Thursday 20 August 2015

Northern Expedition

The alarm went off at 5:00 am. We were checked out and in the car by 5:15. It was a 10 minute drive to the port where we joined the short queue of cars waiting to embark. It was 7:00am before we finally drove onto the ferry. We booked a cabin for the journey so we could shower and leave our bags. The ferry is very quiet with lots of space. A marked contrast to our usual trip across the Channel. By 9:00 am we had breakfast and showered. Robert had eaten his second Beeny in two days and Louise's Weetabix collection had been reduced by two. The ladies even had time to do the essential job of paintings their nails whilst I admired the view from the deck. There was a slight swell as we crossed Queen Charlotte Sound but this subsided as soon as we entered the inside passage. Time soon passed as we admired the stunning scenery as the ship wound it's way through the inside passage. By lunch time we had reached Bella Bella where those going onto Bella Coola disembarked. The further we went the better the scenery got. A call from the bridge that whales were spotted on the starboard bow set us reaching for cameras and binoculars. The first sighting swam by the boat unseen but it was second time lucky on the second call.
Diner was taken in the restaurant. It was a buffet service, the food was excellent and the staff very friendly. The meal was well worth the $30 and this included all soft drinks and tea and coffee. The highlight was when humpback whales were spotted of the port side of the ship We sat watching spouts of water and breaching whales whilst we enjoyed the food. At one point a pod of around 5 were swimming in a line up the channel. The ferry docked around 11:10 pm and shortly later we were driving off. The B+B was only a 5 minute drive from the port. They are used to late arrivals. We arrived along with a German couple and were shown to our very large bedrooms.

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