July 6: Ferry to Ketchikan

While it was not practical to get to Alaska by car, we prefer alternatives to flying whenever possible because, between the TSA and the airlines' cost-cutting, flying has become an ordeal. Fortunately, there was a ferry from Wrangell to Ketchikan, leaving at 9 AM and arriving in Ketchikan around 3 PM. We booked a room so we'd have some space to spread out.

It was a beautiful, peaceful ride- according to a posted manifest there were 185 passengers and 60 cars aboard in addition to the crew. We noticed a German family as well as a group of Amish, which we didn't expect in this area.

There were several places to hang out: the deck, which quickly got way too cold and windy as we got underway, the cafeteria lounge, the bar, another lounge with a kids' play area, and a room with airline-type reclining chairs where an uninteresting movie was in progress and a lot of people were asleep, some in sleeping bags on the floor. We gratefully went back to our stateroom where I claimed the top bunk and pulled out my knitting and Ron brought out his book. 

We spent the night in Ketchikan, at a Best Western across from the ferry terminal, and took their shuttle to the Cape Fox Lodge the next morning where we dropped off our luggage and awaited boarding our ship. What we saw of Ketchikan wasn't good- cold and rainy (well, it's a rainforest and they get 13 feet of rain per year) with lots of tourist-trap shops awaiting the mega-cruise ships in port.  We ended up at the local museum, which was in the same building as the Public Library.  Perfect.  We enjoyed their magazine collection for awhile, and bought reading material for our trip at their Book sale on the way out.

Finally, it was time to board the Wilderness Discoverer.