Ferry Yakima - Washington State

Ferry Yakima – Washington State

We took the Washington State Ferry from the Anacortes terminal to Orcas Island.  Although we’d gone to Shaw Island which is the stop just before Orcas some 23 years ago, we’d never been to Orcas before.  What a shame, we loved it.

We made the drive from our home southeast of Seattle and arrived in time for what we thought would be the 12:30pm sailing (summer hours) on the Ferry Yakima.  We knew we couldn’t catch anything later than the 4pm ferry and still make our niece’s wedding which was being held at a historic hotel on the island at promptly 6:30pm.

When we arrived we were disappointed when we were told we’d be on the 4pm sailing.  A long wait on the dock was ahead of us and a rushed trip off the ferry and across the  island to find our Bed & Breakfast, which was located near Rosario resort in the Eastsound area which is on the other side of the island.  We needed to go before the wedding because they had strict rules about check-in.  With the later sailing that meant we’d be crossing the island twice only to rush back to where the ferry landed, which was directly across the street from the hotel we’d be celebrating her wedding at.

Disappointed and having stayed up much too late the night before getting ready, I opted to fold the backseat down in the van and prepare myself a little napping spot.  A pillow and iPod is all I needed and I was laid out and comfy in about five minutes.

My husband, the man who can’t sit down and can’t nap, took the opportunity to take a hike into town. After all, we had almost 5 hours to wait.  I was snuggled down and dreamily listening to my book on tape….drifting in and out of sleep as noisy people waiting for the ferry walked by.

The hubby enjoying the view from the back on the car deck of the Washington State Ferry Yakima next to the blue CRV

The hubby enjoying the view from the back on the car deck of the Washington State Ferry Yakima next to the blue CRV

Imagine my surprise then when our van started to moved.  I sat up quickly and about that time my husband let out a bunch of curse words that would make a sailor blush.  I found out later that he was already outside of the waiting area and too far from the reach of the loudspeakers, but something made him turn around to look at the van one last time.  It was then that he noticed that all the cars waiting for the 4pm ferry like us were gone and loading onto the ship.

He sprinted back and hopped into the van just in time to have a little blue Honda CRV whip around us and into line ahead us.  That’s what made him spit out the curse words.  He was certain that fellow would get the last spot on the ferry that for some reason now had room for us.

It’s Karma Baby

He didn’t get the last spot; we did.  So we were on the ferry, thanking our blessings, and the fellow in the CRV hopped out with his book in hand and immediately realized he’d locked his keys in his car.  We kinda though Karma was at work here.  Wasn’t he the one who almost made us miss the boat?

So he called over the ferry staff and they brought a Lock Jimmy (at least that’s what we call them – they’re a thin metal bar that’s plunged between the window and the door to try and pry up the lock).  They switched out people several times but they just weren’t getting anywhere.

It was then that we started to think maybe we were harsh and it was obviously our fault we almost missed the boat and perhaps we should mention we own the same car in the same color and same year.  I know, what are the chances our key would fit and why in the world would we have a key for a car our son has had away at college for 3 years on the other side of the state, 8 hours away, and is now in Mississippi?  But we did have it and my husband offered to try it.

The best view from the Ferrry Yakima is from the car deck - that's Mt. Baker in the distance

The best view from the Ferrry Yakima is from the car deck – that’s Mt. Baker in the distance

Of course, they all scoffed at the thought that the problem could be solved so easily…but he tried it with the driver’s permission…..and it worked.  It’s a little disconcerting that it did, but it saved the fellow a trip back on the ferry or having it towed off…the ferry stops for no one!

So we had a good giggle with the fellow and confessed our evil thoughts about him taking our spot and we went about our way.  And darn it if we didn’t keep running into him on the island.  We later found out from the same fellow that three large tour busses had reservations on the boat and they didn’t make it.  So we were truly lucky after all.

So that’s our random good deed we did on the Washington State Ferry.  Every have something weird like that happen?

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