Alaska: Our First Ferry Ride

While in Valdez, a friend of mine suggested that we take the ferry to Whittier.

She mentioned it would give us a chance to see marine life and give us a break from driving. I am not a big planner, I'm a go with the flow kind of person, but I am so grateful God put planners in my life because I would miss so much!

We initially wanted to do a glacier cruise, but also had always talked about putting our rig on a ferry. However, after comparing the costs, we discovered that the glacier cruise was nearly as expensive as the ferry because my kids now qualify as "adults," resulting in us having to pay adult prices. We find this to be true on our many excursions, and it drives me bonkers!

We drove to the dock to watch all the RV’s exit the ferry. Observing the situation, we were skeptical about our truck and trailer's ability to execute the 90 degree turn required. The majority of vehicles departing the ferry were camper vans and small RV's, so naturally we thought we were too large.

My husband decided to go in and ask if we would fit, and as it turned out, we did, with three feet to spare. We are 53 feet altogether. So we booked our tickets and went to bed-at a descent hour that night- in order to make our 5:30 am show time. 

Driving onto the ferry was more than a little nerve- wracking for me...in the passenger seat. Thankfully, Scott is a very calm and confident driver. It was a pretty seamless process, they directed us perfectly, and parked us inches from the wall! 

After boarding the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry, we were able to go upstairs and eat breakfast. The Ferry had windows all around as well as some benches outside. Unfortunately, the day was chilly and rainy, leading us to spend the majority of our time indoors.

We saw many sea otters and a pod of porpoises. In addition, we had the opportunity to witness some icebergs and glaciers. Other people on the ferry spotted a whale, but I missed it! I was so upset because I was praying for a whale since we boarded. God answered, I just wasn’t paying attention. Distraction is ALWAYS my downfall.

The ferry experience was a seven hour day for us. It was a great experience, Scott was especially happy to get a break from driving!

Do I Ever Tow the Fifth Wheel?

Many people ask me if I ever drive, I wish I was comfortable enough to tow, but the thought of it terrifies me. I hate driving period, I especially hate driving the big truck, I can’t imagine pulling a trailer on the highway, but I really desire to want to do it. It is one of those things that I’m just going to have to do, afraid. I am working on it. I’ve driven it once and backed it in once, baby steps. 

Navigating Whittier, Alaska

When we arrived at Whittier's port, it was rainy, but the water was a captivating shade of blue. Although we expected a smooth exit from the ferry since this time it was a straight shot, it proved to be more difficult. To facilitate the trailer's clearance of the loading ramp, the crew employed driving boards. Despite several attempts, we were impressed by the crew's expertise, composure, and optimism.

The weather in Whittier was not ideal. The area we were going to stay at was a mud hole and still had giant piles of snow on the ground. Scott previously got us stuck in the snow on our way to a glacier and he was not about it, so we left. I would like to go back to the town and hike Portage Pass one day. 

Whittier is an interesting little town to say the least. All it's residents live in the SAME building. There is only one way in and out of the town- through a 2.5 mile long tunnel. It is the longest combined rail and highway tunnel in North America. As it operates as a one- way passage, a light system is in place, regulating traffic every 30 minutes. Although we missed the light and had to wait, the captivating views around us made the delay enjoyable.

Where to Stay Near Anchorage AK

About an hour later, we pulled into Elmendorf FamCamp, which is on a military base outside of Anchorage. The sites were first come first serve, but we called ahead and found out there were a few spots open. I always ask God to prepare a spot for us when we have no reservations, and He has, every time.

• The FamCamp was $27/night and full hookups.

I love staying at full hook up sights. I can take long, hot, showers where I can wash my hair AND shave my legs, what a luxury. I can also do as many dishes as I want without worrying about filling up our black tank (yes, the manufacturers screwed up, usually the kitchen sink goes to the gray tank). Although I was upset about this at first, we actually really appreciate it now. All the dish soap goes into our black take giving it a good rinse and eliminating any smell. Sorry if that was TMI. 

The Downside to Full Time Rv-ing

After a very long day we pulled into a sight and our living room slide would not come out. We were all so exhausted and the last thing we wanted to do was work on the trailer. Turns out while we were traversing the Alaskan roads, the key for the manual operation of the slide bounced off. We were so exhausted- we forgot to take pictures of this site.

Scott is a "MacGyver" of sorts. He tried a few different make-shift tools and nothing worked. I prayed and reminded him to pray and God immediately gave him the idea to use vise grips to loosen the slide motor and it worked! Praise the Lord, we were able to go to sleep. Apparently my family doesn't do well getting up at 4:30 AM, we were all a little grumpy. 

Bible Verse of the Day

Mark 11:24

" Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

Reflection

 

Scott used to tell me that I had a direct line to God because my prayers were consistently answered. As his faith has grown, he now realizes that he has and always had a direct line to God. We ALL do through Jesus!

Often, we fail to notice God's answers to our prayers and forget to express gratitude.

• I find it helps me to journal my prayers, that way I can not only remember what I prayed for, but see how faithful God is in answering them.

At times we may consider our prayers too trivial to bother God with.

• I have found that when I pray for the little things like a whale, a campsite, and the ability to fix our trailer slide- I feel even more loved than when He answers the big things. It makes me feel so special when He shows me He cares about even the most trivial parts of my life and delights in my joy.

God's care extends beyond the significant aspects of life; He takes joy in us, and desires for us to turn to Him with every little detail.

• He desires for us to share our needs, desires, emotions, and relationships - no matter how dire or insignificant. He desires to bless us, even if that means sending a whale while we are grumpy and inattentive, just to show us He cares.

I pray that all of us will make use of our direct line to God, being attentive to His responses, no matter how small our prayers may seem. In return, may we offer Him the gratitude, praise, and glory He truly deserves.

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