30 March 2012:  On our drive north, we stopped to see the acres of daffodils that were blooming in the fields of the Skagit Valley in Washington.  Driving on to Bellingham, we boarded the Alaska Marine Highway ferry along with several hundred other passengers sailing to Alaska. This ferry route services the coastal communities which have limited or no road access to the rest of the world.  Most of the passengers were Alaska residents on their way home after spending some of the cold winter "in the lower 48."  We enjoyed visiting with some, salmon fishermen, campground owners, etc. who were eager to get back to work and prepare for the busy summer season.  While it was too COLD to spend much time out on the deck, we loved sitting in the forward observation lounge and watching the stunning scenery go by.  We passed hundreds of miles of green coastline, snow-topped mountains, vast glaciers, and tiny native fishing villages.