I thought I knew ferries. After two years in Orkney, I felt I had really mastered the whole getting there, queueing up, walking the dog in the parking lot, parking in the boat’s belly, avoiding seasickness, rolling off smoothly on the other side, and heading on our way with the Sat Nav primed for our first desination. So this week I headed off on my next road trip, knowing exactly what to expect.
I took my time driving through the southwest of Scotland yesterday, and checked into the dullest hotel I’ve ever seen, in Stranraer. Up at six the next morning and off to the ferry terminal ten minutes away, for the ferry to Belfast. Dear God. As I said, I thought I knew ferries.
It had never occurred to me: the Orcadian ferries I knew were going back and forth between Britain and an island of ~20,000 people. These ferries were going to an island (Ireland) with approximately 7,000,000 people. Bigger boats, more trucks, more cars, longer queues. The transport trucks alone took up several lanes. Duh.
And the queues – from the time we arrived, we didn’t move more than 20′ in 20 minutes. I finally peeled off to the parking lot (car park) to take Scout for a last minute pee break, before re-joining the queue, where I was wedged between massive transport trucks. As we got closer to the main gate, I saw that the police were searching every truck and car. I had heard about these random checks in Orkney. As islands are a great way to smuggle drugs (or worse), ferries are a prime spot for catching mules, etc… But I had never experienced this level of scrutiny. When it was my turn, the police officer informed me that this was no random check. This was a manhunt. Of course – a terrorist had escaped His Majesty’s Prison, Wandsworth the day before. The heavily suited, booted, and armed police officer saw that Scout & I were alone, no hazard to the general populace, and let us on our way.
Off to Ireland we go!
*They caught the escapee the next day, just outside London.