July 17: Ship Ahoy!

Ship Ahoy! Today’s “ride” will take me by ferry from North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Argentia, Newfoundland via the Marine Atlantic Ferry system, a 16-hour trip across the Lawrence Seaway. As I will not have access to internet until tomorrow, I thought I would post what I know about the ferry ride now and perhaps update it later.

I feel a great sense of anticipation as I prepare to embark on the second most significant leg of this summer 2022 journey. When I first started planning this trip a few months ago, I envisioned three key segments – making it to the Arctic Ocean via the Dalton Highway, crossing southern Canada and traveling by ferry to Newfoundland, and then exploring some of my favorite spots in the US on my way home.  

To be honest, when I was in the planning stages, I really wasn’t sure whether I would make it to the Arctic. There were so many potential problems – catastrophic damage to the bike, a significant personal injury, or a damaged part that couldn’t be replaced for weeks. So, I waited until after making it to Prudhoe Bay and back to Anchorage before thinking about the rest of my trip.

I began making some specific goals for Newfoundland with the help of Facebook friend Steve Krawse while I was waiting for my bike to be serviced in Calgary, Alberta. Then when I arrived in Renfrew,Ontario, I was able to plan out the logistics with the help of Paul and Tracey McCormick, my Bunk a Biker hosts there. With their advice and some phone calls on my part the subsequent day I was able to get some coveted tickets on the 16-hour ride to Argentia today, a round trip ferry ticket to a small island off the coast of Newfoundland on Wednesday, and then a shorter trip from the northwest corner of the island back to North Sydney a few days after that. I am also so grateful to an anonymous benefactor, whom I call “Magnificently Regarded,” who offered to pay for all my ferries on this trip.

I do anticipate that this ride will be an adventure as there were no cabins left to book and I will be sleeping on a bench, hoping that my computer and phone don’t disappear while I am not able to watch them. I won’t have access to my bike or my things while on the voyage so I have packed a few essentials to take upstairs, found a way to secure my helmet to my bike, and will wear my chaps and jacket to keep them safe.

I look forward to arriving in Argentia tomorrow morning. From there I will begin exploring the island before meeting my host for the night in St. Johns. I look forward to updating everyone at that time.

Update: An incredibly generous mother and child offered to share their cabin with me on the ferry. I felt like I had won the lottery as I got to sleep on a real bed with sheets and a pillow and even had a window looking out at the ocean. It was like being on a cruise in the middle of a motorcycle vacation. Thank you Tara and Dee!