Alaskan Sea
First stop in our "Alaskan Experience" was Bellingham ferry terminal - our gateway to Alaska's Inside passage! Unfortunately we didn't bring along directions and we took a few minutes to figure out where we were going - luckily we got there in the end. We waved farewell to Bart and Lauren who'd acted as our chauffeurs for the day and boarded our ferry.
We set sail with fair winds and a break in the clouds aboard the vehicle ferry Columbia. Her hearty crew and stout captain handled her with skill and determination as we made our way northwards towards the untold wonders of the Alaskan Inside Passage. As the day wore on, the weather closed in and visibility dropped to a mere hundred yards. A 'tent city' grew up on the rear decks as those who'd come prepared staked out their own little area on the deck. We set up camp under the glass roof of the solarium along with the other budget travelers - we didn't fancy spending the night in steerage - and huddled down for the night. The temperature plummeted as the night drew in and the cold fog was blown in from the sea. We managed to survive the night - although the bitter conditions didn't make sleeping easy.
We woke uneasily the next morning as we passed the northern tip of Vancouver Island. As we headed into open water, the good ship Columbia became slightly more unruly as she was buffeted by the swell coming in from the Gulf of Alaska. Tracy overcame the elements with the help of a sleep inducing travel sickness pill which seemed quite appealing after our sleepless night.
As the journey wore on, we availed ourselves of some of the shipboard entertainment - most notably the movie selection and the absorbing "Ranger Talks" led by the effervescent Brett Calhoun as well as the cafe which doled out serviceable coffee for $1.50 (free refill) and mini pizzas. Our next night we decided that discretion was the better part of valour and headed inside. We found ourselves an unclaimed patch of floor-space inside the seating area and bedded down for the night.
We made brief stops in Ketchikan, Petersburg (where we saw a wee deer), Wrangell, Juneau and Haines before we reached our destination of Skagway. It seems funny now, but I was rather reluctant to leave the Columbia - our home of 3 days. We'd seen some amazing scenery and gorgeous sunsets - especially after the low clouds had been left behind. We'd spotted whales, seals/sealions (not sure which) and a couple of bald eagles as well as a submarine! We'd also met some interesting and friendly people along the way - and avoided becoming another cruise-ship passenger statistic (apparently over 900,000 now show up every season). Ferrying the Inside Passage was such a great introduction to Alaska that we've now booked our return trip with the Alaska State ferry system as well. I can't think of a higher compliment!
We set sail with fair winds and a break in the clouds aboard the vehicle ferry Columbia. Her hearty crew and stout captain handled her with skill and determination as we made our way northwards towards the untold wonders of the Alaskan Inside Passage. As the day wore on, the weather closed in and visibility dropped to a mere hundred yards. A 'tent city' grew up on the rear decks as those who'd come prepared staked out their own little area on the deck. We set up camp under the glass roof of the solarium along with the other budget travelers - we didn't fancy spending the night in steerage - and huddled down for the night. The temperature plummeted as the night drew in and the cold fog was blown in from the sea. We managed to survive the night - although the bitter conditions didn't make sleeping easy.
We woke uneasily the next morning as we passed the northern tip of Vancouver Island. As we headed into open water, the good ship Columbia became slightly more unruly as she was buffeted by the swell coming in from the Gulf of Alaska. Tracy overcame the elements with the help of a sleep inducing travel sickness pill which seemed quite appealing after our sleepless night.
As the journey wore on, we availed ourselves of some of the shipboard entertainment - most notably the movie selection and the absorbing "Ranger Talks" led by the effervescent Brett Calhoun as well as the cafe which doled out serviceable coffee for $1.50 (free refill) and mini pizzas. Our next night we decided that discretion was the better part of valour and headed inside. We found ourselves an unclaimed patch of floor-space inside the seating area and bedded down for the night.
We made brief stops in Ketchikan, Petersburg (where we saw a wee deer), Wrangell, Juneau and Haines before we reached our destination of Skagway. It seems funny now, but I was rather reluctant to leave the Columbia - our home of 3 days. We'd seen some amazing scenery and gorgeous sunsets - especially after the low clouds had been left behind. We'd spotted whales, seals/sealions (not sure which) and a couple of bald eagles as well as a submarine! We'd also met some interesting and friendly people along the way - and avoided becoming another cruise-ship passenger statistic (apparently over 900,000 now show up every season). Ferrying the Inside Passage was such a great introduction to Alaska that we've now booked our return trip with the Alaska State ferry system as well. I can't think of a higher compliment!
posted by Iff at
3:28 pm
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