Ferry Dry Dock

2024 Dry Dock Pictures

  1. 1 A crane moves the ferry reduction gear through the tarped off area of the Whatcom Chief.
  2. 2 The reduction gear is flying into the Whatcom Chief via crane.
  3. 3 Crew members inside the engine room of the Whatcom Chief ferry.
  4. 4 The outer tarp comes off the Whatcom Chief in dry dock.
  5. 5 A crew member gives a thumbs up from the deck of the Whatcom Chief in dry dock.
  6. 6 Crew members work on the engine of the Whatcom Chief.
  7. 7 Propeller of the Whatcom Chief ferry in dry dock
  8. 8 Whatcom Chief arrives for dry dock 2024
  9. 9 Taped off windows of the Whatcom Chief ferry in dry dock.
  10. 10 The engine room below deck of the Whatcom Chief ferry.
  11. 11 The engine room below deck of the Whatcom Chief ferry.
  12. 12 Engine room of the Whatcom Chief
  13. 13 Engine room of the Whatcom Chief
  14. 14 Engine room of the Whatcom Chief

The Whatcom Chief is back in service as of Saturday, June 15. Thank you for your patience during dry dock 2024. 


Lummi Island Ferry to Return to Service June 15

The Whatcom Chief is scheduled to resume service on the afternoon of Saturday, June 15. This planned return to service date is contingent upon completing the remaining dry dock work, including sea trials. If the date or time should change due to unforeseen circumstances, we will promptly provide additional communications.  

Please review the following for changeover outages, shuttle service, and vehicle removal & parking requirements. 

THE CHANGEOVER:

  • On Friday, June 14, the passenger-only ferry will complete all scheduled runs through the midnight run to Gooseberry Point.
  • There will be no ferry service of any kind on Saturday, June 15, from midnight until approximately 4 p.m. during the dock changeover. Please plan accordingly. 
  • The Whatcom Chief returns to service around 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. 
  • We anticipate only one outage while the dock modifications and floats are dismantled and removed.

SHUTTLE VAN SERVICE:

  • The passenger shuttle van service will make all its scheduled runs through Sunday, June 16 (fuel permitting).  
  • There will be no shuttle van service on Monday, June 17, and thereafter.

PARKING:

  • Please adhere to the parking end dates marked in red on each parking map. 
    • Gooseberry Point Dock Parking
      • Any vehicles parked on the curve (top left on map) or the traffic staging area (middle left on map) must be moved by the end of Friday, June 14. Any vehicles left in this area will impede queuing traffic when the Whatcom Chief returns to service. 
      • Any vehicles parked in dry dock-only accessible parking spaces (middle of the map) must be moved by the end of Sunday, June 16.  Any vehicles left in this area will impede the ability to zipper merge when the Whatcom Chief returns to service. 
    • Lummi Island Main Parking Area
      • Any vehicles parked in spaces that make up the ferry queuing lane (middle of the map) need to be moved out of the way by the end of Friday, June 14. Any vehicles left in this area will impede queuing traffic when the Whatcom Chief returns to service.
    • Lummi Island Overflow Parking Area
      • Any vehicles parked in the marked ferry gangway area (back parking lot) need to be moved out by the end of Friday, June 14. 
    • Vehicles not moved by the deadlines will be subject to towing. 

If you have questions about the changeover process or the Whatcom Chief's return to service, contact the Whatcom County Public Works Ferry Division at 360-778-6200 or [email protected]. 

Quick Links

Passenger-Only Ferry

The contracted passenger-only ferry will provide service between Lummi Island and Gooseberry Point. The maximum number of passengers allowed on the passenger ferry at any time is 55.  

View the Passenger-Only Ferry Schedule

Rules for the passenger ferry: 

  • Pets are allowed on the stern of the vessel only.  
    • Owners are responsible for their pet’s actions at all times
    • No pets are allowed in the cabin of the vessel
  • Bicycles are allowed on the stern of the vessel only. 
    • Bicycles load last.  
    • The maximum number of bicycles allowed on the passenger ferry at one time is 6.
    • Bicycle users must be able to lift their bicycles over their heads or be prepared to wait for the next ferry if there is no room on the stern of the boat.  
    • E-bikes are not allowed on the passenger ferry.
  • The passenger-only ferry can only accept non-motorized wheelchairs as motorized wheelchairs are too wide to pass through the opening in the bulwarks of the passenger ferry.
  • The procedure for wheelchair assistance during dry dock has changed from previous years.
    • During dry dock, all of our employees have critical functions to perform during loading and unloading operations. With this in mind, we will make every attempt to assist you, depending on time, safety, and employee availability. 
    • Please note that if you plan on using a wheelchair on the passenger-only ferry, please call 360-815-5603 at least one hour before your planned departure time and provide the width of your wheelchair, as it may not fit through the doorway.  
    • You may need to be transferred to a narrower wheelchair provided by the county during loading and offloading on the passenger-only ferry. You are responsible for providing an assistant to help you with any necessary transfer to or from a wheelchair. Ferry personnel are prohibited from physically assisting with any transfer of the passenger to or from a wheelchair. 
    • Please be aware that the ramp may be very steep and challenging to navigate at negative tides. You may wish to postpone travel until the tide rises and the ramp becomes more accessible to navigate. See Ferry Tide Restrictions.
    • View more information on Whatcom County’s personal-care attendant policy.
  •  Be aware that the ramp may be very steep and challenging to navigate at negative tides. You may wish to postpone travel until the tide rises and the ramp becomes more accessible to navigate. See Ferry Tide Restrictions. 
  • Per the United States Coast Guard regulations, gas cans are prohibited on the passenger-only ferry. Please plan accordingly before dry dock.
  • The passenger-only ferry will fuel on Wednesdays. Please check the passenger-only schedule to see which runs will be delayed for re-fueling

Shuttle Van Service

The shuttle must meet a very tight schedule. Please be at the shuttle van stop early to be sure of a ride. The maximum number of passengers allowed in the shuttle van at any one time is 15. No exceptions. 

Vehicle Parking

Vehicle parking information is referenced in the maps below:

It is extremely important that designated 'no parking' areas are kept open and clear for the smooth operations of the ferry system and shuttle van, and for safety and fire access. 

Sign up to Receive Notifications

Using the Notify Me system, you can sign up to get notifications by text or email whenever we have ferry-related updates to share.

How to sign up to receive email and/or text notifications: 

  1. Go to the Notify Me page on our website. 
  2. Type in your email address and phone number under the Your Profile Information section at the top of the page.
  3. Scroll down to the News Flash section, and find the News Flash item labeled Public Works - Lummi Island Ferry and Roadways. 
  4. Click on the envelope icon and/or the phone icon, depending on your preferences. The envelope icon will send you emails, and the phone icon will send you text messages. 
  5. Finally, you will get an email or text message confirmation from Civic Plus (depending on which icon you clicked on in Step 4 asking you to confirm your subscription). Click the link to confirm your subscription.