06/02/2026
Baxter is keeping this ancient tradition alive! Hitch hiking pets just love boats!
🐱⛴️ A Maine cat named Baxter has been riding the same ferry route for nearly four years, and the crew finally decided he deserved a seat of his own.
Each morning, Baxter boards the ferry connecting island communities along the Maine coast, hops onto his custom-built wooden stool beside the window, and quietly watches lobster boats, rocky shorelines, seabirds, and lighthouses drift by.
When the ferry reaches the dock, Baxter steps ashore, spends a few minutes inspecting the waterfront like a self-appointed harbor master, then calmly boards the next boat back.
The crew eventually installed a small sign identifying him by name after visitors repeatedly assumed he was lost.
Regular passengers say Baxter has become such a fixture of the crossing that it feels strange when he isn't aboard.
According to the captain, Baxter has never once purchased a ticket.
"He's probably the most reliable passenger we've ever had," the captain laughed. "Rain, fog, wind, snow... he shows up. After four years, I'd say he's earned a lifetime pass."
⚓🐾🇺🇸
