“Please return to your cars for boarding.” At that announcement, folks hurried back to their cars. A dad guided a little girl with one hand as he precariously juggled newly purchased items in his other hand. A mom followed with two little ones, guiding them through the maze of vehicles. Families, shoppers, and sightseers wove in and out of the string of cars. It wasn’t long before the line began to move except for the cars devoid of their passengers who would soon be rushing to make the 8:40 AM crossing. One by one, foot passengers, bicycles and motorized vehicles filled the bowels of the open-ended ferry. A lady ran down the ramp just as it was preparing to lift from the deck. “Can I get on?” A worker unlatched the gate for which the lady was grateful.
One of the smaller ferries in the area 
Orcas Island
Car doors slammed like dominos, one after the other, sending a resounding hollow echo through the belly of the ferry. Many of the cars were abandoned again, and passengers made their way to the upper decks. I was no exception. Instead of sitting, I headed out on the open deck at one end of the ferry so I could see the fascinating scenes around me. Looking across the open water, I felt the wind and salty mist on my face. The strong smell of the ocean filled my nostrils. Sea birds ducked their heads under water in search of their next meal. Seagulls squawked and flew closer to the shore. The wake from the ferry rocked small boats as we passed. The mainland grew larger as the island we had left behind got smaller and smaller. I felt as if I had stepped into a different and timeless world. The hands of the clock stood still for just a few moments in time.
Island life is foreign to me. Some people make the commute to and from the mainland every day. If they make the trip twice daily, the short distance across the water can take three to four hours out of their day. As I considered their daily trek, I thought, “Hmmmm. Maybe that’s not so bad.” If they want to get to the other side, they have little choice but to take that daily reprieve just to be still or read or take a stroll as the rest of the world passes them by.
As the ferry neared the mainland, people scrambled to get back to their vehicles. Soon the sound of engines coming to life was heard. Passengers hurried off the ramp going about their business as that moment in time passed, and the clock started ticking once again.
