When thinking back, I consider myself so lucky to have had a variety of summer jobs through high school and university but I'd have to say that working on The Princess Marguerite for two summers was my favorite experience.
The Marguerite was a Canadian Pacific Railroad passenger and vehicle ferry which sailed each day
from Seattle, Washington to Victoria, BC
and back to Seattle that evening.
At 5 pm the steam whistle blew as we left Victoria's harbour, and crossed the Strait of Juan de Fuca
on the 4 hour trip to Seattle .
We docked at Pier 56 and stayed overnight until we departed at 8 am each morning for the trip back to Victoria. 
There were 12 or 13 cafeteria waitresses and we wore yellow uniforms with brown and white collar and cuffs, and as the ship was being loaded, we ate dinner and breakfast in the elegant wood paneled dining room . We had our choice of fine food and ate in style before heading up to the cafeteria to serve quick meals to the counter crowd. The line never let up and we were not allowed to write our orders down but kept them memorized as our section of 12 or 13 stools was occupied time and again in the 4 hour crossing.
Once the ship had docked we were free for the night as long as we were on board by 7 am, and our favorite haunts were Ivar's Acres of Clams, Trident Imports, the Space Needle and the Seattle World's Fair grounds . We girls were not alone though. A large crew of deckhands who were also mostly university students kept us company as we made our way through the streets of Seattle and Pike Place Market to get back to our cozy bunks in a cabin we shared with 4 others.
Once back in Victoria, we were on shore from 12 until 4 pm and I lived just a short distance away so I could drive home for the afternoon or sometimes we just went to a beach to soak up the sun. We had International Seaman's ID and passed through customs daily. One or two afternoons a week we took turns opening the snack bar on the aft deck as
the ship sailed to Port Angeles and back each afternoon.
As I think back to those summers spent on The Princess Marguerite I'm grateful for the amazing work experience.
Thanks to Judy at "My Front Porch" who inspired this post with her Space Needle story this morning.
I commented that I had a view of the Space Needle from the Princess Marguerite for two summers - so I thought you might enjoy the story. What was your favorite summer job?
What a glorious memory
ReplyDeleteand what a joy to share it with you.
Thank you!
Aloha from Hawaii
Comfort Spiral
><}}(°>
What wonderful memories you have, it sounds like hard work but fun.......:-) Hugs
ReplyDeleteNow that would have been a fun summer job! And a good way to improve your memory skills as well. I am in awe of servers who memorize all the orders...and get them right!
ReplyDeleteFun memories.
It's fun to be inspired by other bloggers...
ReplyDeleteInteresting how we can even recapture the things of our past and share them with others. Susanne has inspired me back at FFF and I love the opportunity to capture my week in 5 highlights. It keeps my mind focusing on the positive things in life.
What a fun summer job! I'm thinking the Princess Marguerite was the forerunner to today's Clipper - and much more romantic.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite summer job? Hmmmm, probably the two summers I spent counseling at camp - lots of fun, involvement with kids, high jinx and fresh air!
You know, Sheila, that we were on the last trip of the Princess Marguerite! I won the tickets on The Ocean, so we went and had a wonderful time!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite summer job had to have been the one in the tourist information booth on the highway outside of Kingston Ontario.
I never even knew there was a ferry called Princess Marguerite that sailed between Victoria and Seattle. It sounds like you had the most fascinating summer job.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting that Pondside sailed the last trip.
Hello Sheila! It's been a while since I visited your blog last time. I don't get to my computer very often ;-(
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your story so much. What an amazing and adventurous experience you had. My summer jobs were mostly weeding; so boring.
Have a nice Sunday ;-)
Now that does sound like fun... My favorite summer job? Hmmm, nothing nearly as exciting as this!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your memories. That crossing is one of my favourite memories, too. And the Victoria to Vancouver ferry crossing, too. I love your ferries.
ReplyDeleteThis does indeed sound like a wonderful summer job! It was more like an adventure and vacation as well as a job. What wonderful memories you must have of those years.
ReplyDeleteI worked two jobs all through high school. After school I went into Manhattan and worked three hours in an insurance company filing record cards or answering phones. On the weekends I worked in a hospital as a nurse's aide. Since I wanted to be a nurse I loved the nurse's aide job. I saved all my earnings and took a school sponsored trip to Italy for two weeks in my senior year. It was a dream come true and worth all my effort :)