If you have been meaning to ride the historic Plover ferry across the waters of Blaine Harbor, the window is closing fast. Only three operating days remain in the 2026 season, and after September 6 the beloved little vessel will be done for the year.
The remaining dates are Friday, September 4, Saturday, September 5, and Sunday, September 6. Tickets are available online at the Plover Ferry ticketing page, and given the end-of-season buzz, anyone planning to go should not wait until the last minute.
A Small Ferry With a Long Story
The Plover is one of the most distinctive pieces of maritime heritage in Whatcom County. Operated out of Blaine Harbor, the small passenger ferry has carried locals and visitors across the water for generations, its route connecting the Blaine marina area to points across the harbor. The sight of the flag waving from its deck while the Cascade foothills form a backdrop has become something of an emblem of Blaine's identity as a working waterfront community.
Blaine sits at the northwest corner of Washington State, just minutes from the Canadian border, with a harbor that has supported fishing fleets, pleasure boaters, and maritime commerce for well over a century. The Plover fits into that tradition naturally. It is not a high-speed commuter boat or a tourist excursion vessel. It is a genuine working piece of local maritime life, operating at a pace that lets passengers actually look around and take in the harbor scenery.
The Port of Bellingham oversees harbor operations that include Blaine Harbor, and the Plover's continued seasonal operation reflects ongoing support for preserving the maritime character of the region's waterfronts.
Why This Season's Final Rides Matter
For families with children, the Plover offers something increasingly rare: a genuine old-fashioned boat ride on a historic vessel rather than a sanitized tourist attraction. The experience is short in duration but long on atmosphere. The harbor, the sound of the water, the views back toward Blaine's waterfront village and out toward the San Juan Islands on clear days, all of it adds up to something that feels meaningfully different from a typical outing.
The late-summer and early-fall timing of these final rides also coincides with some of the best weather of the year in Whatcom County. September days in Blaine can bring that particular Pacific Northwest clarity that shows off the mountains and water at their finest, before the rainy season settles in for good.
Blaine as a destination has been building a stronger profile in recent years, with the waterfront area offering restaurants, walking paths along the harbor, and views of Drayton Harbor that stretch toward Semiahmoo Spit. A trip to ride the Plover fits naturally into a half-day excursion that could include lunch in town and a walk along the water.
How to Get Tickets and What to Expect
Tickets for the remaining Plover rides can be purchased through the online booking page. The ferry operates weather-permitting, so anyone with a booking should keep an eye on conditions for their chosen date. Blaine Harbor can be breezy in September, especially in the evenings, so layers are a good idea even on sunny days.
The Plover runs from the Blaine marina area, and parking is available near the harbor. The ride itself is short, making it accessible even for visitors with young children or mobility considerations. The focus is on the experience of being out on the water aboard a vessel that has been part of Blaine's story for as long as most residents can remember.
Once September 6 arrives and the season closes, the next opportunity to ride will not come until 2027. For anyone who has let previous seasons pass without making the trip, these three final days represent the last chance for quite some time. More on what is happening around Whatcom County's waterfront communities can be found in coverage of the Bellingham waterfront cleanup efforts underway at the Harris Avenue Shipyard.
