Around the M/V Aurora

The M/V Aurora is one of the vessels in the Alaska Marine Highway System. At 235 feet long and 57 feet wide, it is one of the smaller boats. Thus, it is used to service smaller communities.

Embarking the vessel at 3:00p, we took the elevator from the Car Deck to the Upper Deck and found a grouping of four seats in front of the big windows of the forward observation lounge. Not the most comfortable seats — they don’t recline like some of the others do — but they will be good for expansive views of the seascape as we make our way to Cordova via the Passage Canal, Wells Passage, and through Prince William Sound.

The boat, named after the Aurora Glacier in Glacier Bay, carries 250 passengers and a number of vehicles. I’d be hard pressed to count 50 passengers on the vessel today. And here in the forward lounge there are no more than 20 people scattered about. Social distancing will definitely not be a problem. You can tell the people who are old hands at ferry travel as they have sleeping bags and blankets … methinks they plan to sleep most of the way on this 7-hour sailing to Cordova.

Those passengers who aren’t sleeping can take advantage of the observation lounge (where we are), the solarium one deck up (open deck with a covered section and chaise lounges), the café (which has a hot line during specified hours), and the movie lounge (though no movies are being shown on this sailing that I am aware of).

The forward deck on the bow has been opened up now that we are underway. That’s where I’m heading now … at least until we get into the open waters of Prince William Sound.Read more