You've heard of P.O.W., right? Prisoner of Whittier. A term used when you could only leave Whittier once a week by throwing your car on the train. This was back in the day, about 10 years ago, of driver licenses valid without photo because Whittier didn't have a camera. But, now days, you can drive though that tunnel and into Whittier any old time you want, between the hours of 6 AM and 10 PM.
Cordova, on the other hand, you cannot drive to any old time you want. Or, anytime for that matter. Not only does our 52 mile of road not connect anywhere, but currently, there is a bridge out at 36 mile and is as far as you can go. No, we rely on plane or ferry to escape.
We have this new fast ferry, and she's a beaut. Will take you to the other side of the Sound at 37 knots in 3 hours. But, she has these nice weather limits. Weather usually isn't nice this time of year. She didn't run for three days last week leaving folk stuck on both sides. Waiting to get in and waiting to get out. Shops were closed or had shortened hours. The hair dresser didn't make it back and I had to run around town with my uneven hair cut for one more week (but that, really, is neither here nor there)
My own ferry escape was all planned for Wednesday, Sept 21. Monday's forecast was for a 50 knot blow.
I spend the weekend schlepping my shit through rain and wind, packing up the truck. Sunday gave me a break in the weather and made it hard to believe it was to blow 50 the next day. But, blow it did. Gusts to 65, actually. Rain. Wind. Repeat.
It was supposed to come down on Tuesday and be blue birds by Wednesday, escape day. I finished packing in the rain. Nothing like packing wet bags and boxes for a 4000 mile road trip.
Then the rain really came down. I mean, it didn't just rain cats and dogs, it rained elephants and hippos. The cap on my truck started to leak. Now my wet stuff was getting even wetter. Nothing like starting a 4000 miles road trip with a cap that leaks.
And it blew. All day Tuesday and all night Tuesday.
The wind woke me up about 3 Am. It sounded like a freight trian coming through the cabin. A freight train that was going to take the roof right off! As I lay awake in bed, I kept thinking that I needed to get back to sleep. I start my 4000 mile road trip from Cordova, Ak to Ohio tomorrow. Then the other part of my kept thinking, I can lay awake here all night and it doesn't matter. There is no way the ferry is going to leave. Then it would calm down and get real quiet. I'd think, maybe I can leave tomorrow. It's been quiet for about 20 minutes now. Blamo, the freight train would come back.
5:45 AM. My alarm goes off. I have a few more things to do, like finish this blog and a few more things to gather up, like my cat, Hunter. I find outmy fate, whether I can leave today or not, in 15 minutes when the ferry terminal opens up. Wish me luck!
Cordova, on the other hand, you cannot drive to any old time you want. Or, anytime for that matter. Not only does our 52 mile of road not connect anywhere, but currently, there is a bridge out at 36 mile and is as far as you can go. No, we rely on plane or ferry to escape.
We have this new fast ferry, and she's a beaut. Will take you to the other side of the Sound at 37 knots in 3 hours. But, she has these nice weather limits. Weather usually isn't nice this time of year. She didn't run for three days last week leaving folk stuck on both sides. Waiting to get in and waiting to get out. Shops were closed or had shortened hours. The hair dresser didn't make it back and I had to run around town with my uneven hair cut for one more week (but that, really, is neither here nor there)
My own ferry escape was all planned for Wednesday, Sept 21. Monday's forecast was for a 50 knot blow.
I spend the weekend schlepping my shit through rain and wind, packing up the truck. Sunday gave me a break in the weather and made it hard to believe it was to blow 50 the next day. But, blow it did. Gusts to 65, actually. Rain. Wind. Repeat.
It was supposed to come down on Tuesday and be blue birds by Wednesday, escape day. I finished packing in the rain. Nothing like packing wet bags and boxes for a 4000 mile road trip.
Then the rain really came down. I mean, it didn't just rain cats and dogs, it rained elephants and hippos. The cap on my truck started to leak. Now my wet stuff was getting even wetter. Nothing like starting a 4000 miles road trip with a cap that leaks.
And it blew. All day Tuesday and all night Tuesday.
The wind woke me up about 3 Am. It sounded like a freight trian coming through the cabin. A freight train that was going to take the roof right off! As I lay awake in bed, I kept thinking that I needed to get back to sleep. I start my 4000 mile road trip from Cordova, Ak to Ohio tomorrow. Then the other part of my kept thinking, I can lay awake here all night and it doesn't matter. There is no way the ferry is going to leave. Then it would calm down and get real quiet. I'd think, maybe I can leave tomorrow. It's been quiet for about 20 minutes now. Blamo, the freight train would come back.
5:45 AM. My alarm goes off. I have a few more things to do, like finish this blog and a few more things to gather up, like my cat, Hunter. I find outmy fate, whether I can leave today or not, in 15 minutes when the ferry terminal opens up. Wish me luck!
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