Getting to the US Mainland From the Outer Banks by Car
After leaving the Bodie Island Lighthouse (see this), I would like to continue south and enter the ferry system operated by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The plan would be...
Take the 14:00 Hatteras => Ocracoke ferry, arriving in Ocracoke at 14:30
Take the 15:30 Ocracoke => Swan Quarter ferry, arriving on the mainland approximately 3 hours later.
In order to minimize the chances of being 'stuck' on the Outer Banks with no place to stay, I would like to book connecting reservations for both legs. I have learned that travel agents are unable, or unwilling, to assist in these matters. Instead, they defer to the NCDOT's site for making ferry reservations and all that I need is there. When I explain that 'no, all of the information is decidedly not there, they say they cannot help me further.
Question: the site appears to offer no way to make reservations for the first leg. Is this a bug? How can a person make reservations for the Hatteras => Ocracoke ferry? Or alternatively, what can a person do aside from showing up early in the morning and spend the day waiting in a first-come-first-served queue?
Secondary: in the chance that I get selected for screening by the maritime division of the TSA, will I need to produce a passport or would it be deemed acceptable for security purposes? I have no forms of Identification to show I reside in the US (because I do not).
Adding: travelling in a standard sedan car, not on foot, not on bicycle.
Best Answer
The webpage maintained by OuterBanks.com appears to have a very thorough description:
The Ocracoke / Hatteras Ferry departs from both the Hatteras and Ocracoke terminals daily, including all major holidays, from 5:00 a.m. until midnight. ... In the summer season, the ferry runs every 30 minutes from both sides during the prime ferry traffic hours, which is generally from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.
...
The ferry boards on a first come, first serve basis, with no preferences given to locals or visitors. ... The wait to board the ferry all depends on the traffic. In the summer months when the seasonal population is high, visitors may have to wait anywhere between 15 minutes to several hours to board an incoming ferry.
...
Summer visitors who are planning a trip to Ocracoke, and who don't have time to spare and wander around the Hatteras ferry docks, should avoid Tuesdays-Thursdays. These are generally the most popular days in the summer season for day-trippers, and during the prime hours of 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., can become fairly crowded with ferry wait times ranging from 20 minutes to up to two hours. If at all possible, plan your day trip on a weekend or Monday, or plan to be an early bird or a night owl. The early 6:00, 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. ferries, as well as the late afternoon and evening ferries, aren't nearly as crowded departing Hatteras and many times visitors can simply "drive right on."
This last piece of advice (avoid Tuesdays–Thursdays) is also echoed on NCDOT's website (in more than one place.)
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Is there a ferry from the Outer Banks to the mainland?
with both car and passenger ferry options. From Highway 12, located along the Outer Banks, the Hatteras Ferry crossing is free and takes about one hour. If you're making a day trip to Ocracoke, plan to arrive at the Hatteras Ferry landing as early as possible since it operates on a first-come, first-served basis.How far is mainland from Outer Banks?
The Outer Banks are a chain of barrier islands that skirt the coast of North Carolina from the Virginia border to Cape Lookout through Currituck, Dare, Hyde, and Carteret Counties. More than 175 miles long, they are separated as much as 30 miles from the mainland by a series of shallow sounds.How do I get from Hatteras to mainland?
To reach the ferry terminal, follow NC-12 from Nags Head, NC all the way down Hatteras Island to the ferry terminal at the far end of Hatteras Village. The ferry crosses Hatteras Inlet in roughly 45 minutes and reservations are NOT required. Check the NCDOT Ferry website for current departure schedules.How long does it take to get from one end of the Outer Banks to the other?
If you drive from one end to the other, counting in ferry time, it would take you about three hours. If you've not spent much time here, you won't realize when you leave Kill Devil Hills, NC, and enter Nags Head, NC.Dashboard Tour: The ENTIRE Outer Banks of North Carolina
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Answer 2
A look at the site and schedules reveals that the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry is free and runs every half hour. That usually means the ferry is first come first served with no reservations. Your inability to make any kind of reservation on the route bears that out.
Ferries of this kind are usually on routes where the ferry frequency is able to cope with regular demand, though obviously high usage can cause delays. The operator should be able to give you an idea of likely waits.
A passport won't be necessary, and it's likely there isn't any kind of security check. If you are asked for ID a drivers license should be fine. They don't care if you are a resident or not.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Tim Samuel, Tim Samuel, Tim Samuel, Kelly