I saw some tweets about a new water taxi service between Bellingham, WA and the San Juan Islands, so I called and spoke with owner Bill McGown, who told me that pet dogs are welcome on board, for no additional fee. If you think they’ll be uneasy on a boat, a carrier might be a good idea, but it’s not required. There’s a patch of carpet in the cabin for them to lie down on (or hook their toenails into, for stability!).

The Leap Frog site is still pretty minimal, but this article from the Bellingham Business Journal has some more details. I’m excited about the scheduling flexibility the service offers, and I’m intrigued by the access the taxi provides non-boat owners like me to smaller islands — including islands that don’t have docks. (The big Washington State Ferries boats go to the four large islands — San Juan, Orcas, Lopez and Shaw; pet dogs must be in a carrier or stay on the car deck.)