Boat Travel in Europe #4of5

Morocco - Tangiers, to Algeciras, Spain: About half-way across the 12 miles of the Strait of Gibraltar, one of the engines quit. Without all its engines, the hydrofoil settled back into the water, and now went even slower than a normal ferry boat.

Netherlands - Rotterdam, to London, to Montreal, Canada, 10 nights: With the RV in the hold of the T. S. S. Stefan Batory, we were on our way from Rotterdam, to Montreal, Canada. We docked on the Thames River, spent the day in London, then nine nights on the Atlantic to Montreal, and drove home to California. No jet-lag this time.

Norway - A dozen ferries up and down and across Fjords: From Trondheim to Bergen the road ended at the water’s edge several times. After 20 minutes or so, a boat would appear, and off we would go. Sensational scenery. The thirty minute, $9 (for us and the camper) ferry ride up the Geiranger Fjord, with waterfalls, sheer rock cliffs, little farms was really spectacular.

Portugal - Vila Real de St. Antonio, to Ayamonte, Spain: When we arrived at the border with Spain, we found a wide river with no bridge, nothing but a large parking lot and a small ferryboat with room for our camper and a couple of cars.

Spain - Algeciras, to Cueta, Spain (in Africa): The ferryboat was crowded and hot. Many people go across the Strait of Gibraltar to Cueta, to shop for radios, calculators, etc.

Sweden - Göteborg, to Frederikshavn, Denmark: Sunday morning, on a Swedish ferryboat, they had a 15 piece live band. There was another four or five piece band and a group of young girls singing beautiful familiar hymns. A few years later we drove around town for a while intending to catch the 1:00 PM boat, but in the heavy rain we did not find a reason to stay in Göteborg past the 9:30 AM ferryboat.

Sweden - Stockholm, to Helsinki, Finland, overnight: Boarded the ferryboat (along with the camper) at sunset. Had a room with a bath, and ate in the ship’s dining room. A beautiful sunset, a reasonable ship, and a pleasing trip.