CATHLAMET, Wash. — It isn’t a long ride, but you can’t really blame people for wanting to get out and look around on a sunny day, especially on the Columbia River.

“This is gorgeous,” said Joy Cooper, of Portland, as the new ferry, Oscar B, left the terminal on Puget Island recently. She last rode the ferry “years and years ago” when it was the Wahkiakum making the trip across the river to Westport, Ore. The ferry ride takes all of about 15 minutes, but driving to get to the same location would take up to six times as long. And with the new, larger Oscar B, the short sojourn is a pleasure.

“I was totally surprised,” Cooper said. “I was amazed that we still have ferry service, and that it’s as nice as this. It’s a great tradition.”

The Oscar B is the last ferry still operating on the Columbia River. From the Cathlamet area, the alternatives include driving east to Longview, crossing the river and then driving west on OR-30, which takes about an hour, or driving west and taking the Astoria Bridge to Astoria and driving east on OR-30, which takes more than 90 minutes. Neither one is a good option for someone who works on either side of the river.

“I used to work over at the mill in Wauna,” said Ray Stoddard, who, as a Puget Island resident, finds the ferry valuable. “I’ve been riding regularly for the last five years, but I’ve used it off and on most of my entire life. It’s pretty nice.”

Pete Ringen, director and county engineer for the Wahkiakum County Public Works Department, said the ferry transports many commuters who work at the Wauna mill early in the morning, and then again around 5 p.m. But there are also many other travelers just looking for a scenic shortcut.

“On sunny days there can be more people that take it on trips to Astoria or Clatskanie,” he said. “Saturday and Sunday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. tend to be busier on summer weekends.”

The Oscar B, which went into service earlier this year, is named for Oscar Bergseng, who operated the original ferry seven days a week, 365 days a year for 17 years. A plaque in his honor on the new boat reads, “Oscar was instrumental in the county taking over operation of the ferry in 1961 and continued on as manager until his death in 1985.”

Another constant aboard the ferry has been Capt. Ray Peek, who has been piloting the boat back and forth across the Columbia for 32 years. An average shift has him making the run 18 times per day. That is less than he used to with the smaller Wahkiakum, where, if they could not fit everyone onboard, they would have to go back and make a second trip during the same hour — something that has yet to happen with the larger Oscar B. The ferry leaves Puget Island at the top of each hour from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

“It made it rough, but it was OK. I like the work,” said Scott Tomlinson, a part-time deckhand. “This (ferry) is so much nicer. So much more accommodations for the patrons and all that.”

Tomlinson has been working on the ferries for a year and a half.

“I love working on here. It’s the best thing I’ve done since I’ve been out of the Navy. I like working with this guy. We keep each other entertained,” Tomlinson said of Peek, who simply replied, “Yup.”

As the ferry pulled back into the dock at the Puget Island terminal, the two men prepared to end their shift after offloading all the passengers. But just like the boat, they’ll be back again tomorrow.

“We tease each other all the time. We do what we gotta do, but we still have a good time,” Tomlinson said.