San Juan Marine Freight is based in Anacortes Washington and has been in business since 2007. Captain Dan Crookes started the company and has an exemplary record for being safe, courteous, on-time and precise about his boat’s capabilities.
Born in Seattle and raised in both the Philippines and the Chicago area. Later Crookes studied cinematography at Northern Michigan University and at Western Washington University.
A background as a BMW auto tech with skills picked up in the midwest, he launched and ran Just Import Service in Anacortes from 1980 to 84′. He then gave in to the calling of a workboat life. Working in commercial fishing brought little money, but did bring sea time, experience, and led to a USCG captains license. Wanting to stay closer to home, he put together a 27′ Beachmaster high speed landing craft known as the ‘ Can Do ‘, running passengers and freight between Anacortes and the San Juans. This was the first real water taxi service in the area.
Then, in 87′, he combined his business with the Richter family, ran the old wooden landing craft “Island Ferry” which was retired and replaced in 89′ by the brand new Island Transporter, build by Dakota Creek Shipyard.
Dan spent the next 15 years as the primary operator and manager of this successful venture. Then in 2004, he sold his shares in Island Transport Inc. “to see some new scenery”.
He spent the next 2 1/2 years dabbling as a mechanic and a carpenter with plenty of time to spend with wife Jean and Softball Star daughter, Liz…..and sailing their family boat, then crewing on a racing team in and off-shore.
Dan recalls ; ” I had been thinking that I had better get back to ‘landing-crafting’, which is in my blood and is what I know well “, when former customers, the Vanderyachts, who have a growing local propane company, called and said “hey, let’s go look at the San Juan Enterprise, she’s for sale!”
After a couple of days crawling on a cement floor, installing base trim on a commercial job in Everett, he decided to ‘go for it’ and never looked back !
Now, you’ll find him behind the wheel of the San Juan Enterprise with a trusty golden retriever (or three) acting as deck paws, or running the show from land while Captain Steve Partridge ” plows water “.
You’ll find the San Juan Enterprise delivering regular supplies to the greater San Juan Island archipelago. Don’t be surprised if you see it helping many of the local contractors deliver materials and equipment to ferried and unferried islands of Puget Sound.
