Getting back to the mainland is the final action in How to Fish, and it plays out on the Volcano island after the hardest fight in the game. Once the Mutated Bowhead Whale is dead and its fin is handed in, a single interaction with the boat closes out the story and rolls the credits.
Quick answer: Defeat the Mutated Bowhead Whale, feed its fin to the hazmat-suit NPC to receive the military boat key, then step onto the boat by the camp dock and press E to select “Get back to the mainland.” The boat sails off and the credits begin.
What you must finish before the boat unlocks
The boat will not take you anywhere until the Volcano quest chain is complete. You cannot skip straight to the dock. The final boss and the fin hand-in are what actually hand over the key.
| Requirement | How to complete it |
|---|---|
| Bowhead Whale | Obtain the Fish Bucket from the hazmat NPC and use it as bait to summon and kill the Whale, then keep the carcass. |
| Mutated Bowhead Whale | Climb the volcano using wooden planks and throw the whale carcass into the crater to start the final fight. |
| Whale fin hand-in | After the kill, pick up the fin and feed it to the NPC in the yellow hazmat suit to receive the military boat key. |
The Mutated Bowhead Whale hits hard enough to kill you in a couple of strikes and spits burning lava, so stock healing items from the military base before you throw the carcass in. An upgraded Assault Rifle is the recommended weapon for this fight.
Board the boat and trigger the ending
With the military boat key in hand, the rest takes only a few seconds. The dock sits beside the camp structures on the volcanic island.
E to choose “Get back to the mainland.” This is the input that starts the return trip.
How to know the ending triggered
The moment you select “Get back to the mainland,” control is taken away and a cutscene plays. The boat sails into the sunset, followed by a “Thanks for playing!” message and the full credits roll. Finishing the trip also unlocks the We are so back achievement for completing the game.
If the “Get back to the mainland” prompt does not appear, the fin hand-in has not registered. Return to the hazmat NPC and give him the Mutated Bowhead Whale fin, then try the boat again.
What happens to your save after the credits
Reaching the mainland completes the main story, but it does not wipe your progress. You can continue on the same save with everything intact, which matters if you are chasing full completion.
- All purchases, weapons, and weapon upgrades carry over.
- You can finish the creature collection and hunt down any missing Drip variants for Fishipedia.
- The post-game gives you room to spin the roulette for new skins with your fully upgraded arsenal.
Because the boat trip is the point of no return for the story, treat the final fin hand-in as your signal that the game is done. Once the credits fade, you are free to keep playing on the Volcano and across the earlier islands to clean up whatever collection and achievement work remains.
