Day 40: Married To The Sea

I've never slept at sea before. It was all kinds of lovely and enjoyable. The rocking of the boat as it surmounted each wave and rushed down in success was relaxing. The constant hum of the motors softly muffled by water and steel lulled me to sleep. When I woke all I could see was endless miles of ocean, the gulf of Alaska, undulating darkly shaded crests stretching to the infinity of an equally fridged sky in the smooth shades of a thousand grays.

This has been the only time on my trip where I wasn't driving, hiking, or working. Consequently, it's been the only time on my trip where I could sleep in and do a little fasting. I'm planning a juice fast for the trip from Juneau to Bellingham, but since I'm coming off the hearty meat and potatoes diet of the ranch, I used this trip prepare. Some granola, a little dried fruit, a small can of vegetable soup, and lots of water. I spent the day showering, napping, writing postcards, and watching the ocean.

In the evening we stopped in Yakutat, a tiny fishing town, too small to really even have a main street. Still, I wanted to get a little exercise, so I got off the boat and took a long walk. Wild blueberries and raspberries were growing all over the place. As I walked I snacked. The raspberries were Alaskan sized, some as big as strawberries from the store. Delicious!

Another night on the ferry, and looking forward to more rest at sea. Kathy suggested I get a job as a cook and occasional deckhand on an Alaskan fishing boat. The pay would be excellent, and I would sleep on a boat every night. Sorely tempted.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T