I report on our three day day sea voyage from Bellingham WA to Juneau AK.  It is called inland but we crossed two open water areas.  The first was merely rough.  During the second the ship climbed great swells and dropped its bow with a groan.  The next wave crashed against the bow and sent sheets of spray across the bow and over the windows of the observation deck.  At least one wave must have drenched the windows of the bridge above. 

The ship also passed through straights including the famous Wrangell Narrows where it snaked along the channel within yards of channel markers.  We watched ducks and loons swim or fly to get out of our way.

The cruise was a small adventure.  I boarded with the camper.  Anne drove the car.  The crew loaded the campers first and I had the ship almost to myself at the start.  Anne boarded two hours later.  Our vehicles joined tractor trailers, new ocean boats, campers, and cars on the vehicle deck.  There they slept while we traveled.  Twice a day we could visit them.  Other folks had to go down to care for their animals that are not allowed on the passenger decks. 

We had stayed in camp until 1:30.  Made a dinner of brats.  Broke camp and stopped for gasoline and propane.  Drove to ferry terminal.  Picked up tickets and parked in line.  I was loaded early, but Anne had to wait until 5:30.  I walked about the still quiet ship observing loons, eagles, ducks, oystercatchers, and Mom waiting.  I picked up the cabin keys and found it comfortable. 

The ship quietly moved off the dock shortly after Anne’s boarding.  We watched Bellingham shrink behind us and finally saw Mt. Baker in all its glory Just another snow-covered volcano.  Rhinoceros Auklet, Tufted Puffin, and Common Murre were added to our year list.  Perhaps we reached 300 year-birds before we left American waters.  Near Vancouver we passed a grand Holland America cruise ship.  The large modern city basked in the twilight.  An enormous mountain of coal was stacked for loading.  I suspect it is going to China.  The skyscrapers twinkled as darkness settled in.

Though it seemed dark, the sky seemed only dusky when the lights were turned off.  I doubt we will see another dark night until July.  We were tired and retired early the first night on the ship.  From time to time I would awake to the vibration of a train and then realized it was the vibration of the ship’s engine driving us at almost 20 miles per hour north and west to Alaska.

Our ship was the first of the Alaska Marine Highway line and built in 1963.  It has been refurbished and the furnishings seem new.  Originally 353 feet in length, it is now 408.  It may hold 499 passengers, but only 146 souls joined us to southeastern Alaska.  We enjoyed their conversation and stories.  Most were Alaskans or folks going to work in Alaska.  A few were subsistence folks.  We found only a few other tourists.  They will come later.

On the second day we enjoyed the cruise.  Now landings on that day.  The trees shrank and the snow extended half way down the mountains.  In the afternoon we passed waterfall after waterfall plunging down the walls of the fjords.  There we many pleasant conversations.  Folks watched us watch the birds and asked about them.