The Fairest of the Ferries

I wrote last year that I have a thing for ferries, and that feeling only grew during my tenure as Writer-in-Residence on the Interisland Ferry.

Over my term, I posted pictures and descriptions of the MV Tillikum, the 60-year-old vessel that travels among the four, ferry-served San Juan islands in Washington. I also recounted What I’ll Miss When the Tillikum Retires, such as her brass railings and warning bell and the 50s-era swivel chairs in the women’s bathroom.

My hours on “my” ferry inspired me to pay attention to other vessels, including a small ferry on Lake Windermere in the Lake District in England and The Lady of the Lake on Lake Chelan in Washington.

As I wrote a couple of times this fall, the Naked Hiker and I celebrated anniversary #40 with a splendid trip to England and France. While there, I was on the lookout for writer-in-residence positions aboard ferries. I think Brittany Ferries are good candidates. This one transported us overnight across the English Channel from Portsmouth to St. Malo, France. These photos will give you an idea of how different this vessel is from the MV Tillikum.

For starters, we had a sleeping berth for our eight-hour crossing, and we went to the on-board movie theater.

In order to serve the vessel’s 2,000 passengers, there were ten levels, multiple restaurants and bars.

And always, noteworthy signage.

Then, there was a much smaller version that took us from St. Malo to the village of Dinard more quickly than if we had traveled by road.

As much as I love all these different ways to cross water, the MV Tillikum remains my favorite.