Thursday Morning: 7:00 (August 7) to Saturday Morning: 1:15 a.m.
It was time to enjoy the Alaska Marine Highway, aboard the ferry Mananuska. It was time to leave Haines, Alaska, where we had enjoyed seeing the area, enjoying three days in a row of sunshine.
The Mananuska can carry 499 passengers, 88 vehicles; it has 108 cabins, a cafeteria. We were going to be on board overnight so booked a "stateroom" with a window. All rooms with just two bunks were already booked so we choose a stateroom with three bunks. It was nice to have a little extra space. If you choose not to have a room you can either sleep in a recliner in one of the lounges or in a sleeping bag in the outdoor space on the top deck. Several, maybe two dozen, chose to sleep outdoors. There was actually one tent set up on the top deck.
The motorhome and pick up were driven separately. Charges are by the foot so separating the two vehicles eliminated the space the tow bar used. The vehicles are driven down a ramp into the belly of the ferry. Pets are left in the vehicles. Vehicles can be checked/entered at each port of call but not while underway.
It was a fun experience. We (us and Jim and Dee Lyons) saw several whales on Thursday evening just before dark, both orcas and humpbacks. Friday evening darkness came early because of clouds so didn't see any. We sat outdoors on the top deck most of the time, enjoying the scenery. We were on the "Inside Passage" so there were no open seas.
There was a four-hour stop at Juneau. Would you believe we made a Wal Mart run there. We had called in a prescription refill to be ready Friday mid-day. The town of Juneau is actually 14 miles from the ferry terminal so didn't take time to look around except the route to W/Mart and back.
The next stops were at Petersburg, and Wrangell in the middle of the night. Friday afternoon there was a 4-hour stop at Ketchikan, Alaska. We explored the downtown area and ate an early dinner meal there. After boarding we visited with Jim and Dee Lyons until time to nap before departure at 1:15 a.m. at Prince Rupert.
Prince Rupert is in British Columbia so went through Canadian Customs before driving a few minutes to the very small Wal Mart parking lot. We were there with a dozen other RV rigs.
We were on the road by 8 a.m. Saturday, heading to Hyder, Alaska, a six-hour trip. This may have been the most spectacular six hours of scenery. There were mountain streams alongside the highway, mountain peaks topped with glaciers, waterfalls from the melting glaciers. Spectacular.
There are pictures to show you, but must wait to download them to the blog because of WI-FI speed here at the campground. (We are in Vanderhoof, British Columbia, Canada)
We are getting closer to the USA. Wednesday night will be around the Lake Louise area in Alberta, Canada. Thursday night we are meeting Jeff and Marcella at the east entrance of Glacier National Park in Montana.
Next entry will be about the two days in Hyder, Alaska.....a marvelous place of bear watching and glacier viewing.
I must mention some of the people we conversed with on board the ferry. There was one couple from central Europe who were riding their bicycles from Anchorage to Mexico. You heard me correctly...to Mexico. There was a group of students, ages 12-14, from Seattle Washington on a summer school trip. They had spent two weeks canoeing on the Yukon River, and were on their way to Ketchikan for a few more days of some activity before returning to Seattle.
There was a family of three from Quebec. The parents were bi-lingual, both French and English. Their daughter, age 10, spoke French only, but was learning English. They were traveling in their vehicle all over Alaska and western Canada, staying in B 'n' B's/hotel.
Jim and Dee actually met a man (and his family) who lived only a few miles where Jim grew up in South Dakota and played basketball against each other in high school.
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