The FERRY!

Friday morning (August 12th) we FINALLY made it to the ferry.  I was quite excited at the prospect of NOT driving anymore!  I could RIDE forever, but have NEVER been one who enjoys DRIVING.  Washington was so beautiful, and we waited anxiously to board the ferry and begin our  next part of the journey.  I think Matt and Kesha were correct in calling it the "poor man's cruise."  It really was quite the adventure.  Because this move was such a quick one, we were not able to get a cabin on board the ferry, so we pitched a tent on the deck...it was FANTASTIC...seriously, I loved it!  It was perfect, until the rain started Saturday morning and did NOT stop until we reached Ketchikan Sunday morning.  Somehow our rainflap for the tent STAYED in Utah...but, it was all part of the adventure and we LOVED every minute.  Oh, the stories we have to tell!!!

The Bellingham terminal

 Oaklee's picture of a seagull...not bad!

 Kaiden getting a little bored.

 The kids looking at the water and waiting for lunch

 Brit chillaxin' with her dad!

 FEED ME!!!

 That's the ferry behind us.

 I LOVE this man!!!

 Checkin' out the fish!

 After waiting for a couple of hours, we are FINALLY ready to board...this is the passage for the vehicles...and James still had to wait an hour longer than me and Oaks!

One of MANY hallways in the ferry - the doors on each side go to various cabins.

The stairs.

Side deck

 Enjoying the view from the deck

 Our family waiting for this next adventure!

 Oaks, Kaid, James on the deck above

 Just a wee bit anxious to get this ferry started.

 And, we are OFF!

 The scenery was GORGEOUS...it was so hard to know where to look...I just wanted to take it all in!

 OK - maybe now is NOT the time to mention my fear of WATER!  :)

 Posin' by the tents

 Hunter being Hunter...more tents behind him!

 "Wonderful, beautiful, wish you were here." - NAME THAT MOVIE!

 More tents

 Just a shot of Hunter FROM the tent

Brit chillaxin' in the tent!

 It was hard to get this kid inside...he was in HEAVEN!

 BEAUTIFUL

 We had so much fun getting to meet so many people...it was WONDERFUL!

 And this is what I get when I send Hunter and Kaiden off with the camera!

 The most AMAZING sunset!

 The view from the tent deck

 Hunter WAITING for the orca to show themselves!  We DID manage to see a pod of orca, as well as a yearling humpback whale...unfortunately, the orca were HUNTING said whale....glad we missed that part!

And, a SOAKING wet tent!!!  :)

Oaks playin' in the little kidlets play area...nobody else was...and it was SOAKING wet outside! 

This is how we pass the time when it's too wet outside...thank heavens for Virgil/Lisa and Mom/Dad Hughes' activity bag...it was a LIFE SAVER!!!

Beautiful scenery...all taken from INSIDE the ferry!

 Due to the rainflap that stayed in Utah, we spent the last night INSIDE where we could stay WARM and DRY.  Here's the kids camped out in the play area...notice Hunter's choice...what a character!

 This kid CRACKS me up!

 Coming into Ketchikan...

 ...did I mention that this place is GORGEOUS?!?!?

 KETCHIKAN!