Ferry Boats

Ok, so I count Grey’s Anatomy as one of my guilty pleasures, though I guess with its popularity I shouldn’t be so shameful of it. Anyway, on last week’s episode Meredith tells the chief of surgery that Derek needs his “ferry boats” scrub cap to operate on Izzy. She says it’s his lucky cap as he loves ferry boats, and I can see why.

This is my third trip up to spend the season in Alaska, and I can’t believe I’m even saying that. This year however, I am forgoing the popular Alcan Highway, for the Alaska Marine Highway instead. I had a few reasons for this change of itinerary, the least of which being I was just tired of driving the Alcan. Don’t get me wrong, the Alaskan Highway (known to most of its travelers as the Alcan) is absolutely beautiful, and an experience in of itself. Yet taking the time to do it again by myself seemed unnecessary. Also, this year Duane and I will be going to Gustavus, Alaska, and not Haines. There are no roads to Gustavus, so driving directly there is not an option. Instead the boat must be barged there from Juneau. There aren’t any roads to Juneau either (the state capital), the only way in and out of the city is by water, hence the ferry system. So I’m on route from Prince Rupert, BC (where ferry tickets are much cheaper than if you decide to ride up from Bellingham, WA) to Juneau, AK. There the loyal Subaru will wait for 3.5 weeks while I go to Haines to get some work done at our main office there.