I have never met anyone who was in a bad mood at the rail of a small ferry.
Bridges are efficient, and I understand why people want them. But a bridge takes something away from a place. A ferry makes you stop, get out of the car, wait with everyone else and stand in the weather for twenty minutes. It is the last form of transport that still makes you feel you have gone somewhere.
A short and partial ranking
- The one with no timetable, which leaves when the man has finished his sandwich.
- The island boat, which carries post, sheep and one nervous teacher.
- The river chain ferry, four minutes long and still the highlight of the day.
- The overnight one, for the sound of the engine and the terrible coffee at dawn.
How to behave on one
Go outside, even in the rain. Buy the bad tea. Stand on the side away from the wind and say nothing to anyone for a while. If there are dolphins, someone will shout. There are never dolphins.
The crossing is the only part of the journey that nobody has tried to improve.
Our own little boat was threatened with a bridge a few years ago, and the whole town turned out to complain, including several people who never use it. I think we all knew what we would lose, and that it had nothing to do with getting across.
Sample content for The Pixel, a fictional personal blog.
