Wednesday, 24 February 2010

F is for...

Ferry

I have a severe love-hate relationship with ferries. I don't mind the shorter rides across rivers and canals. I do have a problem with the longer rides across seas.

The very first ferry-ride I ever took was while crossing the River Lek near my grandparents' place. It would take only ten minutes, including getting on and off. Larger river barges would have right of way, but it was an easy ride. It was also the fastest way to cross the river, since the nearest bridge would be miles out.

Over the last couple of years I have had to cross the North Sea and the Irish Sea on more than one occasion. And no matter how much I love visiting Great Britain and Ireland, those crossings are a horror in my mind, because I nearly always get seasick! The first time it happened was on one of my first trips to Ireland. As we got back and had to take the ferry from Harwich (England) to Hoek van Holland (the Netherlands), I felt a bit strange and according to one of my passengers I looked green!

The photo was taken of the ferry crossing the River Shannon in Ireland (Talbert-Killimer), a crossing of about 25 minutes and just about right. It's right at the end of the river before the river disappears into the Atlantic Ocean.

For more F-words from around the world (doesn't that sound weird?), please check out ABC Wednesday and join in the fun!

PS: Since I am a professional driver it's not a good idea for me to take seasickness pills since they work for about four hours, meaning I would still have them in my system after I got off the boat. And since most of them have drowsiness as a possible side-effect...

22 comments:

  1. Oh no! Sea sickness is the worst! I hope you don't have to go on any long ferry rides for a while!

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  2. I agree with you - short runs aren't too bad. but a longer one, especially on a sea would be difficult!
    Great post.

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  3. We have lots of ferries here on the west coast of Canada, too. But it's usually smooth sailing 'cuz if it gets too stormy, they cancel them. I did not enjoy the overnight ferry from Naples to Palermo, Sicily, though!

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  4. I get motion sickness too, I usually sucks on sour plum the whole duration of the journey or pop the dramamine.

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  5. I'm not too crazy about ferries either! The old ferry from this island to the mainland used to be very slow - 8 hours crossing an often very choppy English Channel. I did spend one night crossing up on deck because the freezing cold was *much* better than the seasickness!

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  6. Sea sickness us awful. I don't blame you for not wanting to get it.
    Nice picture of the ferry though.

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  7. There is a ferry I have taken when I have visited Seattle, and it was wonderful.

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  8. I have never ridden on a ferry. One of the many, many things I hope to do at least once in my life.

    I enjoyed reading your insight into "ferrydom" though.

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  9. The ferries across or at least one of them, are familiar to me. I often cross the river Lek from Krimpen a/d Lek to Kinderdijk.( see the post of Krimpen a/d Lek)
    Thanks for your visit and comment. No, fortunately I don't have to hoist my bed to the ceiling either!

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  10. I really like being on and by the water.

    On behalf of the ABC team, thanks for participating this week.

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  11. "F is for Ferries" That was a clever one. Those are those flat boats that only travel back and forth over a body of water!
    I have never been on one.

    Thank you for visiting my F-post about us felines. Calle Cat says "Hello" and "Meow"!
    Purrs
    Sara Cat
    (The black cat, Cajsa, is a little shy.)

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  12. Oh, yes, I have the same love-hate relationship! My sea sickness all depends on the waves. I usually have to go out into the open air, but some ferries don't have that option! And even though I'm not a bus driver, I don't like the way motion sick medication makes me feel!

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  13. Knock on wood, I have never experienced any form of sea sickness. I grew up on boats (fishing, sporting and just cruising) but, my poor husband grew up in the desert and never got used to boats and feels it everytime we go out.

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  14. I totally can identify with the wobbly sea feeling, of not being on solid ground. Thanks for a really interesting post Mara.

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  15. We took a tour boat from Cancun to Isla Mujeras. A short trip, but the day was windy and waves were about 8 feet tall. All of us "gringos" were green! Guess that could be an entry for next week. Thanks for visiting my blog!

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  16. You have reminded me of the first ferry ride I ever did and that was being rowed in a small boat across Weymouth Harbour, when I was a child. Have been on the Irish Ferry to from Rosslare to Fishguard on the Welsh coast. Great F post.

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  17. I love the ferry that goes from Manhattan to Staten island, passing the Statue of liberty

    On behalf of the ABC Wednesday team, thank you!

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  18. The North Sea crossing are especially rough - my Irish Sea crossings were generally good - even the one time when I was sick before leaving Dublin for Holyhead!

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  19. I've only ever been seasick one time, but it was a thoroughly miserable experience so I feel for you!

    The Irish Sea is renowned for being rough, so I'm not surprised that was one of your nightmare trips.

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Any weighty (and not so weighty) comments are welcome!