I am a little reluctant to move on. My next step, since I have decided not to go into Vancouver, will take me back to the USA and I have mixed feelings about it.
A ferry leaves from Salt Springs, close to Jane and Eric’s house, at Fulford Harbour to Swartz Bay. From there, it is a short ride to Sidney where another ferry will take my to Anacortes on Whidbey Island, one of the US Gulf Islands. Eric assures me that the transition will be quite a gentle one but I am not looking forward to heading back into more and more populated terrain.
I pack, resisting Jane and Eric’s urgings to throw away half my gear. It’s true that I probably carry more stuff than I absolutely need. but I don’t think I carry anything that I haven’t used at least once. As a concession, I leave behind an extra Phillips head screwdriver and I decant some grease and leather treatment for my Brooks saddles into smaller containers. I keep my black dress for possible dinner dates. I haven’t worn it yet.
Jane and I swap books. She gives me a copy of Monkey Beach, a novel by a young First Nation Women from coastal BC, in exchange for my tattered copy of South of the Limpopo by Devla Murphy.
In the morning, Jane rides me to the ferry. I am happy to have spent time with her and Eric again.
Jane with a morning coffee, next to my bike - packed and ready to leave.
Eric keeping the house in order.
I have little over half an hour to get six miles from one ferry terminal to the other and I have to negotiate customs and US immigration. I am expecting to see Canadian officials but the ferry to Anacortes is controlled by the US and, no matter that we are still on Canadian soil, the fare is charged in US dollars and it is US border guards barking commands at me and the other travellers. Two fellow cyclists turn out to be a couple that I saw in Stewart – an Australian woman and her Canadian partner who live in Dawson City.
Once we negotiate customs and are aboard the boat we find a sunny place on the deck. The boat chugs away from the Canadian shore and out among the islands. A pod of orca attracts our attention as we talk and suddenly the deck is inundated with people.
{ 2 } Comments
Is that the dress I gave you? Don’t lose it like you did the watch! Ha although maybe that would be more exciting a story to lose a dress by the river…. I am loving Turkey, wish we got to come here together, I can see why you liked it so much. I am eating fish and figs every other day mmmmmmmm back to Istanbul tomorrow and the home ;(
hi there, zan
yes, it is the black dress you gave me. i haven’t had the opportunity to wear it yet but you never know.
we should definitely visit Turkey some day together. i still want to do that horseback trek sometime.
xx
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