Despite the ongoing closure of N.C. 12 on the north end of Ocracoke Island, the Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree is taking place as scheduled.
And the Ocracoke Express passenger ferry has been reactivated to run through the weekend.
The North Carolina Ferry Division announced that the catamaran-style vessel that carries up to 129 passengers per trip began running Friday morning and will offer service Saturday and Sunday.
Departures from Hatteras are at 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1:45 p.m., and 5 p.m., and from the Silver Lake terminal at 9:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.
Round trip tickets are $15, reservations can be made in person or by calling 1-800-BY-FERRY.
The Ocracoke Village Tram will run today (Friday) and Saturday from noon to 7 both days.
The Cedar Island and Swan Quarter vehicle ferries are also running on their normal schedules.
Those who do not have reservations for their cars can park at the mainland terminals and walk-on at a cost of $1 per passenger, bicycles $3 per rider, as long as space is available.
NCDOT crews continue working to clear sand and water that has covered Highway 12 between the Hatteras Inlet ferry terminal and the pony pens.
But due to swells from distant Hurricane Melissa, it is not expected that the road will reopen to traffic until later this evening at the earliest.
The Ocracoke Access Alliance said in a press release the NCDOT hopes to reopen at least one lane by 5 p.m., but that will depend on what happens with any overwash that occurs with high tide at 3:41 p.m.
Once the road reopens, the Hatteras Inlet vehicle ferries will resume operations.
“We encourage our visitors to hop on the passenger ferry or walk-on from the mainland.”, said Ocracoke Access Alliance Executive Director Justin LeBlanc. “Our village is quite walkable, there are bikes and golf carts available for rent, and we hope to have our public tram running for the weekend.”
“We appreciate the efforts of the N.C. Ferry Division to provide access to the island during this difficult time” added LeBlanc. “Folks who choose the passenger ferry will be returned to their vehicles in Hatteras at the end of their visit to our wonderful island”.
For details about Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree, visit https://ocracokeobserver.com/2025/09/23/blackbeards-pirate-jamboree-set-for-oct-31-nov-1/
