivers has written and directed several global ad campaigns including one for Internet Explorer 9, where a music synchronization deal for Alex Clare begot him triple platinum record sales and a BRIT award. Rivers also created the instantly viral Surface commercial for Microsoft, which received 9 million views and won a Gold ADDY award.

Rivers donated his time working with non-profit organization World Vision in area development projects out of Zambia, Bangladesh, Amazon River, and Senegal, where he documented humanitarian missions around growing education, children, and culture.

As a hobby, Rivers is a singer and songwriter, with four completed music albums.

He is currently in development on several films: Flight Plans and Advice from my 14-year-old Self through ICM Partners.

What is your experience using mass transit on the water?

I spent a decade of my life on Orcas Island, Washington so using the Washington State Ferry (WSF) as a commuter to and from Anacortes/Orcas Island was essential. https://wsdot.com/ferries/schedule/scheduledetailbyroute.aspx?route=ana-sj 

I loved the consistent reliability, beauty of the sunsets, passing by fishing boats and kayakers, meeting other travelers, sounds of the boat, the ocean wind, and surprise moments of whale watching sightings along the way. 

Yep, I used to take the Edmunds Ferry to Kingston to drive to Sequim to see my mom. That ferry vibrated rhythmically and had excellent time, as a matter of fact. There’s something soothing and relaxing commuting by water, and that’s why I think the Malibu to Santa Monica ferry could work.

When I moved to West Seattle, my offices were up in Capitol Hill and rather than enduring a 1hr line of traffic over the West Seattle Bridge, I would often take a 10-15 minute West Seattle Water Taxi that could traverse from Alki Beach to the Seattle Pier. https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/metro/travel-options/water-taxi/west-seattle Then I would peddle my electric bike up the hill. Commuting via water is a joyful experience second to none. 

Where are you from originally?

I'm from Boston, MA, but moved to North Bend, WA when I was seven. I spent 30 years in Seattle before selling my company and moving to Malibu, CA where I now have lived with my wife and two daughters for the last seven years.

You think the Malibu to Santa Monica ferry could be viable now?

I think a reliable, beautiful, consistent commuter ferry sparks new opportunities, attracts and reignites tourism, and bands together communities that have been devastated by the fires. If we can listen to and hear out the many different voices within our community - surfers, fishermen, marine life biologists, pilots, commuters, beach-goers, and homeowners - I think we can work together to create a solution that's going to be positive for everyone. I was speaking with a longtime active surfer in the Malibu community who proposed the idea of an electric ferry, and a route that doesn't interfere or interrupt the Topanga Beach wave.

Oh I hadn’t thought about that. We dealt with boat wakes surfing the Santa Cruz Harbor way back when - and they can be a problem.

It's about taking all of these intricacies into account and developing something that's going to support and benefit the entire community.

Commuter ferries shift and impact the culture but it takes time and communities usually react to the response as it develops -- there's also seasonal/weather components to think about. Pricing and speed of the boat is a huge consideration. The cheaper and faster the ride, the more commuters will use it. The slower rides may attract equal amounts of tourism. I think a ferry could attract new amenities like peddy cab rides to town, uber or taxi pick ups and drop offs, additional breakfast and lunch spots, and parking demand for commuters. There is a possibility to build a schedule that includes different speeds during the commuting hours and slower rides for sunset experiences and marine life sightings.