The Ferry Fiasco

The ferry ramp

We saved $67.50 on a ferry crossing. The saving was ours by merely (1) traveling standby, thereby saving a $17.50 reservation fee and (2) separating Big Blackie from Endie, saving $50, for the 90 minute ferry trip from Port Angeles, WA to Victoria, B.C.

Our ferry approaches. First it will unload then reload.

Driving into the ferry.

In exchange for the windfall savings, we simply (1) got up at 4 a.m. to line up in the dark at the port for our 8 a.m. sailing, (2) squeezed two vehicles into the belly of a giant ferry -- separately instead of together. As a bonus, this whole episode scared two little psychotic dogs to the point of near frenzy, an action that resulted in our having to hold them for half the ferry trip to get them to stop shaking.

About the Ferry:  This ferry trip is taken aboard the Black Ball Company's MVCoho, built in 1959. The ship is 341 feet long, weighs 5,135 tons and carries 1,000 passengers and 115 vehicles. It boards passengers and vehicles in Port Angeles at a port ramp and exits them in Victoria through the bow. MV Coho has a forward observation lounge, tour desk, and duty free shop. 

Wayne took a few pictures as we approached Victoria while I held Lexie and Ozzie.

Exiting the ferry we experienced the agony of (1) leaving my passport and drivers license in one vehicle while I was in the other, (always makes a good impression on the customs agent), (2) lost sight of one another while getting off a bustling ferry and into the chaos of downtown Victoria, (3) negotiated downtown Victoria‘s street construction with a walkie-talkie in one hand, steering wheel in the other, all while listening to Lady GaGa spewing incorrect directions, (4) having two vehicles driving lost in Victoria traffic instead of one while three loose bottles of wine rolled around the rear compartment of the car.

Once we reached the campground, I was so shaken, I put the car in “N” instead of “P” and it did, of course, roll into the rear of the truck parked ahead of me. Fortunately, no harm was done. The campground was not too bad and the "red sky at night was a sailors delight" I must say.

 

Did I mention that our US dollar is worth 97 cents this week in Canada? Now, what to do with the $67.50 savings…. At Canada’s prices it might buy lunch -- but not a t-shirt.  Incidently for those who may be interested in ferrying prices, this one way trip was right about $300.