A Wild Olive Branch: Enroute to Redding

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Enroute to Redding - August 23 & 24, 2012

August 23rd was our last full day on the ferry for this trip. It is our first time on the ferry through these Canadian waters. The sea- and waterscapes look a lot like Southeast Alaska...similar vegetation, land formations and rocky beaches.

The topography is remarkable in many ways, and sometimes quite interesting. Grenville Channel is nearly 50 nautical miles long; a nearly straight strait. Most of the passage through Canadian waters is protected from the rollers coming from the open Pacific.

We transited the few open water passages on a revlatively calm day. It can get much less comfortable than we found it for the few hours required for passing through them.

I got up early today and washed clothes. The Columbia has washers and dryers...which were in heavy demand the rest of the day.

We made a point to wake up early on the morning of Friday, August 24th, as the ship would come into Bellingham at 7 AM ship's time (8 AM PDST) and we needed to have all in readiness.

The ferry cleared out quickly. Even those of us on the upper car deck were moved out rapidly.

It felt strange to be on land again after the slight vibration and motion of the ferry. We quickly gassed up and shaped a course for Kamloops, BC to meet some friends from Calgary on Saturday.

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