This time about ferries. You’d think they’d be simple, wouldn’t you? I always used to travel on Irish Ferries. Holyhead to Dublin. Saving on costs and doing my bit for the environment, I tend to take my pushbike over with me. Two years ago, it was £25 each way, with no booking fee and no charge for the bike. I just tried to book, one way on Irish Ferries - £47. One way. This is because the basic fare has gone up from £25 to £33 plus they’ve added a £9 charge for the bike PLUS there’s now an online booking fee of £5, even if you pay by debit card (I think it’s more if you pay by credit card).
So, in just two years, the price has virtually doubled. It’s not as if I take up much room, they don’t make any special provision for bikes - you have to tie it up to part of the lifting gear (which always makes me nervous in any case) and, let’s face it, I’m going to have my breakfast on board plus a coffee or two, maybe some duty free.
Ah well, ended up booking a less convenient sailing with Stena (who I don’t like nearly as much). They’ve put their prices up a lot too, and all the ferry companies take a lot longer to get there now as well, 'cos they’re sailing slower to ‘save fuel’. I bet they’re doing that to save the planet.
I’m starting to hate the ferry companies almost as much as the airlines.
Ferries are something I’ve only experienced when we went on vacation with the in-laws to Ocracoke. Ocracoke is the worst beach on the entire east coast unless, of course, you are looking for a free skin peel. The winds are strong and constant (very near Kitty Hawk and the whole Orville and Wilbur Wright, first flight thing.) The winds whip up sand that blasts you from one direction. So if you want an entire body peel, you’ll have to rotate. The ferry is fun and free. You can feed the seagulls that follow the ferry. That’s fun.
I’ve done the seagull thing on the Ocracoke Ferry. But I will say this about the North Carolina Outer Banks strand of beaches in general, (of which Ocracoke is a part.)—While I have experienced the sand-blasting effect Mute is describing, it isn’t the norm during the summer season. (This, based on yearly vacations dating back to when I was 11.) This is not to say beach conditions aren’t quite variable, especially factoring in water temp, presence or absence of jellyfish, nature of the current (wimpy non-existent waves, choppy, unpredictable rip-tide prone surf, or nice even jumpable conditions.) Then there are always the unlucky weeks of incessant rain and storms. The nasty high winds, not so often. But we have weathered the fringes of a hurricane…now that was some dermabrasion if you ventured onto the porch.
The Ocracoke-Hatteras ferry is free. Not so for the Ocracoke-Cedar Isalnd ferry. The Jamestowne- Scotland Neck ferry in Virginia costs too. As does the Bluenose Ferry from Maine to Nova Scotia(another sorry place to take a vacation)and the S.S. Badger out of Wisconsin costs $120.00 round trip to Michigan which they always get 'cause who’d want to stay in Michigan?
This is the second summer with no ferry between Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. The NS government decided to stop subsidizing it; it was an expensive catamaran, the “Cat”. American travel to NS has dropped and tourism is suffering, especially in the southern part of the province. It’s hoped that something new might be in place in 2012.
Missed this part of your entry… were you here in bad weather or what? I must defend NS as a really terrific vacation place. Last summer I took some of my family to Cape Breton Island and along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy, both gorgeous scenic areas. Halifax, where I live, is a great city.
When I was studying in Scotland I used to go back to Ireland on the ferry. I travelled by bicycle too. I loathed it. Sometimes I think I stayed on the big island just because I couldn’t face the ferry one more time.
As long as all those Americans(and everybody else) stay away from “my” parts of Canada I ain’t got not problems with them visiting. But I claim everything between NS and BC and north to Nunavat.
Of course there’s a shark following that kayak, it’s yum-yum yellow. Sharks aren’t dummies. Stay away from yum-yum yellow and ready to eat reds. Of course I have no problem paddling with folks who have those coloured boats.
