Whatcom Chief
The Whatcom Chief is a ferry in Washington state, United States.[1][2] The ferry carries both pedestrians and vehicles to Lummi Island from Gooseberry Point west of Bellingham, Washington.
The Gooseberry Point terminal is situated on land belonging to the Lummi Nation.[3]
A 35-year lease was agreed between Whatcom County and the Lummi Nation in September 2011. John Stark, writing in The Bellingham Herald, criticized Whatcom County for the cost of the lease, and for failing to push the Lummi Nation to take it to court by interpreting some Federal precedents that may have allowed access to the ferry terminal without a leasing fee.
Normally the voyage takes eight minutes.[4] The ferry can accommodate 20 vehicles and 100 pedestrian passengers. The ferry service is occasionally disrupted due to bad weather as well as propane deliveries as the fuel truck must ride across on the ferry alone.[5]
Vessel
[edit]The Whatcom Chief was built in 1962 by the T. J. Larsen Steel Company in Bellingham, Washington.[6] It is 93.5 feet (28.5 m) long and can carry up to 20 vehicles and 100 passengers.[7] The Chief is planned to be replaced by a new vessel in the 2020s. The $35 million project, which includes remodeled docks, will be funded by an increased fare and grants from the state legislature's 2022 transportation package. On September 17, 2026, the US Department of Transportation granted Whatcom County $25 million of federal funding for the purpose of replacing the Chief, covering half of the cost of the project.[8][9]
References
[edit]- ↑ Caleb Hutton (November 29, 2011). "Lummi ferry to be out of service at night until". The Bellingham Herald. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Lummi Island Ferry". Whatcom County Public Works. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
- ↑ John Stark (September 15, 2011). "Whatcom County Council OKs new Lummi Island ferry lease". The Bellingham Herald. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ Mike McQuade (April 27, 2011). "Go for a hike, a loop on a bike or a world-class meal on Lummi Island". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
- ↑ "500 lose power in storm". Western Front. September 27, 2011. Archived from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
- ↑ "Whatcom Chief Accepted, Takes San Juan Cruise". The Bellingham Herald. June 24, 1962. p. 3. Retrieved September 6, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Quarterly Passenger Information". Whatcom County. Retrieved September 6, 2026.
- ↑ Mittendorf, Robert (February 13, 2022). "State may have more than $9 million for Whatcom transportation. Here's how it would be used". The Bellingham Herald. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
- ↑ O'Shea, Kathi (September 17, 2026). "Federal grant clears the way for new Lummi Island ferry - My Bellingham Now". Retrieved September 18, 2026.
External links
[edit]- "Whatcom County loses $8.15M in state funds for Lummi ferry". The Seattle Times. May 26, 2008.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)