Seasick, Very Seasick

July 14th - 9th Day Biking



We woke up early, excited to take a ferry ride! We got ready quickly and walked our bikes across the street to the ferry "terminal." It was blustery and foggy so we wore our neon biking jackets. We must have been a humorous sight because since we weren't cars, we had to be put in the motorcycle line, as we waited to board. The man taking our tickets warned us that the ride would be "a bit rougher than usual," but we didn't pay him any heed since Katharine had her Dramamine and Laurel doesn't get motion sickness. Little did we know...



We stored our bikes in the frightening underbelly of the katamaran, crammed in with all the motorcycles and boxed in by all the cars and went upstairs to find a seat. The captain came on to announce the stats, as if knowing that 700+ cars on board makes one feel reassured about the safety of the crossing, and then we settled in. Laurel went exploring, pushing her way around the throngs of people in line to get food at the cafe, and saw the casino, the wake, and the duty-free liquor store. Then the ship started to move. It was a sick feeling that we have never known before. Katharine remained paralyzed the entire 3 hours, for fear that moving or speaking would open the vomit flow, and even Laurel took preventative throwing up measures in the bathroom (ie: she wanted to do it in private instead of in a little barf bag that the crew was passing out like candy). During her voyage to the facilities, Laurel saw quite the sight in the stern of the ship: dozens, maybe even hundreds of children and the elderly hunched over heaving into their paper sacks; the smell alone was enough to sicken even the strongest of stomaches. No one was in line for the cafes anymore. Crew members were frantically mopping up and reassuring the other passengers who all wanted to know how much time was left on this ferry crossing from hell. Seriously, we want to know: is this really a business they are running? Charging people for the most nauseating experience of their lives?

FINALLY the announcement came to return to our vehicles for the deboating. There were cars parked everywhere, crammed in at odd angles. We located our bikes, repacked the lunch we had taken onboarding thinking we would have a nice picnic on the cruise, and prepared to greet Nova Scotia. It was cold and foggy and customs awaited.... Stay tuned to find out how Laurel was detained at the border. (In other words, the library is closing.)

Okay, we're back! We thought that what would possibly get us detained at the border was the suspicious looking baggie of dried kale and collard greens that Josh and Christy gave us to ward off scurvy or that left over wine that Katharine had put in a vitamin water bottle for safe travel, but as it turns out, it was Laurel's radical protesting days that got her flagged as a passenger of concern and questioned. It was rather jarring when the official said, "Katharine, I'd like you to stay here. I need to take Laurel back and ask her some questions." Yikes! Luckily the official was very nice and was pacified with Laurel's assurance that she would not protest while in Canada.

We had to take about 3 hours in town - checking email and eating Subway - because we were still so quesy from the trip. It was enough time to make a huge generalization about Nova Scotia: everyone here is SO nice and friendly! (I would be really annoyed living in a town where hundreds of puking Americans deboard all the time.)

We biked to Darling Lake Campgrounds in very heavy fog - it was so beautiful and silent on the road. The manager of the campground turned out to be a huge Atlanta Braves fan and talked Laurel's ear off about the athletic prowess of Chipper Jones.

Mileage: 11 miles by bike, 100 miles by boat