Haines to Juneau

It was a simple day that didn’t go as I thought it would. I woke at 7 a.m. in Haines by the water. I cleaned up the van and recycled what I could at the site. I was on the waiting list for the ferry to Juneau and I didn’t expect to get a ticket today. I had already purchased a ticket but that didn’t guarantee me a spot. This is known as the Alaska Marine Highway.

I drove 3 miles up the coast to the terminal, waited in line for 5 minutes and then asked if I was going to be able to travel today. After some consultations, they told me I could travel. I was so surprised and asked how I got a spot. They explained, that two people over stated the length of their vehicles and that left room for me with my van at 22’. Other vehicles that were waiting were too long. Apparently, this happens often.

They gave me my lane assignment and directed me to Lane E. I pulled in and ended up being the first vehicle in line. It took me a while to realize that the lane assignments corresponded to specific areas inside the ferry where vehicles would be parked during the crossing.

With some time to spare, I made a light breakfast and relaxed while more vehicles arrived and lined up for boarding. Around 8:30, the ferry pulled into the terminal. It took a little over an hour for all the passengers and vehicles to disembark. I was surprised by the size of some of the vehicles coming off, particularly the huge dump trucks, which looked even larger sitting empty.

Once unloading was complete, boarding began. Walk-on passengers went first, followed by the vehicles. Any vehicle towing a trailer had to back onto the ferry, while the rest of us boarded one lane at a time.

We finally pulled away from the dock at 11:30, nearly two hours later than the posted schedule. A few passengers were complaining about the delay, but once we were underway, nobody seemed too concerned about it. I spent a little time at the beginning taking some photos as we left Haines, AK and the sun felt good for awhile.

Most people headed back inside soon after we departed. A handful of us stayed out on deck, enjoying the fresh air and the sunshine while it lasted. The scenery made it hard to leave. Mountains rose directly from the water, their slopes climbing steeply from the shoreline toward the clouds. For a while, there wasn't much to do except watch the landscape slide past and occasionally lift a camera for another photograph.

The ferry doesn't move very quickly, and there was almost no side-to-side motion. Unlike some North Sea ferries I've taken, where rough seas can send passengers heading for the restrooms shortly after leaving port, this crossing was remarkably smooth. Most of the time, the only indication that we were moving was watching the shoreline slowly slide past the windows. The trip to Juneau took 4-1/2 hours.

I eventually found my way inside and connected to the onboard WiFi which was actually usable given how many people seemed to be working.

As we came into the Juneau harbor area, I shutdown and went to the front of the boat. I could see the glacier behind Juneau but not much of the town. The ferry came in north of Juneau and I captured photos around the area.

As we approached the dock, the ferry slowed to a crawl and the water became almost glassy. With little movement from the boat, reflections began to form around the pilings and harbor structures. What had been ordinary utility poles and dock hardware turned into a collection of abstract shapes, twisting lines, and patches of color. The slightest ripple would stretch a reflection into a long ribbon, while another would break apart into patterns that looked more like paintings than photographs. I spent much of the final approach ignoring the shoreline and focusing instead on the water below, capturing a series of abstract images created by the constantly changing reflections.

Then there were the gulls, hanging around the ferry and waiting for some scrap of food to fall from the boat. They constantly jockeyed for position, gliding alongside the vessel before suddenly darting toward one another whenever they thought someone had gained an advantage. Every so often a bird would swoop in from nowhere, triggering a brief aerial argument as wings flared and sharp calls echoed across the water. They seemed

Once we docked, the unloading process was surprisingly efficient. Within about 15 minutes, I was off the ferry and driving. Once we docked, the unloading process was surprisingly efficient. Within about 15 minutes, I was off the ferry and driving.

I still had no idea where I was going to spend the night. There were RVs and campers everywhere, which suggested I shouldn't wait too long to find a place. A quick search showed Glacier Nalu Campground about five miles away, so I headed in that direction.

Three campers pulled out ahead of me and we all seemed to be heading the same way. They continued down the road while I turned into the campground. The office closed at 5 p.m., and I arrived with about 20 minutes to spare.

The campground required a minimum two-night stay, but it had showers and laundry facilities, which sounded pretty good after several days on the road. I took a site and figured it would give me time to plan the next week in Juneau before deciding whether to stay longer or move somewhere else.

I had only slept 6 hours last night and I took a nap before making burritos for dinner.