29.08.16, Celtic Sea
The Irish Ferry, The Oscar Wilde, was a massive ship more cruise ship than a ferry at all. The waves rocked it lightly from side to side as it bore its human cargo across the ocean between Ireland and France. In all reality, the Oscar Wilde was something that its namesake would have enjoyed most deeply. There were several deck dedicated to the storage of vehicles; trucks, busses and cars. They seemed to be caverns, huge and near the water, the lower decks devoted to buoyancy were the only decks below these cavities, engine rooms and the inner workings of the boat that kept all the passengers and the on deck restaurants, shops, and entertainments systems up and running. The Ferry had many rooms for sleeping and also rooms for those who did not want to purchase a private bed with simple chairs and floor space for sleeping to the gentle rocking of the waves. However, the boat also seemed to think about those who were not going to be sleeping on their decks. There was an abundance of bars, gambling halls, theatres playing new release movies, and even cabaret lounges with plays and burlesque performances. It was a boat that was intended to be for partying. But the best part of the boat by far was the deck. It was a beautiful railed deck, normal for a boat but overlooking the glittering ocean that seemed to catch the light as the sun set on the choppy, rolling ocean. The deck itself was wet with the ocean's spray despite being either floors above the water itself. The ocean seemed to have a way to find every crevice in the ship's hull and make itself known. The hair of those who stayed out to long on the deck of the ship invariably became crusty and salty, sweet and sticky with waves. The waves themselves glittered with the light of the setting sun as it sank into the horizon, coloring the sky and the deep blue of the waves with its golden light. There was something peaceful about those waves. The ocean, rocking the boat to and fro. Despite the massive size of the boat and the rather short length of the journey, it was easy to forget that the boat was larger than a toy bouncing on the thick, desperate waves. It would be easy for the ocean to decide it was bored and swallow the boat whole, and with it all of its passengers, its crew, its fried fishes and bright slot machines, mirrored ceiling and plush lounges. It could be over in an instant, and the entire massive ship, filled with cars and fanciful items that one might think only belonged in hotels would be totally done for. But the sea was peaceful. The boat drifted calmly over and through hill like waves, even when the skies were gray and the winds were rough. The boat was at peace, and it seemed that many of its temporary occupants forgot that they were inside a vessel of the sea as they went about their vacations.
