Ford's Terror

 Ford's Terror is incredible. It's amazing. It's like sailing through a hole into another world, or at least another part of the world.

My enthusiasm for this place is endless (as it is for most places we get to by boat) and I hope that in the course of my life I get to go there dozens more times. I have only been once, and it still boggles my mind to look back at my own pictures.

 Getting in to Ford's Terror takes some solid seamanship and well planned timing, but it is doable, and worth the wait for high tide. The day we went in was cold, pouring rain, the water was milky from glacial water and run off, we felt alone in the world, cutting through the mist. Every turn brings a new adventure though, as we find time and time again, and as we made our way in, another Port Townsend boat we knew was heading out and gave us a friendly blast of her horn and a quick radio check in to let us know that their guests had a great time there. They headed out to get to a glacier face while we headed in, awestruck by the thunderous roar of hundreds of waterfalls gushing down the cliffs, the normally trickling streams were huge and full with the steady rain from the past couple days.

 We spent the next few hours making our way slowly in to where Captain Mortenson planned for us to stay the night, and by then the clouds were breaking up and bright, full afternoon sunshine made quick work of drying out the boat. We anchored, the guests went out kayaking and exploring, apparently meeting porpoises around the corner, a mother and baby if I remember correctly, just another unpredictably wonderful day at sea.