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Coast to Coast

Coast to Coast | Pedalling Around | Cradled on waves | Coaching Ways | Easy Riding | Media Stars | Ties that Bind | Rev Up the RV | Making a Quick Getaway | Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

From Maine to Nova Scotia in Three Hours Flat
By Elanor Beaton

You don't have to travel very far to know that communities form in the strangest of places - like parking lots, for example. I've just arrived at The CAT Ferry terminal in Bar Harbor, Maine, destined for Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. After showing my passport and ticket to an attendant at the parking lot entrance, I join one of half a dozen or so lines of parked cars. I pull in close behind the car in front, cut the engine as I've been instructed to do, and roll down the window.

An ocean breeze blows in through the windows. Sea mist rolled into Bar Harbor overnight, covering the picturesque coastal town in wisps of cloud. It's sprinkling now and I see someone in a car ahead of me has offered a motorcyclist a seat in his car. I smile at the kindness of strangers and notice other people smiling, too.

I'm excited about the trip: I love any kind of boat (especially fast, sturdy ones) and enjoy the thrill of being surrounded by the ocean. But even though I've flown between Canada and the US many times, I rarely cross the border by ship.

The security check is friendly and efficient. It's a good idea to bring your passport. If you don't have one, for now, customs officials will also accept a birth certificate and photo ID. Make sure to arrive an hour before your scheduled departure time; I'm happy to report The CAT is a punctual ship.

About an hour before our 8 a.m. departure, CAT officials begin waving us onto the boat. To my left, I see walk-on passengers trekking the short distance to the ferry. Because The CAT is so speedy, it's not unusual for people to make a day trip from Bar Harbor to Yarmouth. You have just enough time to indulge in a delicious seafood lunch, browse the shops in town, and do a short bus tour along Nova Scotia's beautiful coastal communities before hopping back in the afternoon.

Row by row, we move toward the boat, driving slowly up the ramps and into the parking area. Driving into The CAT, you get a much better appreciation of how huge a catamaran it really is - there's enough aluminum in the hull to make 32 million beer cans. I park my car on one of the three parking levels, lock it, and walk up a set of stairs to the passenger deck. On my way, I pass a man who is giving his small dog a last-minute treat before going up on deck. The CAT is pet-friendly. You can leave your dogs or cats in the car or use the on-board kennel.

Up on deck, my fellow passengers are milling about excitedly. There's plenty of room, so I don't feel the rush to stash my belongings and save a seat. Instead, I take a walk along the entire 318-foot ship. It's like a small city. There's a casino, four TV/movie lounges, and a duty-free shop that sells jewelry, clothing and gifts. The bar and café offer reasonably priced food and there's even a small kids' theatre.

Good seats and fresh coffee can wait, however - I want to see this puppy - or should I say kitty - take off. When The CAT began service in 1998, North Americans had never seen a high-speed catamaran that could hit highway speeds while hauling up to 240 vehicles and 750 passengers. Ten years later The CAT is still a rarity. In fact, in a recent Discovery Channel series, it was ranked No. 2 on Discovery's list of Super Ships - in other words, feats of marine engineering wonder.

I make my way to the observation deck at the back of the ship. The engine rumbles quietly below us and The CAT's four water jets rev, sending darts of white water flying over the dock. Those jets can fill an Olympic swimming pool in 33 seconds flat.

We pull gently away from the dock. The coastline narrows behind us as we pass a series of forested islands that dot the harbour. The view is gorgeous.

As we move into the open ocean, the 38,000-horsepower jets shoot us forward, wind whips our hair, and we leave a frothy wake behind us, a silvery carpet dissolving into the horizon. When it gets chilly I head back inside. I watch a movie, chat to fellow passengers, and sip fresh coffee.

I'm just beginning to doze off in my comfy chair when a voice comes over the loudspeaker asking those who drove onto the ferry to head back to their cars. I follow the crowd as we snake down the stairs and make our way to our cars. About 15 minutes later, I drive slowly off the boat, through customs and out onto the streets of Yarmouth.