Lummi Island ferry, Whatcom Chief, 2025 dry dock to begin Saturday

LUMMI ISLAND, Wash. — Officials with Whatcom County Public Works Ferry Division announced the Whatcom Chief’s 2025 dry dock outage is scheduled from Saturday, April 26, 2025, through Sunday, May 11, 2025.

The Whatcom Chief provides pedestrian and vehicle ferry service between Gooseberry Point and Lummi Island. During the annual dry dock period, ferry service switches to pedestrian-only vessel.

Public Works provided the following transition schedule for converting to passenger-only runs.

• Friday, April 25, 2025:  A regular, full schedule of runs is planned for the Whatcom Chief:
  • This is the last day to move your car between the island and the mainland. The last two departures providing regular vehicle service will be:
    • 12:00 a.m. (midnight) from Lummi Island to Gooseberry Point
    • 12:10 a.m. from Gooseberry Point to Lummi Island
• Saturday, April 26, 2025:  Float installation at terminals; passenger-only ferry service begins midday:
  • The dry dock switchover for the passenger ferry will occur in the morning; no ferry service of any kind, including any emergency runs, will be available until this process is complete. Please plan accordingly. 
  • Passenger-only ferry service is expected to begin at 12:00 p.m. (noon) and will make its remaining scheduled runs for the day. 
• Sunday, April 27, 2025:   Gangway installation at both Lummi Island and Gooseberry Point terminals; passenger-only service suspended until mid-afternoon:
  • There will be no ferry service of any kind, including any emergency runs, after the last run on Saturday, April 26, until the gangways are installed at both terminals.  Please plan accordingly.
  • Passenger-only ferry service is expected to resume at approximately 2:00 p.m. from Lummi Island.

Details regarding parking, pets, bikes, shuttle van service and dry dock schedule updates are provided on the Whatcom County dry dock information web page.