It’s 4:30 in the morning and still very dark when the crew for Aeronautical Services shows up at the sort ramp in Anacortes. If all goes as planned, UPS trucks will soon arrive bringing their daily load of UPS packages from Seattle distribution centers.

By 7 a.m. those packages will have been sorted from trailers into Aeronautical trucks bound for ferries to Guemes, Lopez, Orcas and Friday Harbor, where the packages will again be sorted by island personnel into smaller trucks for final delivery to the customer. This must also be coordinated with aircraft departing Anacortes carrying “Air Parcels” and scheduled to arrive at each island just in time to link up with Aeronautical’s drivers before they begin their delivery routes.

The routine has varied over the years, but beginning with Les and Marilyn Labar and one small aircraft, Aeronautical Services has without interruption provided the San Juan Islands with this service since 1973.

In recognition of the past 40 years, Aeronautical will be hosting an anniversary celebration Saturday, the 10th of August, between the hours of noon and 3 p.m. at our Friday Harbor office, located at the airport. We wish to extend an open invitation to all who would care to join us.

Come meet our staff, reacquaint yourself with an employee from the past, enjoy something to eat or just stop by for the cake and coffee.

Steve Franklin, Aeronautical Services / San Juan Island