Passenger-only ferry to connect Langley, Everett

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, May 12, 2026

A seasonal, passenger-only ferry connecting Langley and Everett this summer is the first of its kind.

Dubbed the Harbor Hopper, the catamaran will ferry passengers between the two cities from June 4 to Aug. 29 as part of a pilot program, the Ports of Everett and South Whidbey announced Monday. Encouraging tourism on both sides of Possession Sound is the goal, and the service fulfills a longtime goal of many South Whidbey officials.

Demand for the service during its trial run this summer will be used to determine whether a permanent passenger-only ferry connection between Everett and Whidbey is viable. Riders can choose from two Everett-bound and two Langley-bound sailings each Thursday and Saturday during the pilot program, save for the week of the Fourth of July.

Trips are expected to last 30-45 minutes, costing $10-12 one-way and $16-20 for round trips. Jim Pivarnik, the Port of South Whidbey’s executive director, recommends booking trips in advance, as walk-on passengers are only accepted as availability allows. Capacity is 45 passengers.

The catamaran is leased from the Hat Island Community Association for $40,000 over the course of the program; 40 trips total cost $1,000 each, according to Pivarnik. The small community on the island, situated between Everett and Whidbey, rely on the unique ferry to get to and from the mainland. Working around the association’s schedule ferrying residents restricted the Harbor Hopper’s availability, but Pivarnik thinks it worked out for the best.

“When we thought about it, it gives us a blessing that somebody could come over on Thursday and spend a couple days in Langley, go to the hotels, eat dinner out, spend more time than just a day trip,” he said. “And so that actually is going to encourage people to do that.”

Development of Everett’s Waterfront Place, 65 acres of retail, restaurants, residencies and more right on the water, and the upcoming FIFA World Cup serve as the “impetus” for the Harbor Hopper, Pivarnik explained. Vancouver and Seattle are hosting seven matches, bringing an influx of visitors during an already busy tourist season that Whidbey hopes to capitalize on.

But “pent-up demand” exists on both sides of the harbor for a service like this, he added.

Langley Mayor Kennedy Horstman noted that her predecessor, Scott Chaplin, sought to bring a passenger-only ferry to the South End, and Pivarnik explained that the Port of South Whidbey installed a dock for this purpose eight years ago. Work on the pilot program between the two ports began on a “staff level” about two months ago, the port’s executive director said.

Horstman, Pivarnik and Nicole Whittington-Johnson, the executive director of the Langley Chamber of Commerce, stressed the value of car-free tourism. Parking is limited in Langley, and the Harbor Hopper may reduce demand for the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry, the only means off the island from the South End.

Other pilot programs may be necessary in understanding how demand fluctuates at other times of the year, Horstman pointed out, but she hopes for the program’s success. A permanent passenger-only ferry is the “desire” of both ports, Pivarnik said, but that depends on whether the service can pay for itself.

Whidbey Telecom is a major sponsor of the pilot program; Everett restaurant Fisherman Jack’s and coffee shop and speakeasy The Muse Whiskey and Coffee provided financing as well, Pivarnik said. Ridership can pay for half of the $40,000 lease, and sponsorship money can cover the remainder.

“We don’t want taxpayers to necessarily pay for this,” he explained.

A representative of the Port of Everett is guest-speaking at this Wednesday’s Langley Chamber of Commerce meeting. Whittington-Johnson welcomes everyone to attend, both current and prospective chamber members, particularly if they want to learn more about the Harbor Hopper.

“I still have a few questions on logistics but overall, I’m hearing buzz of excitement around the idea,” she said.

Pivarnik feels similarly giddy.

“It’s one of those dreams come true that everything came together,” he said.

Sign up to be notified when the Harbor Hopper booking website opens at portofeverett.com/HarborHopperNotify.