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From the Bellingham Cruise Terminal at the end of Harris Street in the Fairhaven District you can find ferries that will take you to spend the day an island in the San Juans, visit a little bit of Britain in the Canadian crown city of Victoria, British Columbia, (whale-watching on the way), or allow you to embark on a longer, and unforgettable, Alaskan marine adventure. Bellingham to San Juan Island The San Juan Island Commuter is a seasonal ferry which runs from mid-May to mid-September. Day trips are available to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. This ferry is passengers-only, however there is plenty of room for kayaks, bicycles, luggage, and camping equipment. The Island Commuter also offers weekend service to Eliza and Sinclair Islands during the summer months, but because these are residential islands with no accommodation for the public, passengers must own property on these islands, or know someone there to visit them. Bellingham to Victoria, B.C. A day on Vancouver Island, in picturesque Victoria, B.C., with a sumptuous ferry-catered salmon or prime rib dinner on the return trip, can be had on the Bellingham-to-Victoria ferry run. This is a mid-May through mid-October adventure, and the ferry accepts only walk-on passengers. Dinner is an optional add-on. Passage is available one-way or round-trip, with the option of overnight stays in the visited port. Bellingham to Alaska You can walk on, or take your vehicle with you on the Bellingham-based Alaska Ferry. This ferry, which runs at regular intervals year around, is part of the Alaska Marine Highway System, which provides schedule service to 33 ports in Alaska, British Columbia and Washington State. The Inside Passage route, which leaves from Bellingham, stops at eight ports: Prince Rupert, B.C., and the Alaskan communities of Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau, Haines and Skagway. Passengers can choose any of the seven Alaskan cities as a destination port, with fares varying according to how far you along the Inside Passage you go. In true Alaskan style, passengers can rough it by bringing sleeping bags and camping on board, or book a stateroom for cruise-ship comfort. Full shower facilities are available for all, and on-board sleeping is allowed in both the inside lounges and on outside heated decks. Food ranges from cafeteria fare to fine dining. It's also permissible to bring your own provisions in a cooler, but don't expect to be able to cook on board. Reservations are required for the Alaska Ferry, and if you want a stateroom, or are planning to take a vehicle, book early. Also be aware that security has increased on the Alaska ferry runs. Be prepared to bring identification: a birth certificate, passport or government-issued picture ID. Prime season on the Alaska Marine Highway is May 1 through September 30, which is when rates are highest and space is at a premium. The off-season, from October 1 through April 30 is considered "Alaska Time," when most passengers are more likely to be locals. Rates are lower during the off-season, and you may find interesting deals, like the one currently offered, which allows prospective University of Alaska Southeast students and one chaperone each to travel for half fare (including stateroom fare) to visit the university's campuses at Ketchikan, Sitka and Juneau. Gooseberry Point to Lummi Island For short-trip island-hoppers, a best bargain in Whatcom County is the Lummi Island commuter ferry, which runs from just north of Bellingham, at Gooseberry Point on the tip of the Lummi Nation Indian Reservation, just west of Ferndale, to the charming, quirky, artist-rich shores of Lummi Island. Because this ferry is the primary mainland-access transportation for island residents, this ferry runs daily and at regular intervals all year long. Most of the time this ferry takes both foot passengers and vehicles, although for approximately two weeks in September, beginning the first Sunday after Labor Day, the main ferry, the Whatcom Chief goes into dry dock for routine work, and a passenger-only ferry picks up the slack for the interim. Fares are $1 each, round-trip, and free for children under 12. A vehicle with driver is $4, round-trip. Additional passengers 12 and over are $1 each. Multiple trip passes are available as well. Click here for schedules, including dry-dock dates. Lummi Island is an ideal spot for hiking, bicycling, or touring by car. During the summer a small farmers' market with produce, food and local crafts, runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Islander Store, a short walk from the ferry dock. Visit the farmers market, then browse Sisters Art Gallery, next to the store, which carries only work produced by Lummi Island artists and crafts-people. Blaine to Semiahmoo In the northernmost part of Whatcom County, at Blaine Harbor, a small, summer foot-ferry, the MV Plover, runs a short, scenic tour Fridays through Sundays across Drayton Harbor between Blaine and Semiahmoo. The MV Plover is the oldest passenger foot ferry in Wasthington State. Built in 1944, it was originally used to shuttle workers to the Alaskan Packers salmon cannery on Semiahmoo Spit, the present setting for Semiahmoo Resort. Rides on this, the most unique of all of the ferries in Whatcom County, are free. The M.V. Plover runs Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend. |
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