We're Back!... on our way to Alaska!

Ballard and the Locks:

We hit the docks running when we pulled into Ballard on Tuesday afternoon. There was cargo to stow below the deck, rooms to prep, and groceries to purchase. It was a late night, and Wednesday was an early morn with more preparations and final trips to the regional passport center and Seattle Marine. Grandpa finally arrived in the early evening, with a movie cameraman close behind, who shot some film of him for an upcoming movie that is going to use the boat, and apparently a little of grandpa as well!

{had to check out the cool bunks first thing!}

Later that evening I made my first trip through the locks, which lowered the boat down from the fresh water of the harbor, to the salty ocean water. I was both fascinated and nervous, never having been through the locks before, and having to manage the bow line on my first trip! I had only heard horror stories about how close the boats get packed in together, leaving little room for error while managing a line---too slack and we would hit the boat behind, and too tight would pull us up into the boat in front of us. Lucky for me though, it was not a heavy traffic trip, and we were blessed with more room between boats than might typically be the case. At least, that is what the lock dock worker told me as he coached me through the process. Ahhh…ocean at last!

Entering the locks:

Tied up at the high end:

Going down: {you can see from the algae growth where we started out}

And under the railroad bridge: