The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division has begun taking reservations for visitors wishing to visit Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras village, now that Dare County has announced reentry beginning Sept. 15. Visitors can enter these villages through Ocracoke from either Cedar Island or Swan Quarter.

Visitors are reminded that there are only four Sound Class vessels that can make the crossing from Cedar Island to Ocracoke and Swan Quarter to Ocracoke. These ferries can carry approximately 50 cars each. People are also reminded that it takes 2.5 hours to cross the Pamlico Sound from Swan Quarter and 2.25 hours to cross from Cedar Island.

Two departures – one from Cedar Island and one from Swan Quarter – have been added to the schedule.

In addition to the current schedule, a 7 p.m. departure from Swan Quarter and a 10 p.m. departure from Ocracoke have been added beginning Saturday, Sept. 17, to accommodate the influx of visitors and will continue through Oct. 3.

According to a Ferry Division spokesperson, all ferries on the Swan Quarter to Ocracoke and Cedar Island to Ocracoke route are booked for this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 17 and 18.  Some reservations are still available on both runs for Monday.

FERRIES FROM CEDAR ISLAND AND SWAN QUARTER   

The Swan Quarter-Ocracoke schedule is:

• Departing Swan Quarter at 7 a.m., 10, 12:30 p.m., 4:30 and 7; and
• Departing Ocracoke at 6:30 a.m., 9:30, 12:45 p.m., 4 and 10.

An additional run has also been added at Cedar Island, with a 6 p.m. departure and an 8:30 p.m. return departure from Ocracoke.


The Cedar Island-Ocracoke schedule is:

• Departing Cedar Island at 7 a.m., 10, 1 p.m., 3:30 and 6; and
• Departing Ocracoke at 7:30 a.m., 10, 1 p.m., 3:30 and 8:30.

Reservations can be made online at www.ncferry.org or by calling 800-293-3779 (BY-FERRY) and pressing 2. VISA and Mastercard are accepted for reservations.


HATTERAS-OCRACOKE FERRY

The ferry between Ocracoke and Hatteras will run on the following schedule beginning Thursday, Sept. 15:
 

• Departing both Hatteras and Ocracoke beginning at 5 a.m. every hour until 5 p.m.; and
• Departing Hatteras after 5 p.m. at 6, 8, 10 and midnight; and
• Departing Ocracoke after 5 p.m. at 7, 9 and 11

This route is not running its normal schedule, because some crews and ferries have been moved to the emergency ferry route that is running between Stumpy Point and Rodanthe.
 
Ferry information is available by calling 800-293-3779 (BY-FERRY) and pressing 1, or via Twitter at www.twitter.com/ncdot_ferry.


The ferry between Ocracoke and Hatteras will run on the following schedule beginning Thursday, Sept. 15:

• Departing both Hatteras and Ocracoke beginning at 5 a.m. every hour until 5 p.m.; and
• Departing Hatteras after 5 p.m. at 6, 8, 10 and midnight; and
• Departing Ocracoke after 5 p.m. at 7, 9 and 11

This route is not running its normal schedule, because some crews and ferries have been moved to the emergency ferry route that is running between Stumpy Point and Rodanthe.

Ferry information is available by calling 800-293-3779 (BY-FERRY) and pressing 1, or via Twitter at www.twitter.com/ncdot_ferry.

STUMPY POINT TO RODANTHE EMERGENCY FERRY

This ferry is available only for residents, non-resident property owners, emergency vehicles and personnel, and trucks carry fuel and supplies.

Visitors may not enter Hatteras on this route.  Identification will be checked

The NCDOT Ferry Division is offering 16 departures from each side to assist with the re-entry process for Hatteras Island, on the following schedule beginning 5 a.m., Friday, Sept. 9: 

Departing Stumpy Point at 12:30 a.m., 2 a.m., 3:30 a.m., 5 a.m., 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m. 6:30 p.m.,  8 p.m.,  9:30 p.m., 11 p.m.

Departing Rodanthe at midnight, 1:30 a.m., 3 a.m., 4:30 a.m., 6 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 9 p.m., and 10:30 p.m.
Between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4:30 a.m., the Ferry Division will give boarding priority to vehicles carrying essential commodities.  Commercial vehicles are urged to use the overnight ferry trips in order to avoid congestion with the re-entry of residents.