Miles and the Ferry

Miles and Alfie arrive at the harbour with Dad for a short ferry trip. Miles carries their tickets in the clear pocket of his backpack. He has been looking forward to watching the boats from the water.

Beside the waiting area, a board shows that their ferry will leave from a different gate today. Miles remembers the gate they used last time and starts walking towards it, until Alfie points to the new notice.

They stop beside Dad and compare the destination on their tickets with the words on the board. The departure time is the same, but the arrow leads along the covered walkway instead of straight ahead.

Dad checks the change with a member of staff, who confirms the correct gate. Miles feels relieved. They have arrived early enough to follow the walkway without needing to hurry through the busy terminal.

At the new gate, Alfie notices two queues. One is for the island ferry and the other is for a harbour tour. Miles reads their ticket again, then joins the island queue with Dad beside him.

When boarding begins, Miles takes the tickets from their pocket and shows them to the crew member. The boys walk along the gangway with Dad, holding the rail and leaving space for the people ahead.

They choose seats beside a window as the ferry moves away from the wharf. Alfie spots a fishing boat, while Miles finds the old waiting gate across the water, now empty and quiet.

“Remembering helped us get there, but checking helped us get it right,” says Miles. He returns the tickets to the clear pocket. On the journey home, he plans to read the board before choosing a gate.