John, it seems to me the challenges you face are more related to your job/office situation specifically than to bicycle commuting generally, which leads to some unhelpful advice. Each of us has a different job, a different commute, and a different way of making it work. And those of us who've been doing this for many years have forgotten many of the challenges we faced when starting out.

I suggest you get a briefcase that attaches to the bike like a pannier and carries only work-related things, not clothes or bike stuff, so you can carry the same briefcase whether you ride the bike or the ferry.

Is there no way to adjust your mode of dress so that you can wear the same clothes on the bike as you wear at your desk? Many of us do that. Others cannot. This might mean you change your bike to suit your clothes, rather than the other way around.

Slowing down, as many suggest, may be part of the answer. If you could ride the bike in "business casual" attire, even if the ride takes ten minutes longer, you'd save time.

If not, is there possibly a gym or the like somewhere near your office, where you could rent a locker on a monthly or longer term basis?