Okay! I think I've got it!! It's never for sure, but I'm on the Deer Harbor II/RS40/Amber Anne. Yeah, they're three different boats (well one's a barge). But that's how it'll probably be as far as I can tell. Also, this is kind of gonna be a long post since it'll be a while before I can even post it...
Now the other day I was on the Amber Anne. Helping to drive it up from Bellingham to Ketchikan. I was about to get some shut eye (it was 2300 and I was to wake up 0100 to drive), when, from out of the blue, Steven got a text saying I was flying to Juneau the next day. And that was all the info we got. No idea why or what for, but I was going. So okay, I was headed to Juneau then. It was totally unexpected which made me even more excited and I had something to ponder on my graveyard driving shift. Then , around 0300, when the sun was coming up there was this perfect window. Just freakin' prefect. And the sun was shining directly over the mountains to the East and into a small rain cloud to the West in order to create this vibrant 3am sunrise double rainbow. Now if that doesn't sound cool to you I don't know what would 'cause it was awesome. And this was the only time in my life where I have seen, up close, the end of a rainbow.
3am sunrise double rainbow
And so my shift ended at like 0600. I wasn't paying a lot of attention to how close we were to Ketchikan because I was freakin' tired. So the skipper took my place at 0600 and I went down to bed. At 0615 Steven is waking me up. "Harry, get ready to dock, we're here." And I look at my watch and I'm like oh dear lord whyyyyyy. But we get all tied up and all is well. We still don't know when I'm headed to Juneau though and there're only 2 flights out per day. In order to make the first flight I would have to make the 0815 ferry so we were frantically trying to get word of when I needed to head out. We're sitting there just waiting for word. It's getting down to the line, and Bullet decides if we don't get word by 0800 it's not possible for me to make it there. So guess what happens. At exactly 0800 I get a text with a photo of my confirmation. Dammit, we don't know if I'll make it.... Everything whirls into gear instantly. Bullet is on the phone getting a cab here ASAP, Steven is helping me with my rain gear, I've got all my other shit, and we're all out the door instantly climbing the ladder up to the dock. 3 minutes later Bullet gives me $20 for the cab and the ferry and I'm gone with some hasty goodbyes and handshakes. I really enjoyed working with those two. Well then I'm speeding in a cab down all these side roads around the town to make it there in time. We're pulling up to the ferry terminal (if I miss this ferry I miss the flight) and the cabbie says "The gate is closed.... You better run." And run I did. I flew down that ramp and jumped on the back of that ferry the instant it started pulling away. A sprint finish. And then I'm on a plane headed to Juneau through Wrangell and Petersburg. I still had no clue what to do once I got to Juneau though and couldn't imagine why I was going there. But when I landed I got a text saying that I was to get on a float plane up to Pelican. Well alright, that's exciting. So I hang out and then jump on the float plane. I'd never been in one before and they are so neat. Those things are the coolest little planes to fly in too!
A sweet ride and one new friend later I received some puzzling instructions. Because it sounded to me like my boss was coming to pick me up in a plane himself. But I just went with it. I hung out for 20 minutes in Pelican with my new friend when another plane flew in and sure enough it was my boss and some of his buds. So it feels like I'm a rock star being picked up in a float plane and flown over to the boat. And this wasn't a chartered flight either, so we were weavin' and bobbin' and having a good ol'time. It was an incredible experience. And then we got to the boat and I got to see all my friends that I hadn't seen since Alaska again! It was seriously grand because these are my people. I mean there is just a group of people that everyone belongs to ya' know? Not to sound like I'm stereotyping everyone, but generally there is a group of people that everyone is just similar to. And this is my group. Straight up. All these guys'n'gals do awesome things. They've hitchhiked cross country, traveled all over, been homeless, train hopped, and just lived life. They've just got it all right and they do it well. It's the way I like it. They're all tatted up and have piercings, but they are the nicest people you'll ever meet in your life as well as the hardest workers. I love these people so much. It's nice being able to shoot the shit on a level playing field where we can all talk about hitching or stealthing in cities or whatever. I love that so much. The boat I am working on is pretty sweet too!
And so is the barge where I live.
And the view from the front deck is pretty rad.
Alaska is just an incredible place. It's a place where you work all damn day long and at the end of the day you and your buddies all pour a shot of whisky. Almost like a cheers to 'we made it through another day!'. It's the best sunsets I've ever seen in my life (and I've seen some good ones). It's where Amber comes on deck and asks us if we want coffee when we're too busy to go inside and she brings out coffee with the unmistakable taste of whisky as the creamer (actually surprised at how good coffee and whisky go together). And it's a place where you can fucking say fuck as much as you fucking want (sorry to offend anyone, but we all know I say fuck a lot anyways) because shit is fucking rough. There're whales in the sound and bears on the beaches. And damn it all, but it's just fucking cool.
Be happy y'all,
Beacon
P.S. The ship Amber Anne ran hard aground but it's okay and I wasn't on it.
And if anyone wants to mail me you can send it to:
Harry via Deer Harbor II
507 Katlian. Sitka, Alaska.
99835
I love letters :)
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