With Canada border restrictions in place, Port will continue its support for this ferry
With border restrictions hindering the ability to travel by land, Point Roberts residents continue to make use of a ferry to get to doctor appointments and shop.
The plan is to keep the ferry foot-passenger service between Point Roberts and Bellingham or Blaine until the border restrictions have been lifted or the port commission makes a change, said Mike Hogan, spokesman for the Port of Bellingham. The Port is evaluating the winter schedule demand and might shift some of the runs to Blaine depending on the weather.
The service, organized by the Port of Bellingham and operated by San Juan Cruises, started at the end of August to give residents a way to travel to the rest of Whatcom County.
Residents, who must travel through two border crossings to reach the rest of Whatcom County by land, have had difficulties traveling because of the restrictions put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The service appears to be popular with residents. Around 1,500 reservations have been made for the twice-a-week service since it started, Hogan said.
Drew Schmidt of San Juan Cruises said the service has been well-received and residents have been great when adjusting to changes in the schedule.
“We have had to cancel a few trips because of high winds but everyone has been very understanding and appreciative of keeping safety as the priority,” Schmidt said.
The reasons for riding the ferry have varied, with residents coming to Bellingham for shopping, meeting family and getting to appointments, Schmidt said. He estimates about half return the same day, with the rest returning on a different day.
“There’s been a surprising number of people traveling to Pt. Bob to check on their property or to check up on relatives; even a few small families going up to stay with parents/grandparents,” Schmidt said in an email.
The cost to the port for the service is $3,750 per day, averaging around $25,000 per month, Hogan said. The port received CARES Act funding from Whatcom County to pay for it between August and October.
Moving forward, the port will pursue state and federal reimbursement for Point Roberts ferry service, however, it is prepared to pay for this service to help meet the essential transportation needs of the Point Roberts community, Hogan said.
How long Point Roberts residents may need the ferry service is unclear, but expectations are low when it comes to lifting border restrictions for non-essential travel soon. Officially the restrictions are in place until Saturday, Nov. 21, but the restrictions have received several one-month extensions.
Don Goldberg, director of economic development for the port, told commissioners during a Tuesday, Nov. 5 meeting that he had heard discussions of the restrictions lasting until at least March. Media reports indicate there is not much enthusiasm for reopening the border until the pandemic is under control or a vaccine is widely available.
