Thursday, May 5, 2011

Saturday's Ferry Musings

Note: This was written on Saturday evening...

As I write this I’ve been on the ferry for a full 24 hours now. I’m currently listening to Boston’s “More Than A Feeling” and drinking an Alaskan Summer. It’s a high overcast outside and I just finished watching “The Bridge” and “Black Swan.” Still another two hours until I can buy dinner. I have eaten all of the food I brought for the ferry, with the exception of one last apple-and-almond-butter combo. I have taken a two hour nap. I am writing this to keep my mind busy. :o)

It’s been a really nice ferry trip so far. I made up my little bed area last night and was really comfortable. My new ThermaRest ProLite Plus is UH-MAY-ZING. It is the most comfortable sleeping pad I’ve ever slept on, hands down. I was super comfy last night. I was woken up at 5am by some people talking loudly, apparently not realizing they were in the observation deck that us people who don’t have cabins use as a sleeping area.


I couldn’t get back to sleep, so I headed to the cafeteria for a cup of weak coffee (no offense, AMH). I read for an hour and watched the sun rise. I think it probably started to rise around 4am?


Some nice people came and sat at the table next to mine. The ferry is great because you always meet people. We chatted and whale-watched for a couple of hours (seeing two!). I managed to finish a book I was reading. When I had originally gone to sit down at my table I had noticed a stick of Old Spice “Swagger” deodorant sitting with the condiments at the table next to mine. I mentally laughed and then sat down, not thinking of it any more. When the nice people came and sat at that table they noticed the “Swagger,” which then prompted many jokes. Is it a subtle hint from the ferry system? Is there a man on the ship who is staggering around because he has lost his “Swagger”? We had a whole commercial plotted out. I love meeting people on the ferry!


Another gentleman came and sat at the table on the other side of me and set up his Melitta filter. I jokingly told him that I was so jealous that he was getting good coffee and he said, “I have lots of coffee! Do you want to make yourself a cup?” YES, SIR. It was absolutely delicious. I was in heaven.

I finished my coffee and headed to the front observation lounge and began to look for whales again. We were in open water at that point, so there are often whales. We saw three or four, which was pretty cool. While the whales were too far away for me to take any real good pictures, I’ve gotten some pretty shots with my Diana Mini since I’ve been on the boat.



So now I’m sitting here and wishing time would pass quicker and wish that I had another movie to watch. Or that I was tired so that I could sleep more. Or that it was an hour later so then it would be time for dinner. I have been watching the outside world and the amount of people walking around the outside of the ferry as a track. Some people seem to be making pretty good time.

When I’m on the ferry I tend to think of myself as “Brittany: Ambassador of the Sea.” Because I’ve been on the ferry so many times, I am often telling people where the bathroom is, where the solarium is, little facts about being on the ferry, whatever. I really enjoy traveling on the ferry system!

Adventurer mode! North Face, why don’t you hire me? I’m wearing my Summit Series t-shirt, my Terra 40 backpack, and my Osito jacket (aka, my “kitty jacket”) is not pictured, but I’m wearing it right now. Love you!

I am excited to get to Ketchikan tomorrow and to shower. My toothbrush was mistakenly not put into my backpack and so I haven’t brushed my teeth since yesterday morning. My mouth feels kinda gross. (Sorry if this is TMI.) I am so excited to see my friends! And to go to the coffee shop tomorrow! And to hopefully sell some soap at the coffee shop! I dropped off my backpack this morning in my car (there are scheduled times when one can go to the car deck) and when I opened the door it smelled SO GOOD from soap! That rocks. :o)

I’m now done with my beer and I’m pretty hungry so I’m going to see if I can get something to eat sooner rather than later. I don’t want to break out my apple just yet, but I might have to.

So! This is what I am doing as of 4:07pm, Alaska Time.

.....

We then later saw orcas and porpoises!

 Orca!

Porpoise! (They are pretty fast.)

The weather was pretty nice, too...





You can see the rest of the pictures here. It was a great trip over all, but I was glad to be off the ferry!

3 comments:

  1. How did you like Black Swan?
    I love how you were camped out there with your sleeping bag :)
    And I love your stories of meeting people on the ferry! Sounds like fun.
    And your pictures! Love them!
    Sorry, I'm not all here right now, I keep getting hit with nasty headaches every afternoon lately :(

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  2. Oh I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE traveling on the ferry!! And you are SO right how great it is to meet people! I met one guy (I think he worked in the canneries) and he gave me a great book he had just finished reading. Pretty neat. Friendly people! Great pictures and GREAT story. I liked your "camp" set-up you got going there. Last time I traveled on the ferry I had to sleep in the chairs because I did not plan ahead and bring anything. Lesson learned! You "ferry in style"!

    Can't wait to see more of your Ketchikan adventures! :o)

    ~M~

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  3. p.s. Which ferry were you on? Also last time I traveled up to Ketchikan I got sea-sick a bit (just nausea). I think it was because we were on a smaller ferry and I haven't been "to sea" in so very long and I wasn't feeling very well to begin with. On the way back I was fine though. :o) Must have gotten my "sea legs" back...hehe!

    ~M~

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