Trying to to decide where to board a ferry and which ferry service is best...We'll be staying on Emerald Isle. Thanks in advance!

thill

North Carolina Ferry schedules and locations can be found on-line. You will most likely wish to take the Cedar Island-Ocracoke Ferry, a two hour ride which requires a reservation at certain times of the year.

The lighthouse isn't the most accessible place, and the Cedar Island-Ocracoke ferry won't do it. You need the ferry from Harker's Island, which you get to off Rte. 70, which is the road from Beaufort to Cedar Island. Or you can hire a smaller boat to get you out there. See: http://www.nps.gov/calo/planyourvisit/ferry.htm

Thanks for the info...Do you have any first hand recommendations?

We were there last week and took the 'ferry' at Lor o'Decks (sp) at Calico Jacks. These aren't your typical ferrys, much smaller that are privately owned, but the only way to get to the lighthouse. I think they run every hour or mayby at quarter till the hour - it's $10.00 per person round trip. You tell them what time you want to be picked back up and they come for you. There are a couple others I believe on Harkers' Isl, but we used Calico Jacks twice last week and once last year. The last time we went last week, we decided we wanted to come back an hour earlier and called them for an earlier pickup and that was no problem.

Thanks jfawp! I read about Calico Jacks but I wasn't sure if they went directly to the lighthouse. I'm adding this to the itinerary.

Were you able to climb the lighthouse?