We booked an excursion to Misty Fjords when we stopped in Ketchikan, Alaska. My sister and brother-in-law decided to stay on the ship. It was a rainy day, the last port. I didn’t mind venturing on my own. I put on my rainjacket and made my way to the dock.

I started in the main area of the boat, where there were seats and large windows. We were protected from the rain. There was a snack bar. People seemed a little tired and grumpy. I understood. It was the tail end of the trip for most people. If they were travelling with family, they might have been tired of each other. They might have been ready to go home. They might have been annoyed the sun wasn’t shining. I think some people didn’t do their research and didn’t know what Alaska weather was like in that area at that time of the year. We weren’t in Hawaii.

One family was arguing about who was supposed to wait for whom as they got off the ship. Another was rehashing something that had happened the prior night. Someone was complaining they were cold, and someone with them was saying “I told you so.” And those were just the people around me. There were enough seats for everyone, but it was crowded, so I decided to move to the top. There was limited seating up there, but I didn’t mind standing. I’d rather have the fresh air.

In addition to the captain’s area above, there was a small area with a dozen seats within a small protected area. A few more of us huddled in. But anytime the rain lightened, some of us stepped outside the shelter to look around. As most the boat rides of the trip, I spent more time outside than inside. A little water wasn’t going to hurt me. This was a different style of boat, and I was glad to be a little higher to see, have more fresh air (and hear less complaining). Those of us braving the top began to chat and get to know each other. It was supposed to take us about an hour and a half to Misty Fjords, then spend an half hour or so there, then an hour and a half back. 

We were about an hour into the trip when we heard an awful noise under the boat. It had a jet propulsion system, and we’d just sucked up a tree branch or a log or something significant. It took a while of shifting the system back and forth, but eventually, the log or whatever it was cleared. We were on our way again, but we weren’t making much progress. The winds had shifted, and the waves were growing. The boat was rocking. Even on the top deck, the wave’s spray was reaching over the railing. We heard the people below were hardly seeing anything but waves slamming their windows. The crew came around offering motion sickness chews. I wrapped my arm around a pipe and took a video. 

Our little upstairs group was making the most of the situation. At the hour and a half mark, the captain announced we were turning around. At the rate we were going, it might take another hour and a half to even get to where we were going, but it wasn’t worth the risk. We’d get a partial refund. Let the crew know if we needed anything. A few minutes later, he came back and checked on our little group. I think he was surprised we were having a great time and had no complaints. We thanked him for taking care of us. For some reason, an extra captain had jumped on board at the last minute because he had some time available, and he was the most seasoned captain of the company. We were in good hands. We wouldn’t get to see volcanic spires, but we’d get back to shore safely. No Gilligan’s Island reprise for us.

About 30 minutes after we turned around, we heard a loud noise underneath the boat. Yes, you guessed it. We sucked up another branch or log or something. We wondered if it was the same one. Surely not. But it took a lot longer to get unstuck this time. We all felt better once the seas calmed. Then we recognized some of the shoreline. Then we had cell service.

I called my sister. “I’ll be back in about 15 minutes.” “What? Why?!” “Well….” Then I told her the story. The bonus was, despite them not going on the trip, they got a partial refund, too.

She met me off the ship and we walked around Ketchikan in the rain. While it sounds miserable, it was actually quite fun. By the time we got back to the ship, our feet were a bit wet, but we’d made the most of our last day off the ship. We’d have one last day at sea, then we’d fly home. And our last day at sea would be very peaceful compared to my Misty Fjords Almost Meets Gilligans Island adventure!

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