Whatcom Chief

[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.

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.