If you live or work in Alameda, chances are you’ll recognize Winter Ladue, senior deckhand for Blue & Gold Fleet. Over the past seven years she’s worked all of Blue & Gold’s ferry runs, but her favorite is her hometown trek on the Alameda/Oakland ferry.
Winter Ladue, senior deckhand for Blue & Gold Fleet on the stern of her favorite ferryboat, Encinal, during the Alameda/Oakland route. Photo by Matt Larson
By Matt Larson
Published: November, 2013
If you live or work in Alameda, chances are you’ll recognize Winter Ladue, senior deckhand for Blue & Gold Fleet. Over the past seven years she’s worked all of Blue & Gold’s ferry runs, but her favorite is her hometown trek on the Alameda/Oakland ferry. "I was born and raised in Alameda," said Ladue.
Since the run began after the 1989 earthquake, Ladue has relied on the ferry for getting to and from San Francisco. She enjoyed it so much that it’s now her job. "As a young girl my family and I would always be on the Bay," she said. "I grew up sailing, wakeboarding, waterskiing, canoeing—anything that was water related." And here she is now, a working professional on those very waterways she grew up on. "It’s just a love of the water, period. That’s what brought me to this job," she said. "I love every aspect of it."
One of Ladue’s favorite parts of her job is watching all the passengers enjoy their time on the boat. "I like watching people have their day out with their families and friends," she said. "The passengers are extremely important to me; just seeing the smiles on their faces makes all the difference."
In addition to the passengers, it’s the aquatic nature Ladue grew up with that keeps her working out on the water. Prior to getting seniority at Blue & Gold Fleet, Ladue would often work as a casual deck crew for Golden Gate Ferry. "One of my favorite things was coming into Larkspur for the evening and you’d just smell this beautiful smell of sage and pine," she said. "It’s just about being in the open air. It’s healthy, refreshing, serene, it’s a really good experience being out there."
When Ladue isn’t working on the waterways, she’s often playing on them instead. "I love to surf and paddleboard, go river rafting and canoeing, take long drives and visit other beach towns," she said. On land she can be found hiking and riding her bike. That’s another thing she loves about her job: "I have a lot of energy so I like to be continuously active—this particular profession allows me to do that."
For those looking to get a taste of what Ladue has grown accustomed to over her years of aquatic explorations, she recommends checking out the Santa Cruz/Capitola area, Sausalito, and the American and Russian rivers. And for simply traveling around the Bay, Ladue wholeheartedly recommends taking the ferry.
"I think it’s the best way to travel," she said. "You’re not in a crowded environment. In the morning you can come in and get a cup of coffee, in the evening you can relax with a glass of wine." Ladue also notes the social aspect of traveling on the ferry, something that isn’t quite as easy on BART or when driving your car. "It’s a good place for people to meet where they may not have met anywhere else," she said. "There’s people who have developed lasting friendships from just commuting on the ferry."
Ladue has made friends with many of the passengers. "I’ve gotten to know who rides when, where they like to sit, who they’re friends with—you get to know who they are and I really enjoy that." Also, being the professional that she is, knowing as many names as possible would only be of great assistance if there were to be an emergency of any kind on the boat.
"I take my career seriously and I love it," she said. "I genuinely care about each and every one of my passengers. If they’re not happy then I’d definitely like to know about it," said Ladue. "Their safety, well-being, happiness—all of it—is very important to me. It’s more than just customer service, it’s more than a job. It’s never been about the money. As silly as it sounds, I look forward to getting up every day and going in to work."
