1

Are you going to haul them aboard on the back of a pickup truck? Otherwise, you will probably need to make advance reservations plus have a shipment of dry ice waiting for you at the ferry dock in Ketchikan the moment that the ferry arrives -- only about 15-20 minutes stop. The dock workers/ferry workers will haul the dry ice on board for you, so you need to have everything planned and instructions given to the ferry workers prior to your departure from Petersberg. Same think for off-loading in Bellingham. Will you have someone with a truck ready to load it up at the dock?

2

According to the AMHS website, the Columbia runs through Ketchikan on Sundays and Wednesdays. On Wednesdays, it arrives in Ketchikan (from Wrangell) at 11am and departs for Bellingham at 5pm. (When I took the Matanuska in the last year or so we had a similar break in Ketchikan and I was told it was to swap crews.) A Wednesday trip would be more favorable in terms of businesses being open. That layover should provide ample time in Ketchikan, provided you know where you need to go etc.

That said, the State of Alaska classifies dry ice as a hazardous material (http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/doc/hazmat_public.pdf). According to this AMHS link, you can transport 5lbs or less in a package that allows venting of carbon monoxide gas. There are contact numbers on the last page of the PDF - you may want to call AMHS and verify the rules.

If the web can be believed, it looks like there are a few places you can get dry ice in Ketchikan (Jack Frost being one - not sure if they do retail or just wholesale). In my experience, if you can freeze the fish first, then pack in coolers in ice, and don't open them, the coolness will last about 12 hrs or more. That would at least cover the transport time from Petersburg to Ketchikan.

3

Thanks for the research. and replies The ferry departs Ketchikan at 5 pm on wednesday 8/15, meaning it probably arrives around 4 or later.
I will call Jack Frost tomorrow and see if they will help me
We will have to carry the coolers aboard and off, but we have transport to and from on each end.
It seems a cumbersome plan. Ice and hard frozen fish will last for 4o hrs or more, but the sailing takes over 50 hrs so the dry ice is critical or we risk damaging the fish.

Thanks again for the help

4

I Just did the math on the Ketchikan stopover. I'm sure I can talk my way into getting 20 lbs of dry ice somewhere in Ketchikan in 5 hours
getting it on the boat and into the coolers might be a different story. I think I'll call the ferry authority an discuss options
Thanks again