Tiny ferries connect tiny islands of Puget Sound with the mainland

Hat Island, Herron Island and Lummi Island in Washington State’s Puget Sound are served by ferries that stay tiny by design—and the captains running them say that’s the point. Harrison Lindgren, 25, leads the Hat Island walk-on ferry, Herron Island is skippered by an on-island crew required to live locally, and Lummi Island captain Gary Poole has worked the route since he moved there 34 years ago. Passengers describe the service as more than transport: it delivers solitude, close-up water and wildlife, and a sense of community. Unlike large Washington State Ferries, these private vessels require permission to board and receive no government funding.