The historic Plover ferry will begin what could potentially be its final touring season on Friday, July 3.
The Plover, built in 1944, has been used as a tourist attraction since the 1990s, offering riders a scenic boat ride through Semiahmoo Bay. Its original use was to charter workers back and forth to Semiahmoo Spit, where the Alaska Packers Salmon Cannery was, which it did until 1964.
The foot passenger ferry used to dock at both Blaine Harbor and in Semiahmoo. However, due to a docking dispute between the city and Drayton Harbor Maritime, which owns the slip where the Plover used to dock in Semiahmoo, the tour now departs from and returns to Gate 2 at Blaine Harbor.
The Plover is also exceedingly expensive to maintain and insure, with a $1 million liability policy and a second policy for equipment and the vessel itself, according to previous reporting by The Northern Light. Owned and operated by the city of Blaine, it has been financially supported by taxes in the past, but the growing expenses make this difficult to sustain.
“When you look at the liability that it imposes on the city and, therefore vis a vis taxpayers, it’s just probably a financially good business decision to unfortunately end operations at the end of this year,” Blaine City Manager Mike Harmon said.
Additionally, the city’s tourism fund is dwindling, leading to a restricted touring schedule because of budget cuts.
“We’ve explored anywhere from the private sector taking and operating it, again, without tax subsidies, to archiving it, sending it to a museum or perhaps even putting it in a park,” Harmon said. “There’s a variety of options that could be for the Plover, but none have been decided.”
Harmon said the City Council will likely make a decision regarding the Plover’s future in 2027.
Rides are 30 minutes long and open to all ages. Adult tickets are $9, tickets for children aged 3 through 12 are $4, and infants 2 years and younger ride for free. Purchase tickets or make a donation at bit.ly/4uUjqI1.
Clarification: A previous version of the story misstated the docking dispute for the Plover as an issue between the Plover and Semiahmoo Marina. The dispute was between the city of Blaine and Drayton Harbor Maritime, which leases a slip at the marina. Daryton Harbor Maritime has a 50-year lease on the property where the slip is located, but the dock and gangway are owned by Drayton Harbor Maritime.
