MANNS HARBOR – The annual transition to shoulder-season ferry schedules will begin next week for the North Carolina Ferry System. Over the next six weeks, several gradual changes will occur on four of the ferry system’s seven routes:
- Hatteras-Ocracoke: The popular Hatteras-Ocracoke route will switch to a fall schedule on Oct. 11, going to 26 daily round-trips, down from 36. On Nov. 8, the route will go to a winter schedule, making 18 round-trips daily.
- Pamlico Sound: Both the Cedar Island-Ocracoke and Swan Quarter-Ocracoke routes will begin their fall season schedules on Sept. 27. Both routes will run three round trips daily.
- Southport-Fort Fisher: The Southport route will switch to its fall schedule on Oct. 1, dropping to 14 weekday round trips. Weekend schedules will not be affected.
The Cherry Branch and Pamlico River routes do not change seasonally, and the Currituck-Knotts Island route remains on the same schedule throughout the school year.
For a printable 2016 ferry schedule, go to: www.ncdot.gov/download/transit/ferry/ferryschedule.pdf