Ferry Ride

Cars, buses, recreational vehicles and tractor-trailer rigs lined up after the fee was paid at Port Angeles on Bainbridge Island. We arrived too late for the ship leaving within that hour to sail across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Victoria, B. C. That ferry was full and departed with a dozen or more cars parked on shore which included ours. We waited over two hours for the next ship which is shown in the first photo below as it maneuvered into position at the dock.

Motor vehicles small and large drove into the ship's belly and parked bumper-to-bumper so close that passengers sucked-in their stomachs and turned heads sideways to exit the car doors. The vehicles were parked six abreast. Passengers were required to exit the vehicles, lock the doors, and move onto upper decks for safety and vehicle security reasons. Comfortable and spacious lounges above allowed for 360 degree viewing of the 20 mile ride across the strait.

The two bottom pictures show us in the lounge and the view as we departed the port area. The top picture shows us standing among Italian sports cars. These Ferrari cars belonged to club members waiting to board the same ferry for a weekend outing in Victoria. There must have been twenty-five new or vintage Ferraris painted bright red or brilliant yellow.

You might think vehicles need to back-up to unload the ship at the destination port. Not so. The ship eases it way to the dock and along starboard a huge door opens . The motor traffic on board moves forward and turns right to exit the ship. It was amazing to see large buses and eighteen-wheelers execute right turns inside the belly of this ship. The cavernous space had a high ceiling, electric lights, plumbing pipes, steel beams and echos from revved motorcycle motors as they eagerly awaited their exit.

Have a good week!