New ferry schedules set now that Ocracoke has reopened to visitors

[Connie Leinback/Ocracoke Observer photo]

With Ocracoke Island now open to all, the N.C. Ferry System has adjusted its Ocracoke-bound schedules today to accommodate visitor traffic.

While roads in Ocracoke village are open and accessible, N.C. 12 north of the village is open only to four-wheel drive vehicles.

The highway is scheduled to reopen to all traffic within a week.

Ferry schedules as of Dec. 2:
Ocracoke to Cedar Island: 7 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m.
Cedar Island to Ocracoke: 6:30 and 10 a.m., 4 p.m.
Ocracoke to Swan Quarter: 9 a.m., 1 and 7 p.m.
Swan Quarter to Ocracoke: 10 a.m., noon, and 4 p.m.
The routes between Cedar Island, Swan Quarter and Ocracoke will remain toll-free until N.C. 12 opens to all traffic. Reservations for these routes are highly recommended and are available by calling 1-800-BY-FERRY. The schedule for ferries between Ocracoke and Hatteras is as follows:

Hatteras to Ocracoke-Silver Lake: 6 a.m. and 11:15 a.m., 4:30 p.m.
Ocracoke-Silver Lake to Hatteras: 8:45 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
Hatteras to Ocracoke-South Dock (4WD ONLY): 6:15 a.m. and 9 a.m., 4:45 p.m., 6 and 7:30 p.m.
Ocracoke-South Dock-Hatteras (4WD ONLY): 4:30 a.m., 7:30 and 10:15 a.m., 6 p.m., 7:30 and 9 p.m.
Once N.C. 12 reopens to all traffic, the Hatteras-Ocracoke Silver Lake route will be discontinued, and the Hatteras-Ocracoke South Dock route will begin on the following schedule:

Hatteras-Ocracoke: 5 a.m., 6, 8, 9 and 11 a.m., 12, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7:30, 9 and 10 p.m., midnight.
Ocracoke-Hatteras: 4:30 a.m., 6:30, 7:30, 9:30 and 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30, 3:30, 4:30, 6:15, 7:30, 8:45 and 10:30 p.m., midnight.
Tolling will resume at the regular rates on routes between Cedar Island, Swan Quarter and Ocracoke once N.C. 12 is reopened to all traffic.

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