Whatcom County Public Works will temporarily close two parking lots serving the Lummi Island Ferry beginning September 8, with both lots expected to reopen by the evening of September 11. The closures are necessary to prepare for the upcoming dry dock maintenance period for the Whatcom Chief ferry vessel, which is scheduled to begin September 12.
The two affected lots are the Gooseberry Point Emma lot, located at the north parking area at the end of Emma Road, and the Lummi Island Ferry back parking lot on Lummi Island. Both lots must be completely empty by the end of the day on Monday, September 7. Any vehicles still parked in either lot when crews arrive on the morning of Tuesday, September 8, will be subject to towing.
What Parkers Need to Know Before September 7
For regular Lummi Island commuters, this is a hard deadline that requires action before the Labor Day holiday weekend ends. Vehicles left overnight on September 7 are at risk of being towed at the owner's expense. The county is not providing exceptions for vehicles left by travelers who may be away from the island during the closure window.
The Gooseberry Point Emma lot is the north parking area on the mainland side of the crossing, used by passengers who drive to Gooseberry Point and then take the ferry to Lummi Island. The Lummi Island back lot is the secondary parking area on the island side, used by residents and visitors who park near the ferry landing.
Both lots will reopen Friday, September 11 after 5 p.m., just before the ferry's dry dock outage begins the following morning. Visitors and commuters should plan around both the lot closure from September 8 through 11 and the subsequent ferry service disruption that begins September 12 and runs through October 4.
Complications: Abandoned Boats and Gangway Storage
The closure comes with two additional parking complications that will affect capacity even after the lots reopen. Several abandoned boats currently occupying spaces in the Lummi Island back lot will remain in place throughout the dry dock period because, unlike vehicles, they cannot be removed through the standard towing process. The spaces occupied by those boats will remain unavailable until the county arranges for their removal after dry dock concludes.
Additionally, some spaces in the Lummi Island back lot must remain clear for passenger gangway storage during dry dock operations. The county has published a parking lot map showing which specific spaces are affected and the dates they must remain clear. Anyone who parks regularly in the back lot should review the map before returning to the lot after September 11.
The combination of the abandoned boats, the gangway storage requirement, and the overall dry dock logistics means the back lot will likely have reduced functional capacity compared to normal for the duration of the Whatcom Chief's maintenance period.
The Dry Dock Context
The Whatcom Chief is the primary vessel serving the Lummi Island Ferry route, one of only a few public ferry crossings in Whatcom County. The route provides essential transportation for Lummi Island's roughly 1,000 permanent residents, as well as visitors to the island. The ferry crossing takes only a few minutes but is the only practical way on and off the island for most people, making service interruptions and parking disruptions significant logistical events for the community.
Dry dock maintenance is a routine but involved process that takes a vessel out of service for an extended period, typically several weeks, to allow inspection and repair of the hull, propulsion systems, and other components that cannot be serviced while the boat is in the water. Whatcom County Public Works has been publishing information about the fall 2026 dry dock logistics since late July, giving the Lummi Island community advance notice to plan around the service gap.
During the Whatcom Chief's absence, alternative service arrangements are typically made, though the county has not specified in this notice what alternative transportation will look like during the September 12 through October 4 window. Lummi Island residents who depend on the ferry for work, medical appointments, or supplies should confirm service arrangements with the Ferry Division at 360-778-6200 before the dry dock period begins.
For questions about the lot closures or to request the parking lot maps referenced in the county's announcement, contact the Ferry Division at 360-778-6200 or email the ferry team through the county's website. Earlier ferry service news this summer, including the Coast Guard inspection that briefly interrupted service in late August, provides useful context for the maintenance schedule ahead.
