Tillicum Village longhouse located on Blake Island.
KEVIN MORRIS/seattlepi.com file photo
Argosy Cruises has ended a long-term contract with Washington State Parks that provided the Tillicum Excursion (formally known as Tillicum Village) at Blake Island State Marine Park.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Due to challenges relating to COVID-19, the Seattle-based charter company was unable to continue providing the excursion. In a news release, Chief Operating Officer for Argosy Cruises Molly Schlobohm said that revenue issues forced the company to scale back their offerings.
"We are sad to end Tillicum Excursion as we always saw huge opportunity in our operation on Blake Island,” Schlobohm said in the release. “We were really just scratching the surface on what could be offered out on the island but unfortunately, COVID-19 and the loss of revenue needed to continue operating on the island has forced us to scale back and simply focus on our core business of boat tours, charters and transportation.”
The state parks department plans to keep the concession closed throughout 2022 in order to properly assess the demand for programming on the island. Parks staff is seeking input from potential new partners for the service and has asked that interested parties reach out to Todd Tatum, the parks development division manager.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
“Tillicum Excursion offered a unique opportunity for many Washingtonians and visitors to explore the beauty of Blake Island and the rich history of the area,” said Tatum. “We hope to continue to offer programming and enriching experiences and want to do this in a way that respects the past, present and future of the island.”
Argosy Cruises has offered the Tillicum Excursion since 2009 and has since invested significantly in the park. The company has also helped fund new programming and experiences on the island, such as guided nature walks and a cafe.
Blake Island remains open to the public, but is only currently accessible by private boat. The park features 1,127 acres of marine camping area, including five miles of saltwater beach shoreline.