Budget Travel on the Alaska Marine Highway: A complete guide to vacationing along the Inside Passage

Kevin Lee McIver provides a unique view of traveling to Alaska on the Alaska Marine Highway System. Sailing the open seas and transporting people and goods has been an integral part of humankind's existence for over two thousand years. Today much of the world's goods are transported by ships that cross the oceans in days. In remote places like Alaska where few roads exist, ships carry much of the freight to sustain life. From bringing independent travelers to experience the rugged outdoors to carrying food and dry goods, ships are the lifeblood of Alaska. Alaskans also use the Alaska Marine Highway System instead of flying to remote villages because it is less weather dependent. Often when planes are grounded due to inclement weather, the ferry still operates. It is the Alaska Marine Highway System that operates the bulk of the ships to meet the transport needs of the state. It is not a coincidence that it is called a Marine Highway System, for that is exactly what it is; a system of marine highways that connect the southern and southeastern Alaskan coastline with Canada and Washington State just as if a physical "road" network connects land points. In this book, Kevin shares his experiences on the ferry system.