By Connie Leinbach
The N.C. Ferry Division on Thursday returned the M/V Silver Lake to service on Ocracoke’s long routes across the Pamlico Sound and the three-boat (spring) schedule is back in effect as of today (April 11).
Catherine Peele, Ferry Division deputy director, confirmed the change in an email.
“The boat returned to service for the 4:30 p.m. run (Thursday) and is in service,” she said.
Since early April, routes across the Pamlico Sound were temporarily reduced to the winter schedule, or two runs per day each to Swan Quarter and Cedar Island.
This was due to rudder damage to the M/V Silver Lake, Peele said, though a previous spokesman for the NCDOT had said the damage was to the propeller.
NCDOT Spokesman Aaron Moody had told the Observer that an ACE dredge is scheduled to work in that area again on May 10 and the increased routes are scheduled to begin May 20.
Meanwhile, the Hatteras-Ocracoke route will expand to the full summer schedule on Tuesday, April 15 and will continue to Nov. 3.
The schedule will be as follows:
From Hatteras: 5 a.m., 6 a.m., 7 a.m., 8 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m., 11 p.m., and midnight.
From Ocracoke: 4:30 a.m., 6:30 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., noon, 12:30 p.m., 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 9 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m., and midnight.
A full ferry schedule can be viewed and downloaded here.
For real time text or email notifications on schedule adjustments and other ferry information, sign up for the Ferry Information Notification System at www.ncdot.gov/fins.
