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Cedar Island
- Ocracoke Toll Ferry
The
only access to Ocracoke is by small aircraft, private boat, or the ferrys.
Three
routes are normally open to and from Ocracoke- the Hatteras ferry, the
Swan
Quarter Ferry, and the Cedar Island ferry.The Cedar Island - Ocracoke ferry crosses Pamlico Sound, which is approximately a two hour and fifteen minute trip. You can find this ferry's location on the Coastal Guide Map. The "Carteret" would be making the run on this trip. The above right photo shows the "Carteret" preparing to load at Cedar Island. This would turn out to be an interesting crossing.  It
was a beautiful October afternoon. The water of the sound was like glass.
With such fine weather and smooth ride on a long crossing, passengers
were making a leisurely time of it. At least one person pulled a beach
chair from the back of her car and relaxed
with some reading. The sky was the
most perfect shade of blue and the horizon
was ringed with a few clouds.  Chances
looked good for a colorful sunset
near the end of the crossing. On
these long crossings the water and sky
changes constantly. In
spite of the relatively slow cruising speed, birds, boats and other chance
encounters along the way can go by quickly if
you are not on the lookout. Not far into the crossing we came upon a fishing boat named "Cracker Boy" that was virtually swarming with birds. This was not the usual flock of gulls following a ferry, which anyone who has ridden a ferry before has already seen. It looked as if it had be set upon by a mass of giant mosquitoes.  Such
a sight is likely commonplace
for the locals, but for many visitors it is a spectacle. Gulls,
terns and pelicans were having a field day as the "Cracker Boy" hauled
in its catch. A series of photos of
the "Cracker Boy" can be found under Scenic
Places.About fifteen minutes before sunset, dolphins were spotted accompanying the ferry. Soon though, it seemed they had gone, but then they were spotted again. This time they were riding the bow wave. This was quite a treat for the passengers.
As if all that were not enough, the afternoon was topped off in spectacular fashion by a blazing sunset. (A series of photos of this sunset over the Pamlico can be found under Scenic Places.) As the sun slipped below the water of Pamlico Sound in the west, Ocracoke became recognizable in the east.  Before long we were close enough
to see Ocracoke's sound-side shoreline and Ocracoke Lighthouse reflected in the waters of the Pamlico,
bathed in the pinks and purples
of the evening sky. Soon the "Carteret" cruised through "the ditch" into
Silver Lake and docked at the ferry landing next to the old Coast Guard Station.
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Ferrys: NC Ferrys - Page One Knotts Island-Currituck NC Ferrys - Page Two Bayview-Aurora NC Ferrys - Page Three Minnesott Beach- Cherry Branch NC Ferrys - Page Four Cedar Island-Ocracoke NC Ferrys - Page Five Swan Quarter-Ocracoke NC Ferrys - Page Six Hatteras-Ocracoke NC Ferrys - Page Seven NC Ferry Fleet Photos Related Links - NC DOT Ferry Division (1-800-293-3779) NCWaterways.com Ferry Schedule NCDOT Ferry Vessels  |
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