We felt quite at home on board the MV Kennicott, nice to be back at sea! The Alaska Marine Highway is a state run ferry system which is the only way you can reach many parts of Alaska without flying. If you don't manage to get a cabin you can pitch your tent on the deck or sleep on the sun loungers. It got quite competitive at the beginning with people bagsying tent space or sun loungers. We slept in the Solarium with some cool people. Susie was on her way up to live and teach in Homer, Desi was visiting friends in Juneau and the two guys next to us, old school friends on their annual boys holiday were really excited about their 6 week sea kayaking trip. It was a really nice atmosphere and people were really friendly.
Ralph hard at work as ever
Between Ketchikan and Juneau is an area called Frederick Sound, home to lots of humpback whales. We saw at least 12, first the water spout,then they roll forward so we saw the fin and then they lift their tail. They weren't very close to the boat but quite near the coast, we could see and hear the spout from a long way away. It was amazing, we never expected to see so many from the ferry.
Russ - here's Ralph modelling his eye mask!
The ferry goes along the Inside Passage really close to Vancouver Island and lots of other islands and through really narrow channels such as Seymour Narrows once home to Ripple Rock and described as one of the vilest stretches of water in the world. See link for clip about explosion that removed the top of Ripple Rock. We went through here in the middle of the night.
The lights were on all night (and day) so Ralph fashioned this highly advanced lampshade so we could sleep.
This shows how narrow some of the channels were.
At the ballet bar
Ralph met an enhanced mermaid in Ketchikan. Our ferry stopped for 4 hours at the skeggy end of Ketchikan, all the massive cruise ships dock right at the end of the main street.
D'Andre with his cute puppy. It was like being with a celebrity, as we walked round town everyone was stopping him to have a pat of the pup as it was so cute.
Poop pup looks a bit concerned!
Luckily we got a chance to meet Alaskas first lady, the lovely Sarah P.....thankfully just a cardboard cut out. Scarily a fellow passenger said he'd forgive her horrible policies as she's got nice legs!
Creek Street Ketchikan, Ralph waits for Fiona outside the brothel...its not how it sounds, I went on a tour of the historic red light district. During the prohibition alcohol was smuggled from boats in the creek up through a trapdoor under the brothel built on pilings.
Floatplanes were taking off and landing right by the ferry while we were docked in Ketchikan, it sounded like the battle of Britain.
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