Winnona goes over the sea

Tuesday September 24, 2013
Site 5 Killens Pond State Park
Delaware

 

It’s one of those OPPPs situations.

 

We leave Matt’s in plenty of time to be an hour early for our 12:30 sailing time at the Cape May- Lewes Ferry.   Taking the ferry to Killens State Park in Delaware cuts our trip from 141 miles if we had to go up and around to 55 miles going across Delaware Bay.   It costs $81 one way to take Winnona and Ruby but it’s more than worth it in both time and gasoline costs. 

 

 

 

The only problem is, I misread the schedule and 12:30 is the time the 11:00 ferry arrives in Lewes.  That was the ferry we had a reservation for.  Oppps!  Luckily the man checking us in doesn’t bat an eye.  He just says, “so you want to be on the next one?  That leaves at 2:30”.  I say “yes” and he asks if we want to wait.  Well with 57’ of motor home, dolly and toad, what else do you do.

So we are first in our row and the second vehicle in line for the ferry.  I’m feeling pretty stupid about now since we have a 3 hour wait here.  And we won’t even get to Delaware until after we had thought we would be at the park. 

 

 

This was supposed to be a really short travel day with time in the afternoon to do something in the park. 

We’ll only be there 2 nights as we are on our way to Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland.  The stop in Delaware is just to break up the trip so we don’t have to do a PDD Day. :-)

 

 

 

While we wait, I watch the ferry Delaware come up to the dock and its passengers, including a class A motor home get off.

As you can see, the terminal has a covered walkway that goes to the dock and a miniature golf course in front.  I think maybe we should play miniature golf to while away our time.

 

 

David goes out and about to see the terminal and take these pictures.  I should have done a panorama to show the really lovely ferry terminal in its entirety.  Sorry about that.

 

 

Here is the terminal itself.  Very fancy inside and out I think.

 

 

Apparently they have lots of food and places to eat it both inside and out.

 

 

 

Finally it is our turn and we are the 4th vehicle to board. 

Just after the bicycles and walk on passengers.   Now is when my mistake turns golden. 

 

 

In we go, and

 

out we come.

The spots for trucks, cars and RVs is of course on the bottom deck and mostly under deck.  BUT if you are among the first one or two cars in your row, you come out from under and can see perfectly the entire way.

What a duckie view!!   We are all very excited about our misfortune being turned into great fortune.  We can sit right here out of the wind in comfort and see everything.

If we had been only an hour early, we would have been in the middle of the pack.  Was the 3 hour wait worth it?  SURE WAS since we really have no deadline to meet and no place else to be.

 

 

 

 

As we leave the harbor I see another ferry docked.  It looks just like ours.  They all seem to look alike.  Just different names.

 

 

 

Cape May fades away as we pull out to sea.  We are facing the rear.  The cars “up front” are pulled in forward so they can’t see anything.  What a view we have!

 

 

 

The sea gulls follow us the entire way.  They must expend a lot of energy to do this.  I only see a few of them diving into the water.  I assume they are after the fish since there are some pretty serious rules about throwing them food.

 

 

 

So what are the other folks doing?

 

I decide to take a look around the ferry to see what others are doing since no one but us is in their “car”.  HA!   What a car we have.

 

            

 

Our ferry is the New Jersey.  Only a few people are outside at the rails facing into the wind.  It is a chilly windy ride.  I climb the stairs to the second deck.

 

 

I see Winnona from above.  She has a great spot that’s for sure.

 

 

 

There are two decks for passengers and both inside and outside places to sit, or eat, or play cards or even watch TV or a movie if they run one.  The trip takes 90 minutes to go 17 miles across the Bay.

 

 

 

I guess these are the sun bathers in their deck chairs, facing the rear of the boat with a wind screen.

 

 

 

Some folks find a secluded spot out of the wind for a nap.

 

 

A large sign on one of the stacks announces that next year is the ferry’s 50th anniversary.  Wonder what they will do to celebrate?? 

This sign makes it clear there will be no birthday cake for the seagulls.

 

Because of the wind many folks are inside.  The blue chairs are two facing each other on each side of a table.  I see at least two couples playing cards.

 

 

These look like airplane seats to me.  All facing the TV.  Probably comfy seats.  This is really a very luxurious ferry for an hour and a half trip.

 

None of these seats is as good as mine.  Time to get back to my great seat but just one more shot of Winnona from above.

 

 

 

We arrive back inside the jetty this time at Lewes. 

 

The ferry turns all the way around so that those who came on first will also get off first.  Such are the perks for waiting.  My mother always said patience is a virtue.

 

 

 

The dock is lowered and we are on our way on land again.  Winnona has just sailed the sea.   Hmmmm, wonder if there is a ferry to Hawaii???

 

 

 

 

We’re later than intended but no matter.

 

In less than an hour though after a bit of a directional disagreement and going down the wrong road, we do arrive at Killens Pond State Park.  It looks just as I hoped.  Quiet and wooded.  A perfect place to relax for a few days after our flurry of touristy stops in both Newport and Cape May.  Those are unusual things for us to do and I am glad we did them but very happy to get back to this slow and easy pace surrounded by the natural world.

 

 

 

Although the duckies like a water view, they are very happy with this one.

 

 

 

Killens Pond campground has 60 sites all with water and electric in 6 loops of 10 sites each.  I really like the loop set up.  There aren’t too many folks all in one big area. It seems more intimate somehow. 

Loops A & B are for shorter RVs.  We are in loop D and our site is very large.  Gravel, sand and forest floor.  The entire campground is less than half full. Our loop has 5 RVs and two of those are camp hosts who are changing shifts and will be moving.   There is also a tents only loop which I think is very nice.  It has 17 sites with no hook ups.  And finally there are 11 cabins.  In the summer, this is a very popular campground and very full.  Right now it is just perfect.  SO dark and quiet.  No campground street lights.  I love it.

I can feel myself relax.

 

 

 

 

The campground is rustic and that goes for the bath house too.  It is old and needs to be refurbished.  The shower stalls have seen better days and the water never warms above luke which is fine in the summer but not so much now.   Hope the one in the tent loops is warmer since they have no choice.

 

BUT – what a great site this is!!

 

 

 

We have time for a short look at the lake before dark.  There is a path all around the lake and it goes right behind our site.   We will hike the entire thing tomorrow but for now just a look at the water.

 

 

 

Fall is just beginning its beautiful colors here which is why, like the birds, we are heading south.

 

 

This has turned out to be a very fine stop on our way to Assateague National Seashore.