We recently returned from an Alaskan Adventure Vacation. And by we, I am not talking about me and the girls/dogs. This time it was just me and Ken. A friend stayed with the girls.
We started with a very pleasant drive to Bellingham, had lunch with family and then boarded the ferry, part of the Alaskan Marine Highway System. The ferry was scheduled to take us up to Juneau with one stop in Ketchikan, via the Inside Passage. I’ve never been to this part of the world so it was going to be an interesting trip, hopefully with lots of wonderful scenery and wildlife sightings.
The first night out, the ship, the MV Kennicott, lost time traveling along Vancouver Island and the captain decided to travel through open water rather than the inside route. This was not nearly so scenic and the water was rougher. The crew told us that this almost NEVER happens. Oh well.
Later that day, a passenger became ill and we had to make a detour to Bella Bella, which was the prettiest part of the ferry trip. Lots of forest-covered mountains, narrow passageways between islands and peninsulas and overall good weather. We felt sorry for the passenger and his traveling companion because they were dropped off in what could be described as the middle of nowhere. And there was no ferry dock at Bella Bella so they were evacuated in a life boat.
Of course by then we were way behind schedule so the captain got the ship out in open water as fast as possible and we arrived at Ketchikan the next morning, not too late. We were only there for an hour before going on to Juneau, arriving on time on the following morning.
The ferry experience was nice, except for the open water route. It provided a slower, more relaxed way to travel compared to flying. The boat was not crowded with passengers and we had a chance to meet most everyone on it. We had a small cabin that was comfy enough with two bunks and a sink and the bathrooms were just down the hall. The food was better than cafeteria-style and not over-priced. We took breakfast and lunch food and bought our dinners. Beer and wine were also available. There were plenty of places to hang out and watch the world go by or sit and read in a quiet lounge. We had a tour of the engine room.
I would recommend the ferry to Alaska if you have the time for it. It took 2 1/2 days to reach Juneau and we could have gone to many other destinations if we wanted. All of the crew members were very nice and always ready to answer questions or give assistance as needed.
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