Ferry Me Away From Ocracoke

Thursday, October 1, 2015 - 16:27 Press Release

NCDOT Ferry Division implements Ocracoke evacuation procedures.

Hyde County issues evacuation order ahead of Hurricane Joaquin impacts.

In accordance with Hyde County’s mandatory evacuation order, the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division will be implementing its procedures for the evacuation of Ocracoke Island beginning at 3:00 p.m. today.

Those procedures include:

No tolls on Pamlico Sound routes
Reservations cancelled on Pamlico Sound routes
No priority loading on Ocracoke-Hatteras route
No visitors allowed on ferries headed to Ocracoke
Residents, property owners and vendors allowed on Ocracoke-bound ferries THURSDAY & FRIDAY ONLY

The Hatteras-Ocracoke route will be running its regular schedule until evacuation is complete:

Departing Ocracoke: 5 a.m., 6:10, 7:25, 8:30, 9:45, 10:10, 10:25, 10:50, 11:10, 11:55, 12:05 p.m., 12:30, 12:45, 1:10, 1:30, 2:15, 2:25, 2:50, 3:05, 3:30, 3:50, 4:35, 4:45, 5:10, 5:25, 6:10, 6:45, 6:55, 7:30, 7:45, 8:00, 8:30, 9:15, 9:30, 10:30, Midnight.

Departing Hatteras (Residents, Property Owners, & Vendors ONLY): 5 a.m., 6:15, 7:20, 8:35, 9, 9:15, 9:40, 10, 10:45, 10:55, 11:20, 11:35, Noon, 12:20 p.m., 1:05, 1:15, 1:40, 1:55, 2:20, 2:40, 3:25, 3:35, 4, 4:15, 5, 5:30, 5:45, 6:20, 6:35, 6:45, 7:20, 8:05, 8:15, 9:15, 10:45, Midnight.

Pamlico Sound routes will run the following schedule during the evacuation:

Thursday, October 1:

Ocracoke to Swan Quarter: 6 p.m.
Ocracoke to Cedar Island: 4 p.m.
Swan Quarter to Ocracoke (Residents, Property Owners, & Vendors ONLY): 4:30 p.m.
Cedar Island to Ocracoke (Residents, Property Owners & Vendors ONLY): 4 p.m.

Friday, October 2:

Ocracoke to Swan Quarter: 7 a.m, 9:30, 12:45 p.m, 4.
Ocracoke to Cedar Island: 7:30 a.m., 10, 1 p.m., 4.
Swan Quarter to Ocracoke (Residents, Property Owners, & Vendors ONLY): 7 a.m., 10, 1 p.m, 4:30 p.m.
Cedar Island to Ocracoke (Residents, Property Owners, & Vendors ONLY): 7 a.m, 10, 1 p.m, 4.

Saturday, October 3:

Ocracoke to Swan Quarter: 7 a.m., 9:30, 10.
Ocracoke to Cedar Island: 7:30 a.m.
Swan Quarter to Ocracoke (No inbound traffic allowed): 7 a.m.
Cedar Island to Ocracoke (No inbound traffic allowed): 7 a.m, 10.

All schedules are subject to change or cancellation due to tide, wind, and other weather conditions. The Ferry Division strongly encourages Ocracoke residents to evacuate as soon as possible, as conditions may deteriorate faster than forecast.

After evacuation procedures are complete, the Ferry Division will be mooring all of its vessels in safe harbor. Following the storm, reentry requirements will be established by Hyde and Dare Counties and enforced by local and state law enforcement agencies stationed at ferry terminals. The Ferry Division is also prepared to establish its emergency route between Stumpy Point and Rodanthe in the event of a Highway 12 breach on Hatteras Island.