Space...

The final frontier?

I was visiting with one of our dock neighbors; she lives on her small boat.  When she said, "You know how people need a certain amount of space?" (gesturing with her arms)

"Yeah?"

"Well, this time of year, the locals are feeling a bit crowded."

Yeah, I get that.  I see the crowds pouring off the ferries.  Like the tide coming in and going out, the crowds flood and ebb with the ferry schedule.  We set our departure times around the ferry schedule.  We have some guests who get off the ferry and come around to our office, then get on our boats.  Depending on how long a trip runs*, they may get off our boats and get right back on the ferry.  It is too bad if they don't get the opportunity to see more of Friday Harbor and San Juan Island.

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Our office in the temporary building is close to Memorial Circle (at the base of Spring Street) and the ferry terminal.  If you were looking to make some money busking (playing music out on the street), up by Memorial Circle is the place where the people are - everyone getting off the ferry goes right by there.

The last two seasons, a guy playing bagpipes has been busking there.  Oh, he isn't there every day.  But, when he is there, he plays for most of the afternoon.  A song or two on the bagpipes is kind of interesting... 4 hours become grueling.  I feel bad for Joan and the others who work in our office - they can't get away from it.

And yesterday, a new "performer": there is a reason for the quotes.  There was a kid playing banjo and screaming out songs.  He was way beyond bad.  It was like the gag episodes on American Idol.  At first, people seemed to feel sorry for the kid, thinking maybe he didn't know how bad he is.  When it went on, they were mildly amused.  When it went on and on, they were annoyed.  When I got off the boat and came up to the office, I could hear people at the picnic tables, "Someone should tell that guy to stop!"... "Aren't there laws here about noise pollution?"

If they wanted to, they could walk away.  I felt bad for my Honey: she was trapped in the office.  No way to seal it off from the screaming.  The kid had been going on for quite a while before we came in.  What he lacked in talent, he made up for with volume.

The Blonde was ready for the space in our boat at the end of her work day.

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Yesterday was as crowded with boats as I have ever seen while viewing whales.  I understand that need for space.