4 Wheels 4 Girls

July 20, we were on the two day ferry. My sisters and I requested that we see Secretariat since it was a good kids movie so it would be appropriate for all ages. We told the purser that we’d like to see it, and they said okay. But when it didn’t play that day, I was disappointed. Why would they do that? But the next day, they played Secretariat. And I was especially excited about this movie over any other because my grandad (or Dindy, as I would call him) is in it. Greta saved a spot for me and I waved to Ellie at the other side of the room. I got all comfy and ready to watch Secretariat for the third time. I love you, Dindy!

July 21 was our second day on the ferry. I started to get a headache so me and Daddy went to the back of the boat. We went outside. Daddy kneeled down and I sat on his lap. It was really cold but it felt good. I asked Daddy some questions. I asked him how does the boat go, and why are the waves so big by the boat. Then we went back inside where it was warmer. I stopped in the hallway and said this is a good place to be where it is not so bumpy. Daddy said he had another place and he showed me the way to the dining room a the back of the boat. We sat and looked out the window and talked and then a nice server gave us some water. We went back and got Greta. We walked out on the deck and went back to the dining room. Then Stella showed up and sat on Daddy’s lap. The four of us had a conversation. We talked about lots of things. it became calmer again so we went back up to the front lounge where Mommy and Ellie were sleeping.

Campers on the Back Deck of the ferry, where me and Daddy hung out. The dining room is up above the tents.

On the night of July 20th, we saw the movie Soul Surfer. It was a true story about a girl named Bethany Hamilton who was a great surfer and got her arm chomped off by a shark. The crazy thing is that as soon as she recovered, she went right back out on the water and won a huge surfing championship with only one arm. I had heard the story before, but I had never seen the movie before. It was really good. We didn’t get any seats in the theatre since it was so crowded, but it was still fun! 😉

On the 20th and 21st of July, when we were on our 2-day ferry ride, we did a lot of hanging out and and we played a lot of cards. I taught Stella, Ellie, and Ana how to play Solitaire, and Stella and I did a lot of reading, writing, and drawing. It was a good way to pass the time. We actually had a lot of fun! 🙂

Looking out the window of the ferry at the islands (and a cruise ship) along the Alaska Marine Highway

Oh, and by the way, we also had Double-Stuf Oreos. They were delish!

[Editor’s note: Our last ferry along the Alaska Marine Highway was on a large boat, the Columbia, and we were aboard for two full days and two nights. We boarded at about 5:AM on the morning of July 20, and were told there was not enough room on the crowded ferry for our bikes to be mounted on the back of the RV. We had to pull them down and cram them inside the RV before driving onto the boat. The girls walked onto the ferry ahead of us and found a quiet place on the floor to go back to sleep. By the time we made it aboard and hauled all our food and bedding up from the car deck, we were exhausted and frustrated, and we had no idea where the girls were. Thankfully, a very nice crewmember directed us to the girls and gave us a complementary breakfast in the ship’s dining room.]

On July 20th we woke up on the ferry. I went to go find our parents and found Daddy doing a puzzle and Mommy working. Of course! Daddy asked me were was Ana?!?! We went and looked for her. We found her in the play room. After that we followed Daddy downstairs and then we came to the restront to have breakfast. Thank’s we said over and over again. Your the best Daddy in the world!!! A waiter took us to our table. We could look right out the window and see the water. Then the waiter came back and asked us what we wanted. Ana got scrambled eggs and bacon and hash browns and toast. Stella got 3 peces of french toast and Daddy got a spicy breakfast burrito and I got 3 pancakes with bacon. Yummy!!!

We waited for what seemed like forever until, It’s here!!! The food is here. Then when I looked down the pancakes they were HUGE!!!! THEY WERE SO BIG!!!!! I realized that I would not be able to eat a whole pancake. My first bite was so good and the whole thing was so good. I ate a whole pancake and a half. After that Daddy went down to get Mommy. We waited forever until she finally came. Mommy orderd the spceil meal. We waited for a long time until it came. We braided Mommys hair until she was finished and we left. Thanks soooo much for breakfast!!!!!

Looking out from the ferry on a foggy, rainy day.

Our last stop in Alaska was a small fishing town named Wrangell, located on a small island. We had been told there were a few fun things to do on the island: exploring tidepools along the shore and visiting Petroglyph Beach being two of them. Instead we did laundry, went to the grocery, got caught up on email and work at the library, and attempted to get some sleep in preparation for the last, longest leg of the ferry rides back to the “lower 48.” So, Wrangell, we hardly knew ye, but thanks for everything.

Wrangell, Alaska

July 19th, we rode on a 12-hour-long ferry from Sitka to Wrangell, another island in Alaska. So far it’s been fun, except the’ve played too many movies. They’re on #5 right now, and it’s kinda giving me a headache. But the cafeteria food isn’t so bad, the chairs are pretty comfy, and there are even public showers on the boat. It’s been a great ride so far, with only two hours left on the ferry. I hope our next one will be just as fun! 😉

We had to get on the ferry at 3:AM and go back to sleep on the floor

July 17th, we went to Sitka National Historical site. There were tons of totem poles with old designs and symbols. They varied in sizes, but most were about thirty to forty feet. We did our junior ranger packets, (but Greta skipped it this once) and we went on a ranger-lead hike. I have to admit it wasn’t very interesting, but the lady leading it was so nice that I didn’t care. When we finished the hike, we went back to the visitor center and got the badges for the junior ranger packets. We had to do the pledge, (like always) and this time, unlike all the rest of the pledges we did, it was made up by the same ranger who lead the hike. And it was the longest pledge in history.

We said our Jr. Ranger oath wearing a sea otter fur.

And then we even did extra work to be an Adventure Ranger, and the reward for that was a lined-inside lunch bag. It was actually pretty cool. When we were all done with everything, we left Sitka National Historical site.

July 17th, we took a ferry from Alaska’s capital, Juneau, to Sitka, an Alaskan island. We woke up at seven a.m. yesterday to catch the ferry at eight, and we arrived in Sitka at one p.m. The ride was nice, on a small, comfy little ferry. There was even entertainment; a movie, How To Train Your Dragon, was playing in the kids area. The ride flew by, and it didn’t seem like five hours at all! It was actually pretty fun! 😀

This bald eagle was just hanging out in the ferry terminal parking lot, looking for salmon in the water below. Those other birds are crows.

We are we going? We all asked. to go see a glacier. No! They’re so boring and we have seen a ton. We had to go out. It was really cold. We went and we tried to see some salmon. We saw two of them. They were bright red. After that we went to see the glacier. When we got there was saw iceburgs and we went in the freezing cold water. We went to get a piece of ice. After that we went to go see a waterfall. We got sprayed by mist. Ana made me a mud pie. We played for a little while and then we left.

After that we went to the Tongass National Forest Visitor Center. We got our packet and we rellized that we would have to mail them. After that we watched an experiment on a glacier. It was cool to see the goo that they used to for the snow slide down. After that we went inside the visitor center and looked around. We saw mountain goats [using telescopes]. We saw 7 of them. They were way up on the mountain. After that we went to go see a fish hatchery.

When are we going to get here? In a few minutes. After that we finally arived. When we got out and started to look for the fish. Then I said IN THE WATER!!!! Every one came running. When you looked down you saw only fish. It was amazing. We saw a man fishing. He caught a fish and then cut it up for the eagles.

After that we went to go look for the fish ladder. We saw it and we ran all the way. When we looked in it was the same. There were fish everywhere. We watched them jump in the air. We saw a fish land on the wall but he fell back in the water. Good. After that we went to look at the fish. Then Stella yelled. What? we all asked. The fish it splashed me. We laughed. When we went to the top of the ladder was full like always. They all went up to the top of the ladder and they died there. After that we left. We saw an eagle that was on top of a building and then we were gone.

There were a ton of salmon in the fish ladder!