Published 2:35 pm Thursday, February 19, 2026
By Emily Hanson
Stevie Borggard of Port Angeles holds up a welcome sign as the first passengers come off the M.V. Coho on Thursday. Gail Scott, center with bag, from Sooke is all smiles. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
PORT ANGELES — Despite temperatures in the mid-30s, dozens of people turned out Thursday to welcome the M.V. Coho ferry back to Port Angeles.
While the Port Angeles High School pep band and bagpiper Eric Evans kept music flowing at the ferry terminal, many people held Canadian flags and wore red to honor Canada while others held signs which said “PA (hearts) Canada, eh” and “Welcome back, eh.” One person even wore a shirt which read “Bring your eh game.”
Jerry Papers of Port Angeles carried a large flag with both the American and Canadian symbols on.
“I was looking for a Canadian flag (online) and saw this and thought it was better for unity,” Papers said as his flag rippled in the slight breeze.
The Welcome Back Coho event, hosted by the Port Angeles Waterfront District, is great for camaraderie with Port Angeles’ northern neighbor, Papers said.
“It shows that most Americans support (Canada’s) sovereignty,” he added.
While eyeballing the crowd, Waterfront District Executive Director Sam Grello said he estimated there were between 100 and 150 people in attendance.
“The turnout’s pretty good,” he said. “It’s a very cold day so I’m impressed.”
The Coho, which returned to Port Angeles after its annual winter maintenance break, carried about 100 pedestrian passengers with vehicle traffic at about 90 percent, Grello said.
“We’re a town of 20,000 people, so this is a really important connection for us,” Grello said.
As the first cars exited the Coho, the gathered crowd cheered and waved flags.
“I think that our town has a very strong connection to Victoria and it’s nice to have something uplifting like this,” said Laurel Hargis, who was representing the Waterfront District and the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce. “It fosters a spirit of community.”
Part of the event included an Ask an American booth, manned by Waterfront District volunteer Stevie Borggard.
“This is awesome, it’s super fun,” Borggard said. “It looks like a great crowd, and it’s the first time we’ve had the Port Angeles High School pep band here.”
Borggard said she was hoping for questions about the best places in town to visit or to get a meal.
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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
Coho returns to music, sign-waving community – Peninsula Daily News
